Mike Allsopp started the business as a homeworker in 2011 before opening a shop in Astwood Bank. After three years, the company relocated to Barnt Green and rebranded as Barnt Green Travel Lounge.
The team specialise in tailor-made travel, and also developed an airport and port transfer operation. Allsopp is supported by two part-time in-house staff.
The business has gone from strength to strength, and as part of his expansion plans, Allsopp is now seeking self-employed homeworkers to join the team remotely, backed by the Global Travel Group member’s ongoing support, guidance, training and marketing and booking systems.
Barnt Green Travel Lounge can also help with supplying hardware if needed, and provide cover as and when.
Three homeworkers have already signed up, and Allsopp is keen to recruit two more before Christmas. He hopes to then enlist up to 10 more members next year. Barnt Green Travel Lounge takes a revenue percentage.
Allsopp is open to accepting both existing travel professionals – perhaps those who have taken a career break post-pandemic or lost their jobs when Thomas Cook collapses – but also those who are new to or curious about the industry. They just need to be “motivated and customer-focused”, he said.
“It’s not a case of wanting to take on as many homeworkers as I can in one go,” said Allsopp. “I want to give new homeworkers the time they need to understand how everything works. They’ll need to invoice me monthly for their commission too, so I need to make sure everything runs smoothly.”
The National Insurance crunch
Allsopp said rising National Insurance costs had driven his decision to expand through homeworkers rather than hiring new salaried staff to the agency.
“It was a case of – how do we continue to build the business?” said Allsopp. “There’s plenty of growth in it, but with the National Insurance rule changes, it just wasn’t feasible to take on someone [salaried] as I had planned.”
Those interested in finding out more about Barnt Green Travel Lounge’s homeworking division should email sales@barntgreentl.co.uk.
