Fred. Olsen Travel, Felixstowe

The majority of the consultants live in the seaside town and are therefore well known in their local community, even counting some of their clients as friends. Each agent has their own specialist subject but are more than happy to share their expertise with each other through presentations, reports and social media. Manager Kerrie Lake encourages her smartly dressed team to refresh their knowledge via online courses, supplier events and educational trips abroad, while a new apprenticeship programme is in the pipeline to start later this year.

Last year saw a new addition to the team – “Van-essa” the van, used for pop-up stalls at school fetes, pubs and community events – which is helping to drive brand awareness even further in the areas the agency serves.

Don’t forget to shout out if you see Van-essa in the local area, as vouchers are up for grabs for eagle-eyed locals. The past 12 months has also seen a boost to sales from its long-running Spotlight magazine, which is distributed to 16,000 households, while customers flock to the agency through word-of-mouth and the team’s own passionate “networking” in their personal social groups.

Fred. Olsen Travel Felixstowe places a huge emphasis on the service it provides. One consultant was up until 1am on the phone rescheduling a flight affected by the Gatwick drone drama last year, while little touches include calling hotels ahead of clients’ stay to place surprise gifts in the room and organising complimentary airport lounge passes. It’s little wonder that, on top of the masses of thank you cards the agency receives, a well-wishing group has even popped in to sing them a thank you song!

Supporting the local community is hugely important to this agency, from sponsoring the Christmas lights and donating to local youth charity Inspiring Suffolk to helping raise funds for St Elizabeth Hospice.

With its heart firmly in Felixstowe, it’s clear this agency is committed to providing excellent service to the local community.