However, Perfect Getaways, a travel agency based in the north-west with 10 branches, is trying to speed up this age-old process by launching a video series called On the Road with Perfect Getaways where staff are interviewed in the car. 

If you’re unsure of the concept, think Carpool Karaoke, the recurring segment on The Late Late Show with James Corden famously getting the likes of Adele, Paul McCartney, Madonna and Celine Dion to sing their hits in a vehicle driven by the British TV host, who belted out the tunes alongside them.  

Five episodes of On the Road have aired on the agency’s YouTube channel and Facebook page so far, with another dropping in early September. 

Speaking to TTG this week, Perfect Getaways co-director Dave Palmer says the purpose of On the Road is to introduce the ever-growing team to the local community in a fun, off-the-wall way, and to learn more about them away from their working environment. 

The 42-person Perfect Getaways team will soon grow to 45 when the agency opens its 10th premises in Bebington, Wirral, on 1 October. 

“We were looking at different ways of introducing the team because we’re quite different from your traditional travel agency,” Palmer explains. 

“How did we come up with this idea? We were talking to one of our staff, Gemma, and she said when we’re away travelling, we’re always singing so why don’t we do something like Carpool Karaoke?” 

Palmer adds: “Basically, it’s a ‘meet the team’ with a twist. It’s all about finding out more about them and their home life.” 

’Travel agents in the local community’

The last guest to appear on camera was agency co-director and Palmer’s wife Nicola, who told her husband about the important role travel agents play in local communities. 

“When I had the dream of being a travel agent it was a completely different world,” she said. “There was no internet, and there wasn’t as much choice. I always had to go to the travel agency with my mum to book our holidays. 

“It’s so important we give that service and we work within the communities to do that [today].” 

Each episode of On the Road features a chat with a staff member plus a series of set questions about their musical taste, such as their favourite artist, favourite ever song and the best song with a holiday theme. 

Giving staff the floor

“At the end of each of episode I will always say ‘is there a message that you want to share?’,” Dave Palmer says. “They will urge people to come into the shop and have a gin and tonic. I basically give them the floor.” 

He adds: “I drive and pick up the staff member in my car from wherever they work and film our conversation on dashboard camera. We then send the marketing team the full version and then they put it all together. They edit it down from one hour to 30 minutes.”

Dave Palmer makes it sound easy, but concedes there have been some slip-ups along the way. 

“We’ve had some funny incidents,” he admits. “There was one where I had to pull out from a junction – and I had forgotten what we were talking about. 

“We also had a member of staff who said they had a customer for life, but then immediately said the customer could not book with them anymore because he had moved from our Liverpool shop to our Little Sutton one!” 

Even though On the Road episodes have each attracted hundreds of views so far, not all the agency’s 42 staff are keen on appearing on camera, Palmer concedes. 

But he hints that the agency may soon invite suppliers into the car. “We might start opening it up," he says.  

Asked whether On the Road, which first aired in February this year, has helped drive booking levels, Dave Palmer says: “We’ve had a really good year. Sales are 18% up which is a great result for us. 

“I want to put it down to On the Road, but really, it’s down to the fun and winning mentality that we’ve built with the staff.

“We’ve changed the way we meet the staff – we also do team building sessions, when we shut our shops for the day. There will be more shops – we’re looking to grow.”