Samantha Mayling was told by Sally Murray that she used Zoom events to help her business future-proof Travel Counsellors agent Sally Murrays.
Q. Q.
A. I left school in 1989 and started my youth training at Lunn Poly, Monmouth, Wales. It was amazing. It was a great experience. I spent 18 years working on the high streets, including as a regional manager at Tui and as an independent sales representative. It was a great mix of experiences. Then I worked as a trainer, visiting agents, tour operator, and airline agent. I was then made redundant and I took a job outside of travel in the area of apprenticeships, higher education, and quality assurance.
Although it was a huge step to go from being a full-time employee to self-employed, I don't regret it. It's the best thing that I have ever done. I love it.
Q. Q.
A. I was missing travel and wanted to fulfill my travel bug so I joined in January 2018. Although it was a huge step to go from being a full-time employee to self-employed, I don't regret it. It's the best thing that I have ever done. I love it. I knew the business from my experience in the trade so I reached out to Travel Counsellors and other homeworking agencies. Travel Counsellors has a personal service philosophy that is backed up by incredible technology. I love the way it is set-up. When I visited their Manchester headquarters, I instantly felt at ease. I was able to trust their incredible support during the pandemic. I have received a lot personal support from them and have tapped into their mindset program. I sell multi-centre leisure travel and custom-made itineraries. This is stuff that you can't easily put together. I am able to sell cruises, ski, family holidays, bucket-list trips, and I also build my own groups and adventure specialism.
When I visited their Manchester headquarters, I felt like I had found a friend in [Travel Counsellors]. The incredible back-up really came into its own during the pandemic, and it cemented my decision.
Q. Q.
A. Last year, I had clients who traveled to the UK for a lot of business and some to Greece. My first group of clients from overseas went to Greece island-hopping last August after restrictions were lifted. It was so thrilling, but also so complicated that we had to make many changes. Although I am not yet back to pre-pandemic sales levels, I have had a busy summer bookings from overseas and the UK. Last-minute bookings were key this summer. Croatia was very popular. Both confidence and demand are on the rise. I am more busy than ever with new inquiries, for the October half-term, Christmas/New Year and winter sun in Dubai. Then into 2022, Easter, and even 2023. Although we are restricted in our holiday options, it is a positive sign for our confidence.
Both confidence and demand are on the rise. I am more busy than ever with new inquiries, for the October half-term, Christmas/New Year and winter sun in Dubai. Then into 2022, Easter, and even 2023.
Q. Q.
A. A. I used to meet clients in their homes or at a coffee shop. I am based in Hermitage in Berkshire and have not gotten back to face-to-face contact with clients as often as I used to. Zoom is a great tool for me because my clients are not always local. Zoom events have also generated bookings. It is still difficult and complicated to travel, but this is what is driving people like me to use agents. There have been so many restrictions and changes with Brexit. Independent travelers have not been able to access the expertise of experts and many people were unable to receive replies from travel agencies last year. I am fortunate to have access to a network of support from Travel Counsellors.
Zoom is a tool I use more than ever because my business is not always local. Zoom also allows me to make personal connections with clients further away.
Q. Q. Did you manage to travel during the pandemic?
A. A. My planned vacation to Florida and Mexico had to be moved to next year. Next April will see my Intrepid fundraising trip to Morocco. My sister and other travel counselors will join me for the long winter hikes. There will also be plenty of training. It's great for staying fit and taking care of my mental health. It has helped me stay motivated. Reubens Retreat is another charity that Travel Counsellors have supported for many years. We now have more time for fundraising.
My planned vacation to Florida and Mexico had to be moved to next year. My Intrepid fundraising trip to Morocco will now take place in April.
What was your experience during the pandemic?
From March 2020 to October 2020 I dealt with cancellations and changes. My husband's salary and grants from the local council were a blessing. I also worked briefly on test-and trace calls.
In October, I realized I needed to be more focused and have clear goals. I signed up to a five-day Intrepid trek, in Morocco, to the top with a group of Travel Counsellors to raise funds for Reubens Retreat.
So I created the Be Inspired destination events platform on Zoom. While people were content to stay at home, there was a demand for bucket-list travel. I was able to connect with both old and new clients.
Since I had no face-to–face contact, I was looking for a different approach and started Be Inspired events on Zoom. Although people were content to stay at home, there was a demand for bucket-list travel. I was able to connect with both old and new clients, and to inspire them.
It became a YouTube channel. This is a place for these events so that I can share them with other clients. It helped me stay visible until people wanted to book again. It helped me to plan for the future. There were several destinations, including Namibia, Lapland and Maldives, as well as Costa Rica. The most successful destination was Iceland. I created a group trip which I will host in March 2022.
