Performing basic home maintenance services and carpentry.

I was employed as the site manager at Mr Shaw’s newly bought home to manage all renovations taking place. Responsibilities include: managing and collaborating with all subcontractors and staff; administrative duties such as keeping track of finances and inventory of equipment and materials; allocating and managing resources to ensure they are available when needed throughout the different projects; updating all stakeholders on the progress of the projects; problem solving and monitoring all progress and quality standards. Mr Shaw stopped renovations in 2021.

Responsibilities remained the same as my previous position, with a few add-ons due to the role being moved to Cape Town. With this move, I left our in-house Destination Management Company as this role was purely to increase the company’s presence in Cape Town – having me as the “face of the company”, although I still assisted with external DMC costings. I met each party coming through Cape Town, making them feel welcome and cared for, knowing that I was their first point of contact, immediately available for whatever needs they might have. During this meeting I would present them with a special gift (designed and sourced by me) while discussing their itinerary and preparing them for what they could expect during their trip. I also met with local guides and communicated with local vendors to discuss services, problems etc. Other responsibilities included site inspections for new locations which would be added to our preferred vendor list.

The main focus for this position was our clients and how to improve their experience. With the experience I gained in the previous position, I designed a client communication system where our clients would have 24/7 access to an agent. This included an emergency line as well as a monitored email account which was for less urgent requests or complaints. I was then able to focus more on client support services during emergencies, such as dealing with missed flights or flight cancellations and medical emergencies, which would include assisting with the rebooking of tours, changing of accommodation arrangements, arrangement of transfers etc – all in real time, ensuring that the client feels cared for and looked after with open and regular communication. I loved being able to go the extra mile for clients, a cake for a birthday, special sundowners for an anniversary or just surprising guests with a handwritten note and a bottle of wine left in their room to enjoy after a long flight. During the low season, I would still assist with costings, communication with suppliers, booking confirmations and reconfirmations and contract signing with vendors.

During this time, as a junior in the company, my responsibilities varied between client services, internal sales and operations. This gave me a great foundation in knowing the company, the processes and also the culture of the company. I co-ordinated with vendors & suppliers to develop and confirm details for clients’ safaris and also dealt with any enquiries the travel designers might have. All Rothschild Safaris’ travellers received a call from me twice during their trip just to check in and to see if they were still enjoying themselves. To add to the clients’ experience, it was my duty to arrange any special requests such as massages, dinners etc as well as ensuring all vendors were aware of any special occasions, allergies and dietary requirements. Other responsibilities included - but not limited to – editing “Tour writer” (Itinerary management program) services, liaising with camps/hotels/ground staff on DMC rates, costings for travel designers with a 24-hour turnaround, initial bookings, booking confirmations and reconfirmations, occasionally handling the emergency number, site visits to monitor service levels and then giving feedback to the team.

My responsibilities were to ensure that all telephone calls were answered promptly and professionally, responding to all requests via email within 24 hours, while maintaining exceptional customer service and providing accurate information, checking availability and making reservations. The reservations assigned to me varied between FIT (free independent travellers) and group reservations. This included constant communication with the lodges to ensure special events, conferences, extra activities, special requirements etc were all communicated and arranged. I was also responsible for following up on provisional bookings, invoicing and booking cancellations.

A ROAR (Reservations, operations and guest relations specialist) specialist will receive a confirmed booking from a journey specialist. Our duties involved booking of ground services, reconfirming all services booked, invoicing, adding guest information, preparing the confirmation for a confirmed booking to the agent and preparing document packs including itineraries, vouchers and pre-departure information.

My duties and responsibilities ranged from the initial instruction, attending to the complete foreclosure and legal process and involved customer service and constant communication.

My main responsibility was sending out the Section 129 letters in order to start the foreclosure process as well as assisting the legal secretaries where needed.

Receiving new stock arriving; checking stock into the system and creating new profiles where needed. Adjusting and calculating prices. General administrative duties.

Assisting TUI agents - Thomson and First Choice Travel along with other 3rd Party Travel Agents and web based direct clients on all facets of their holiday bookings. Our targets were based on fast and sufficient customer service.

As seen below, I worked for Midlands Social Care Solutions again after returning from South Africa. On this occasion I was working mainly for Springfield Mind. I supported people back into the community and helped with their daily lives.We supported people in their own homes who wanted to get back on their feet and be independent. Each day I would visit 3 - 4 people for a few hours each and assist them in everyday chores, getting back into work, learning different and new skills and generally being motivational and helping them overcome hurdles in their lives. I was working here on a permanent basis through the agency for over a year in which Springfield Mind assisted me to do my NVQ3 in Health and Social Care.

Here at the Chamberlain hardware store I was a cashier through my studies and a few months before I went to the UK.On a day to day basis I would help customers to where they should go as well as checking out their items and taking payment. In between we would be doing all the filing of receipts into files. At the end of the day we would do most of the reconciliation of the till ourselves which would be checked over by the manager.

In this position I had varied responsibilities. Midlands Social Care Solutions is an agency that sourced us out to mental health care homes or people that didn't have their own staff to cover their shifts.Places I mainly worked at was Ingleby Care and Springfield Mind. At Ingleby Care I was caring for, and helping people who have mental disabilities, i.e cerebral palsy, autism and severe learning difficulties. On a day to day basis, I would wash and cloth them, prepare their meals and help them with every day things that they were not fully able to do themselves. We also supported them to be independent as much as possible and taking them on day trips as much as we could. At Ingleby Care, I helped support people in their own homes as well as houses that Ingleby Care owned where people went to live who was fairly able to help themselves. I also helped out at a respite hotel. At Springfield Mind I was a support worker for people who have mental health illnesses, i.e multiple personality disorder, agoraphobia, depression etc. Here we supported people in their own homes who wanted to get back on their feet and be independent. Each day I would visit 3 - 4 people for a few hours each and assist them in everyday chores, getting back into work, learning different and new skills and generally being motivational and helping them overcome hurdles in their lives. I was working here on a permanent basis through the agency for over a year in which Springfield Mind assisted me to do my NVQ3 in Health and Social Care.

Here at Whipps Cross I was working as an appointments clerk/assistant. I worked here for a few months assisting them in making appointments for people to see specialists. As there was a high demand in appointments and a backlog with no space to accommodate anyone, the hospital recruited me and a few others to arrange clinics to help to clear the backlog. I was phoning lists and lists of people to arrange appointments as well as to hear who still needs, and don't need appointments.

JB Train Tours is a family owned tour operator. Throughout my studies and a while after, I assisted them on tours on privately rented trains through South Africa.On a daily basis I would wake up early to ensure that everyone is up and ready for breakfast. Throughout the day I would look after 2 - 3 wagons on the train and ensure all the compartments cleanliness, comfort and answer any questions that guests might have.