A DAY WITH... TRAVEL WEEKLY ON THE ROAD


Juliet Dennis @juliet_dennis


@MilesMorganNews With the lovely Margaret and Maria in Wells, on our second cup of tea between clients


ABOVE: Sarah Philips


LEFT: Margaret shows off a present from one of her customers


FAR LEFT: Margaret Moulton, Deborah Nagvekar and Sarah Phillips


tw “It was a whirlwind of emotion. I was


most concerned about my customers,” says Margaret. Agency chain owner Miles Morgan was one of the first to show interest in the business. Two weeks later, the agency was back up and running as part of Miles Morgan Travel, with some clients none the wiser. A VIP opening night, with operator


Typically Italian, attracted 65 customers – and the agency was back in business. With reference to managing director Miles


Morgan and his well-known hobby of keeping alpacas, Margaret adds: “We have lots of fun - there are not many managing directors who answer their phones to hear about a day’s trading while shearing their alpacas!” Within a matter of months, in summer 2013, the agency moved up the high street to its current premises and was kitted out in the style of the miniple’s other branches. The shop has gone from strength to strength


and now has five staff, including Sarah Phillips, the former manager of a Thomas Cook store a few doors along the road. Phillips, who joined after 25 years with


Cook, says: “The biggest difference between working at a multiple and an independent is that there is so much more you can sell.” Margaret describes her biggest challenge as “coping with our success”.


“We need another desk, and if my target


gets any higher, I’ll need another team member,” she jokes. The agency’s client base is largely retired


professionals, and with the area boasting top private schools such as Millfield and Wells Cathedral School, there is also an affluent family market locally.


SEEKING NEW BUSINESS The agency continues to court new business with regular operator events. It is also planning a Macmillan coffee morning in the branch. “Every member of staff has been affected


by friends or family with cancer,” says Margaret. The branch’s best-selling destinations include Canada, the US, Australia, New Zealand, Croatia and Sicily. There is no doubt Brexit has had an impact,


according to Margaret. “It has affected customers’ confidence, with some people not committing to big bookings.” Despite a drop-off in the lates market,


customers are still coming in to book further ahead, she says. And the recent failure of Lowcost Holidays actually boosted the agency’s trade. She adds: “People who had booked Lowcost Beds came in to ask for help, and then came back to book their next trips, so it did us a favour.”


JULIET’S DAY ❛


As soon as I entered Miles Morgan Travel, I felt part of the family. Within minutes, I had a cup of tea in


my hand, and was chatting to manager Margaret and consultant Maria, who came in especially on her day off. That’s exactly the behaviour that


makes customers return to the agency. It’s obvious the staff have a close


relationship with clients from all the chit chat. But importantly, they retain the professionalism and efficiency customers want. As clients came in, Margaret dealt


with complex-sounding queries effortlessly, and introduced me to some of her loyal customers. No one was left hovering at the


brochure rack for too long without politely being asked whether they needed help. What struck me most was just how


busy it was. It was positively buzzing – exactly how I imagined a good high street agency should be. As we stood outside taking a


photo, the staff waved at passers-by and joked: “Fame at last!”


Juliet Dennis @juliet_dennis


@MilesMorganNews A normal busy Monday morning for the ladies in Wells


25 August 2016 travelweekly.co.uk 35


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