Island Escapes speak to Richard Butt after winning the Excellence in Customer Service award at the 2023 Media Isle of Man Awards for Excellence
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00:00 So I'm joined by John Kagan and Jamie Scott, who are from Island Escapes.
00:03 And Island Escapes won the Excellence in Customer Service Award, which is sponsored by Jackson's.
00:08 So tell me a little bit about Island Escapes.
00:10 What do you do?
00:11 So Island Escapes is a holiday leptin agency, so we manage holiday hotels across the island
00:15 map.
00:16 And we've got just approaching 120 properties in our portfolio, which actually makes us
00:21 the largest accommodation provider on the island.
00:25 So we're a very big player in the tourist accommodation market.
00:28 And how did you get into that business in the first place?
00:31 Well, it was a bit of a long story, really.
00:32 But I mean, it was my family is from a tourism background.
00:37 My grandparents actually ran a hotel back in many, many years ago in Port Aire.
00:41 And my parents took that on.
00:43 So I grew up through the tourism background.
00:45 But I did, like many people on the island, and many young people, I went and did different
00:51 things after leaving school.
00:53 But myself and Jamie found ourselves working together in Cornwall.
00:57 And we delved into the world of holiday letting in Cornwall.
01:02 And it was whilst I was down there that I thought, this could work back on the island
01:07 map.
01:08 And that was six years ago.
01:09 And Island Escapes was born out of that, really.
01:12 And it's grown from strength to strength.
01:15 And we now have 47 members of staff in our team.
01:18 So it's something we're really proud of.
01:22 And so obviously, you've won the Customer Service Award.
01:25 What is your philosophy about that?
01:27 How does that work?
01:28 What's your--
01:29 I think customer service, we were lucky enough to be involved in a panel discussion on Monday,
01:34 the Tourism and Trade Day, where I did actually a brief speech on customer service.
01:40 And I think it's one of those things that really drives everyday business.
01:45 I think, especially in the hospitality industry, it's quite common for people to understand
01:50 or remember the original meaning of being hospitable.
01:53 So it's something we try and integrate day to day.
01:56 And it's almost a little thing.
01:57 There's a guy, I forget his name, who did a really great speech.
02:00 He was in a restaurant in New York.
02:01 And he tells a story about a $2 hot dog in this fine dining restaurant.
02:07 And it was the $2 hot dog that stole the show.
02:12 And it just is-- I've kind of destroyed that.
02:16 But basically, what happens is it's not necessarily-- it's a one-size-fits-one sort of philosophy.
02:23 So it's picking up on small people's little tiny things that they perhaps mention in the
02:29 booking process and turning them into-- it's about being seen and being heard.
02:34 And that's ultimately what people want at the end of the day.
02:37 We're a sociable creature.
02:39 That's it.
02:40 And I think, as I just mentioned on the stage there before, we're very conscious that we're
02:44 actually representing the Isle of Man, because the vast majority of our customers are people
02:49 who visit the Isle of Man.
02:50 So what we do is going to have a direct impression on the island.
02:55 So if we can enhance that experience and make the accommodation experience even better than
03:00 anything that they've had anywhere else, then it's going to be great for the Isle of Man.
03:04 And it's going to be great for all those supporting hospitality businesses that rely so heavily
03:08 on tourism.
03:09 We just want to build it and grow and grow and grow and get more people coming here,
03:13 because we've got such a beautiful island.
03:15 What does winning the award mean to you?
03:17 This means so much to us.
03:19 We won a Consumer Champion Award for the short-term rental industry in London earlier this year.
03:25 But to win something locally, I think just adds to, you know, this is actually probably
03:30 more special for us, really.
03:32 Yeah, definitely.
03:33 I think it's quite nice to be in a room full of like-minded individuals.
03:35 It makes you feel quite proud to be representing the island.
03:39 And it's no wonder there's so many great businesses here.
03:42 The amount, we actually looked at establishing a business when we were in Cornwall briefly.
03:47 And in comparison to that, there's so much help and support from various government departments
03:51 here that it really does enable you to flourish.
03:54 If you've got an idea, you'll be backed 100% by various different departments.
03:58 And that's, you know, it's invaluable, really.
04:02 Well, thank you very much, guys.
04:03 Nice to meet you.
04:04 Congratulations again.
04:05 Thanks, Ray.
04:06 Thanks, Ray.
04:07 Thanks, Ray.
04:08 Thanks, Ray.
04:09 Thanks, Ray.
04:09 [BLANK_AUDIO]