Your Stories: Switching to homeworking after 23 years on the high street

Travel Counsellors agent Martin Kindred-Langdon says he can’t believe how quickly his business is growing

Q. How did you start in travel?
A. I studied for a GNVQ in Travel and Tourism and my work experience began in January 1998 at Travelworld, a local independent agency. I did it every Friday. After a couple of weeks, I was offered a Saturday job, then worked full-time. The agency was taken over by First Choice, which then merged with Tui. A lot of local people became friends popping in rather than customers. When the pandemic struck, I worked from home, but the shop [in Ely] shut during the second round of closures in March 2021. It was a wrench but the redundancy money was a buffer, so I’m glad it happened. It was horrible but now I feel lucky.

When the pandemic struck, I worked from home, but the shop [in Ely] shut during the second round of closures in March 2021

Q. When did you Join Travel Counsellors?
A. I looked at other industries as I thought travel would take ages to recover, but once you’re in, it’s hard to leave. A friend recommended Travel Counsellors. When I discussed it with my husband, Andy, he said: “Do it, you haven’t smiled like this for months.” I didn’t want to waste all my knowledge, so I joined Travel Counsellors in August 2021.

More: Travel Weekly’s Homeworking Directory

Q. What have been your most memorable bookings with Travel Counsellors?
A. The first was a self-drive tour around Scotland for two couples. I would never have been able to book it at Tui, so it was all new for me. The couple have since booked again with me. If I prove my worth, I get referrals. My biggest booking is my mum and aunt’s retirement trip to Canada. My favourite was a multi-centre round Italy with rail and hotels. That customer has booked again and referred six or seven friends to book with me. I can’t believe how quickly it is growing.

My biggest booking is my mum and aunt’s retirement trip to Canada. My favourite was a multi-centre round Italy with rail and hotels

Q. What sort of holidays do you sell?
A. At Travel Counsellors, I can be the tour operator as well as the travel agent, creating different, bespoke packages that are not anywhere else. I love dynamic packaging with Phenix [Travel Counsellors’ booking system], having control over the elements and tailoring a package to clients’ needs. I can also do Jet2holidays, easyJet holidays and lots of cruise. Jet2 has a great schedule from Stansted and they support us. I am a mini expert on Thailand and Vietnam, having arranged four or five trips there – they are becoming popular.

Q. How are sales in 2023?
A. I feel positive. The cost-of-living concerns seem similar to 2008 when we had the financial crash: people are giving up other things before they give up holidays. Also, the clients I am now attracting are generally either retired or older and have a decent income. After two years of not doing anything, clients seem to find money for a holiday. There’s no change in demand yet. In January, I did £100,000 worth of sales; it was such a buzz, working 9am to 8pm, dealing with enquiries. Since starting with Travel Counsellors, I’ve made £640,000 in sales.

In January, I did £100,000 worth of sales; it was such a buzz, working 9am to 8pm, dealing with enquiries

Q. How do you support your clients?
A. I always email the hotel before clients arrive to ask if they can do anything extra in the room and give a personalised welcome note. Sometimes clients have been given upgrades. Recently a group booked a Lapland trip and I got them each a little personalised wooden snowman with their names on. Lots of my clients like physical tickets, so if they’re local, I will deliver them by hand. Or I may go for a coffee with clients and fill in their luggage labels for them – small things but they add up. I really care for my clients. Doing things for people takes the stress away, so they just have to pack and go.

Lots of my clients like physical tickets, so if they’re local, I will deliver them by hand. Or I may go for a coffee and fill in their luggage labels for them

Q. What are your future plans?
A. I’d like to reach Gold Travel Counsellor status by 2026 and make more than £1 million of sales in one year – I know I can do it. I’m still in touch with some former Tui colleagues – it felt like the end of an era when I left. But Travel Counsellors has been very welcoming, I feel like I have known them for years. I love the fact that travel has bounced back. It is a lovely sector and I’m positive about the future; it’s going from strength to strength.

How have you adapted to working from home?

I love the freedom and flexibility; I always have a big grin. I can take weekends off now – I used to have to work weekends in the shop. And I can now work evenings if customers are busy during the day. I’m part of a couple of WhatsApp groups with other travel counsellors and there is so much support through the company that I don’t feel lonely. I can meet clients in a coffee shop, and some Travel Counsellors colleagues live nearby, so we catch up for coffee and a chat.

There are more fam trip opportunities with Travel Counsellors, and I take my laptop so I can still work while away. I only had a couple of fam trips during my time at Tui; last year I went on two. I went with the Spanish tourist board to Formentera, which was beautiful. And I was on the launch of NCL’s Norwegian Prima from Iceland to Amsterdam. It was glorious. Travel Counsellors can arrange buddy cover, so I have a colleague in Norwich who covers for me. When she is away during school holidays I cover for her, then she covers me when I go away in term time.

More: Travel Weekly’s Homeworking Directory