• You will hear an interview with the manager of a corporate travel agency.• Fo

S=Sue  P=Peter
S: And today on Business Sport we have this year’s winner of ’South-East Company of 1999’, Peter Jones, Manager of corporate travel agency Corporate Direct. Hello Peter. And congratulations on your award.
P: Thank you, Sue.
S: So. Peter, how has the award affected your company so for?
P: Well. Sue, we’ve been stunned by all the media attention, which might even generate me new business, you never know. But the real benefit is the boost to morale. Everyone’s been working extremely hard to make the business a success and it’s great to see their efforts rewarded.
S: So why did you start Corporate Direct?
P: Well, about six years ago I was made redundant. I couldn’t really see myself working for any of the local travel/agencies. And I’d always wanted to do my own thing. So I decided it was now or never.
S: What did your wife think?
P: She wasn’t too keen initially. She didn’t want me turning her home into a travel agency. But thankfully it wasn’t long before we could open a small office.
S: And business is still booming. Some of your services are expanding very rapidly.
P: Yes, they are. Core services like car rental were popular right from the word go, although what’s really taken off is our monthly journal Travel Direct. Subscriptions are increasing at ten to twenty per cent a month. We’re also looking at ways of promoting our currency exchange service.
S: So things are obviously going very well for you. But what exactly makes Corporate Direct so unique?
P: Well, although there are two other independent travel offices here in the area, offering people the same unbiased advice, as far as I know, we’re still the only company keeping a comprehensive database of clients’ travel guidelines, things like which airlines they use.
S: ... meaning you make arrangements in line with each company’s policies.
P: Yes, that’s right. And like the other big names, we can also provide very competitive rates too.
S: And as I understand it, you’ve also been developing the consultancy arm of the company as well. What services do you currently offer?
P: Well, advising companies on their trove/policies is a very popular service and one which looks set to develop even further. What really attracts companies, though, is our corporate hospitality consultancy. We advise people on all sorts of PR type things, everything from wine-tasting to car-racing. We’ve also seen an increase in the number of clients asking our advice on language training courses.
S: But why does a company use an agency rather than make its own arrangements? Wouldn’t it be cheaper?
P: Well, some companies do of course arrange things themselves. And in some cases it may indeed be cheaper for them to do so. But what’s mast important for companies, though, is that by using a corporate travel agency, they get everything arranged far more quickly, without the hassle of dealing with numerous providers. And I suppose our clients appreciate not having to worry about quality. Quite simply, we take the stress out of organising corporate travel.
S: So, who are your biggest clients?
P: Well, there’s quite a range. We’ve got clients in the retail industry, like fashion companies, for example, and we’re seeing far more interest from hotels and catering companies. Although, in general, I’d say our customers are more often than not from accountancy firms or banks and I can’t see that changing in the future.
S: Speaking of the future, what new ventures are planned for Corporate Direct?
P: Well, we’re introducing a 24-hour emergency service in the next two to three months. Clients will be able to call our Hotline for help at any time.
S: I should imagine that’ll be really useful.
P: Well, we hope so. But our biggest priority at the moment is updating our Internet site in time for the Travel Fair in a fortnight’s time. Clients will be able to access our website arid book services directly from our home page. We’re also considering introducing a Corporate Direct Credit Card, which will let clients settle their accounts with us on a monthly basis. But let’s just say that’s not exactly going to happen tomorrow.
S: Well, I’m afraid we’ll have to finish there. Thank you peter for talking to us today and congratulations again on your award.