Travelmaker, Guernsey: South West’s Top Agency

Located inside a busy Co-op supermarket, this store is likely to be decorated with a different seasonal theme each time you visit.

It is staffed by a team of five who are also great friends, meeting up regularly out of hours, which contributes to a warm, lively vibe.

Customer service here is all about the personal touches; consultants make notes about clients’ quirks and preferences, hand deliver tickets to elderly clients, send out Christmas cards and have different pairs of reading glasses on each of their desks for clients who might have forgotten theirs.

Clients frequently come in to thank the team personally for its hard work or send thank you cards and emails, and unsurprisingly, repeat business is high at 75%.

The store is also focused on bringing in a younger demographic, with new staff member Charlie successfully making strides in the 18-35s market. The agency’s mascot bear Travis is often lent to children to take on their holiday, with families posting pictures on social media.

If agents attend a familiarisation trip, reports are written and special adverts are placed in local media, featuring tips from the trip and encouraging clients to visit the store to speak to an expert.

In-store events such as mince pie evenings have proved popular, and at Christmas the team will sit and wrap presents to send out to elderly clients or make up food hampers.

Charity initiatives include selling cakes to help a local boy with a life-threatening illness, and planning a bingo night in support of Cancer Relief.

Clients are obviously impressed by the team’s kindness and dedication: the agency features on the “Good” section of the popular local Facebook page “Good and Bad Guernsey Businesses” and the store didn’t receive a single complaint last year relating to service.