Staying in touch
How do homeworkers stay in contact with their colleagues and clients? Katie McGonagle finds out
W
e live in a world that’s more connected than ever – between phone, email, instant
messaging, video calls and social media, there are so many ways to stay in touch with your most valuable contacts. But how do you keep those networks
going when you’re working from home and your main lifeline to the industry is through a laptop and Wi-Fi router? Whether it’s keeping your current client list
up to date, renewing supplier relationships at a conference after-party, forging fresh connections at a roadshow or simply comparing notes with colleagues, you might have to work a little harder to stay connected, but it’s always worth the effort.
HOME AND AWAY
Despite what the name suggests, homeworkers don’t necessarily spend all their time at home. For some, the draw is that you can base yourself anywhere at any time, adopting a digital nomad lifestyle. But for those who don’t fancy living on the move, staying at home doesn’t mean you can’t stay connected with others.
18 JULY 2024 The Personal Travel Agents, part of Co-op
Travel, holds regular ‘Big PTA Work Togethers’ around the country, where agents can bring their laptops and work alongside one another in the same room for the day, allowing them to talk in person and share advice. Team meet-ups are also encouraged at Hays Travel. Cherie Richards, head of
business development, says: “Working at home can be lonely, so we have regular catch-ups and encourage our members to connect with each other, so they also have a peer network to turn to. We fly many members of our homeworking division to an annual conference so they can meet us, our suppliers and each other in person.”
“I work from an office, which allows my clients to come and see me”
MERV BATES travel associate, Travel Four Seasons “Travel Four Seasons has a beautiful concierge-style store in Harpenden, Hertfordshire, then a few of us dotted around the country. I live in the Cotswolds and have built a loyal base over the years, with many repeat customers. I work from a lovely office, which allows my clients to come
and see me and spend time chatting through their plans over a cuppa. As a business, we have regular Teams and Zoom meetings and quite often we’ll have a supplier spend time with us, then we all get together at least once a quarter. I love having the freedom to work when and where I want. I was recently on a fam trip on Ponant’s Le Commandant Charcot and booked my clients’ honeymoon while sailing from Brest [in Brittany] to Reykjavik, all from my stateroom with a view of the ocean. You can’t do that on the high street!”
travelweekly.co.uk
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