Iglu.com: UK & Ireland's Top River Cruise Agency

Training is key for the staff, with an in-house training team to keep employees updated on all the latest product developments, while staff are also encouraged to take educational trips.

The company has renewed its overall focus on customer service, with its call-answering rate boosted to 97.5%. There is also a concierge team for high-repeat customers or those booking special breaks, with bottles of wine and chocolates arranged to be delivered to them onboard their ship.

The team’s customer service was particularly tested last summer when low water levels across Europe affected numerous river cruise sailings, with some river cruises cancelled at the last minute.

However, the Iglu.com team worked tirelessly to rearrange bookings, even transferring some clients to ocean cruises, and despite the challenges the company received zero customer complaints during this time.

Its customer satisfaction levels instead averaged 97% on Feefo, and the company achieved a 48% repeat rate last year specific to its river cruise business – a rise of 15% compared with 2017.

National customer events have also helped to attract new business, presenting opportunities for clients to learn more about the sector, meet with river lines and get exclusive offers from Iglu.com.

The popular events now attract between 200-500 people, with more than 1,000 people signing up for one event last year. As a result, the company’s river division has seen remarkable growth, with revenues increasing 21% last year.

Sustainability is also a key focus for this impressive company, with Iglu.com working towards becoming a paper-free firm. It is also keen to stamp out single-use plastic where possible, and has partnered with Ecobricks to ensure all office plastic – from chocolate wrappers to brochures – is made into sustainable building bricks for developing communities.