Great colleagues and training, but micromanagement is extreme - Senior Travel Consultant Trailfinders Employee Review

As others have mentioned there are great travel perks, the highest pay within the industry for front line sales staff coupled with rapid pay rises for top performers. That and the free lunches! There are those who will complain about the hours but this is a sales based job and Trailfinders are completely upfront as to what is expected of their staff. If you want 9-5 Monday to Friday you will struggle to be happy here. Personally, having come from the world of events found the hours to be shorter and kinder! I have been very impressive by how accommodating the company has been towards medical appointments, particularly its willingness to sort time off at short notice, something I have been very grateful for. Management has taken an active and positive interest in me and has continued to coach me to be a better sales person. This has led to better payouts and overall a nearly 30% increase in my sales figures. In other words, in my case at least, I feel that they have definitely helped me to earn more money.

Trailfinders definitely has an employee retention issue. Among a number of long term employees there is a feeling of not being valued which inevitably leads to an exodus of talent. This is also coupled with a lack career progression if you are not inclined to move/commute to London. The companies policy of hiring internal is a great strength and weakness to the firm. It needs to outsource areas such as marketing/advertising to a third party. A large pay cut was enacted for new hires at a number of branches. I can only think this was done to fund the expansionist policy for new stores. It does however stifle movement of people within the firm. Given Trailfinders is also enjoying a very healthy level of profitability it seems harsh to cut wages in areas where living costs are only ever rising. Attitude to maternity cover needs drastic improvement, a very common complaint by Trailfinders female sales staff is the companies inflexibility when it comes to returning to work after maternity leave. This must be improved

If you are young with no responsibilities and love to travel then it enables you to travel a lot through decentstaff deals. The people are fabulous and make this company. Generous annual leave although good luck trying to use any of it. Encouraged career progression and can experience other departments easily. Generous starting salary for travel industry but you can make more commission working for Competitors. Social events. NEEDS CHANGE and modernising with the times immediately before they have no more staff left.

Trailfinders do NOT care for their staff. We work so hard (due to fear and extreme micromanagement) and are undervalued, never heard and treated like school children. Military, dictatorship culture with no work life balance Overworked with long hours. Constantly monitored. You can't even use the facilities in peace! Consultants are moulded to become micro managers and bullies. No flexible working, if you have a doctors appointment you will not be paid for it (illegal?) If you are a mother and decide to have children you have to quit as they offer no flexible options. Very little diversity within the company, for a travel company this is embarrassing. All white middle aged men at the top. The no wfh culture is completey ableist. They do not care for mental health. Police incidents have happened on the premises and we have been told to continue taking calls rather than go home Terrible sales culture filtered down from the top people are scared to stand up for themselves. Even as a top seller you are not exempt from the intimidating and demoralising behaviour of management. Inappropriate harassment from male managers not taken seriously and the feeling you can't report it No adequate HR department. Never taken seriously when you try to raise concerns. Only 3 days paid sick leave and if you are off sick you are penalised for taking it by getting none the following year. Only half hour lunch in a 9 hour day ( free lunch con) Covid - forced to attend work even when should of been isolating..no flexibility during strikes. You are nothing but a number to them They have no interest in retaining loyal staff and will replace you with cheap backpackers who no no different due to no work experience and the cycle continues. I could go on....