p54-55 sfh sep19 12/9/08 17:15 Page 54
knowledge selling from home
ttglive.com
Face-to-face appointments
Meeting
clients
in person
More homeworkers are arranging face-to-face meetings
with their customers. Debbie Ward finds out what you
can get out of this approach and what to be aware of
H
omeworkers often boast that personal travel adviser with Future Travel,
they are able to provide their meets clients a couple of times a week.
customers with a more personal The consultant, who won Agent of the
service than other types of agent. Year at last week’s TTG Travel Awards, said companies usually advise agents to meet
Most will give that individual attention in this was particularly the case for “long-haul, new clients in neutral territory such as a
phone calls and emails–but some go further tailor-made, multi-sector, expensive bookings hotel or smart cafe, Philip and David are
by offering the option of face-to-face meetings. – anything that needs building bit by bit”. generally comfortable having appointments
Weymouth-based Philip Grout-Smith, who Hays Travel personal travel consultant Zoe in their clients’ homes. Philip makes sure
had become disillusioned with the high Wilkinson, however, has a more personal his wife knows where he’s going and David
street, marketed appointments from the out- reason for starting to market an appointment says almost all new customers come from an
set for his new business. “What I’m trying to service in Windermere. “As a homeworker, existing client’s referral.
do is bring back the old service mentality,” there’s a time when you get a bit sick of Karyn Billings, a homeworker for Superior
the Holidaysplease homeworker explains. looking at your own four walls,” she says. Travel (see Q&A, page 56), also meets clients
For some customers, it’s the complexity of “I wanted to get suited and booted and go in their homes but has started making
a booking that can prompt an appointment. out with my briefcase. It’s a compromise be- appointments to pitch for business from
David Hoyle, a Huddersfield-based tween homeworking and going out to work.” local organisations including a college
Alicia Redgrave, business development and social club. “I’ll do a PowerPoint
manager for Hays Travel’s homeworking presentation to their board,” she says.
division, says: “Appointments are something
we strongly encourage. I want people to see Discussion only
it as a personal fitness trainer or personal In these days of mobile working, dealing
shopper kind of thing.” with customers out of the office needn’t
Redgrave says she would particularly like pose technical problems. Hays provides Zoe
to see Hays homeworkers working with with a 3G device which, when plugged into
hotels that act as wedding venues to use her laptop, allows her to remotely access the
them as meeting places to discuss couples’ booking system. David sometimes uses his
Philip Grout-Smith (left) and David Hoyle agree that honeymoon requirements. clients’ WiFi to access the web on his laptop
face-to-face meetings with clients help to build a rapport While, for safety reasons, homeworking but both he and Philip tend to use meetings
54 19.09.2008
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