Ask the experts
RICHARD DIXON founder and director, Holidaysplease “A prospective homeworker should start by asking themselves good questions. Why do I want to do this? What do I want to achieve from it? What will be the challenges? Then research thoroughly!”
Blue Bay Travel set up its Personal Travel
Consultants division in September 2020 and now has 20 homeworkers. It wants 25 by the end of this year. It pays agents half the commission from a booking
upfront and pledges not to ‘skim’ any agent earnings into a central fund. This has proved enticing to newcomers and seasoned homeworkers, it says, while its agent referral scheme has attracted “way more” new recruits than expected. Chief executive Alistair Rowland says: “To stand
out, you have to offer everything that everyone else offers, and more. We’re deliberately doing that to grow significantly.”
BALANCING ACT Personal Holiday Advisors recruitment and training manager Emma Rodgers says homeworking is seen as being able to offer a better quality of life. The group, founded in 2009, has 16 homeworkers
compared with four pre-pandemic. It wants 50 by the start of 2023. She says: “The perspective has changed, not just
for families. People don’t want to be governed by the 9-to-5.30 any more.” Brilliant Travel has enjoyed a “high volume” of enquiries in recent months from experienced agents
Agents set to make up Blue Bay Travel’s new Personal
£ 25
Travel Consultants division by the end of 2021
travelweekly.co.uk
wanting a fresh start. It hopes to take on a further 20 in the next year. Director Linda Pyle says: “Spending quality time
with family and having working hours that suit you and your clients are two of the main reasons why people are turning to homeworking.” Redundancy has proved a tipping point, says Dixon,
after many “sat tight” until the end of the pandemic. The rapid rise in the use of remote working
technology, including Zoom and Microsoft Teams, has helped. Pyle says: “The pandemic has proved you can run a highly successful business from home.” The fact homeworking companies have weathered
the Covid storm relatively well has also made the sector appealing. As Hughes at Travel Counsellors says: “We were already set up to work from home, many were not.” Companies cite potential for “exponential growth”
as international travel returns and demand grows for trusted, knowledgeable travel experts outside traditional working hours. Hughes believes many are considering remote working who had not prior to 2020. In addition, the chance to be self-employed, backed by a larger company, is compelling. It’s the perfect time,” she says. “You can be in charge of your own destiny.” O
JAYNE MARLOR head of recruitment, training and customer service, Designer Travel “To find the right business for you, do your homework. Ask about the range of suppliers, the support provided, commission levels, staff incentives and educational policy. Ask existing homeworkers for their feedback. It should be a marathon, not a sprint.”
COLIN MARTIN- WEEKES franchise manager, GoCruise & Travel “Be creative and bold: it will get you noticed and let your customers know your worth. In today’s world, your service means more than you can imagine. Remember to take care of yourself, your mental and physical wellbeing, and balance your customers’ needs.”
UK agents reported to have signed up with InteleTravel, up from 3,600 in 2018-19 and 7,481 the year after
10,500
SHEENA WHITTLE head, The Personal Travel Agents “Find a homeworking business that’s the right fit for you, encourages your ideas, provides the right tools and support, and shares your values. Speak to several and ask their agents for an unbiased view.”
28 OCTOBER 2021
45
PICTURES: Shutterstock/Lightfield Studios; Phil Hitchman
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