Polka Dot Travel, Wrexham
When Polka Dot Travel decided to open a new branch in the Welsh town of Wrexham, they knew they would have some stiff competition. Within walking distance of the shop, there are four other agencies, meaning that the team have had to work extremely hard to generate business.
To start with they’ve gone for an unusual name and combined it with vibrant colours of purple and green, all of which help it to stand out on the streets. Harnessing the power of Facebook has also been a key part of the plan. Following on from the success at the Oswestry shop, the team at Wrexham, led by director Helen Johnson, set about launching their own dedicated page. It now has more than 4,000 likes and potential customers regular comment on the deals and pass them on to their friends.
It’s been a whirlwind couple of years for Johnson and fellow director Philippa Wilcox. Since opening up their first shop in 2013 they have added three more in quick succession.
“If you get it right the first time, you will have them for life,” says Wilcox. To do this, the team will employ a variety of tools, including the often-criticised TripAdvisor, and staff are happy to take the time to talk through payment options with clients. In January the business measured the number of people who travelled this year compared with the last and found than an incredible 82% of people rebook across the entire business.
While there’s a great deal of camaraderie across the business, staff also enjoy a bit of competition and each week the top salesperson is awarded Love2Shop vouchers. There is plenty of training available with those that want to, encouraged to aim for managerial roles.
Place of registration: England and Wales.
Company number 08723341.
Registered address: 6th Floor, 2 London Wall Place, London EC2Y 5AU
