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Meet the Rep: Contiki's James Lavin

Gym bunny James Lavin, sales manager at Contiki, drives hundreds of miles to visit agencies, but make sure he doesn’t crash any first dates

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Describe your typical week?

A typical week starts with me getting in touch with all of the stores that I’m due to visit, before going through my emails and getting out on the road. I try to see as many of my agents as I can in any given week; face-to-face relationships are key.

 

How many miles do you cover?

I spend a large portion of my time on the road – in fact I now call my car my “office”! I drive around 400 miles a week, depending on where I’m going, however a visit to Norwich is a 400-mile round-trip on its own, so it can be a lot more.

 

How big is Contiki’s on-the-road team?

I cover Aberdeen to Birmingham, and everywhere inbetween, and my amazing colleague Ben Gorman covers the south. Laura Brown, our head of sales, keeps everything moving from the Contiki head office in Bromley.

 

What do you keep in your car?

My Sat Nav, my gloves and a small umbrella! It’s no fun forgetting your umbrella and walking into an agency soaking wet, and certainly not the best look when you’re trying to represent your product, so I always keep one handy.

 

What fast food outlet keeps you going on the road?

I used to be a massive fan of the McDonald’s Drive Thru – however one day I realised I’d had McDonald’s for breakfast, lunch and dinner and it scared me, so I quickly put a stop to it! I now snack on fruit and feel loads healthier for it.

 

What’s the silliest thing you’ve ever done as part of an agency visit?

I once took some travel agents for a drink after work. One of the agents told me her best friend was on a date in the same bar that we were in, so we hijacked their date! We were asking this poor guy all sorts of silly questions – one line of enquiry resulted in us finding out he’d lied about his age, so he got dumped!

 

How many times did you take to pass your driving test?

I passed first time with only two minors. I’m a great driver and, yes, I will blow my own trumpet about that! I’ll challenge anyone to do a better parallel park than me!

 

What’s your favourite hobby?

I’ve just become a proper fitness freak so I’m obsessed with the gym. I also love to travel and feel very privileged to have a job that allows me to indulge my passion. I’m off to Bali in July – one of Contiki’s brand new destinations – and I can’t wait!

 

Which agency gives you the warmest welcome?

This is a tough one as all the agencies are so welcoming. If I had to pick one I’m going to have to say STA Travel in Chester. The team is lovely and always happy to see me! Most importantly, they make me a cup of tea in a Contiki mug!

 

What key messages do you try to convey in an agent visit?

The diversity of the Contiki experience. We offer a wide range of travel styles, including Discovery Plus, High Energy, In-Depth Explorer, Easy Pace, Camping, Sailing & Cruise, Winter & Ski, Festivals and Short Stays, so there’s truly something for every traveller. Any agent that has experienced the Contiki product will be able to tell you how incredible it is, so bringing that to life for agents who are yet to experience it is the biggest thing I focus on in stores.

 

What’s your advice for agents who don’t currently sell your product?

Be open-minded to a new product. With a background in retail, I know first-hand that trying to sell a new product can be scary but it’s a really young and fun brand that could introduce a whole new demographic to your agency.

 

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