Travel Trade Executive

Company Overview

Solmar Villas is a family run business, based in the West Midlands, with over 25 years of experience in arranging high quality, tailor made villa holidays. Solmar Villas prides itself on providing the highest quality prompt and personalised service to all clients - with Solmar Villas. The business specialises in providing the very finest villas for perfect villa holidays.

Solmar Villas select only the highest quality villas in the finest resorts and regions of mainland Spain as well as the Balearics and Canary Islands. Our selection of villas includes a wide range of properties from traditional style houses offering peace and privacy in the countryside, to luxury villas with pools and breath-taking coastal views in unspoiled areas.

This will be an ideal role for an experienced Travel Trade professional who is looking for an office-based account management position with occasional UK and overseas travel as opposed to pure field-based Travel Trade account management.

Aim of the Role

The role is responsible for aiding the development of trade sales of Solmar Villas and supporting all other sales channels within the business.  This is achieved by establishing and nurturing productive working relationships with key accounts, travel agents, multiples and consortia head offices alike. In addition to this the role will support the development of alternative sales channels within the business.

Supporting Trade Sales & Business Development

• Utilising Sales Force to produce sales reports and figures within the business extending to director level.
• Providing data and insight feedback re: travel trade and main accounts managed on a regular basis.
• Annual administration: sending out commercial agreements & agency agreements; collating and saving responses.
• Ad-hoc administration when required.
• Deliver training sessions on new products and destination with agents to resolve issues in a timely manner.
• Identify grade and target Trade Accounts according to sales potential.
• Consistently deliver an effective call plan to agents utilising outbound calling, email campaigns, social media and occasional visits.
• During Trade Account visiting embargo periods and Solmar Villa’s peak trading times, play an active role in processing Trade Account and Direct bookings.

Duties to Trade

• Ensuring agents queries are responded to and resolved to the benefit of both the agent and the company using own initiative and judgement.
• Managing and maintaining in house system in terms of set up of Trade Accounts data (opening agent / amending etc.).
• Reviewing existing departmental processes with the aim to propose/document/introduce new processes.
• Liaising with the Product/Commercial department to initiate offers that are relevant, topical and commercially sound.
• Source and send images and product information when requested by Travel Trade Accounts.
• Processing Incoming commission queries, setting overrides, agreeing marketing and promotional campaigns with Travel Trade Accounts.
• Schedule telesales calls and regular visits with Travel Agents at their respective sites.
• Act as point of contact for the Travel Trade Accounts and direct queries from this account to the relevant departments within Solmar Villas to ensure high levels of service is maintained.
• Ensure training is delivered to all new and existing Travel Trade Accounts so that they are fully aware of the USP’s of Solmar Villas.
• Proactively developing and heightening brand awareness of Solmar Villas within the Travel Trade Community by utilising innovative and cost effective routes to market.

Business Development

• Manage the budget for Trade Accounts ensuring Solmar Villas return on investment requirements are met.
• Nurturing existing B2B relationships with agents and head offices alike to encourage increased sales.
• B2B & B2C sales development through the proactive management of routes to market such as affinity partnership business, fulfilment, web sales, direct mailing, retail and agency outlets, media and direct sales.
• New business development – researching and identifying new agents to build relations with and support in the early stages to initiate sales.
• Introducing and managing successful incentives & competitions, coming up with innovative new ideas to encourage sales.
• Achieve required deadlines and KPI’s as outlined by the Head of Sales or needs of the business.

Marketing

• Producing and distributing weekly emails for Trade Accounts.
• Liaising with Marketing department to proof pieces of artwork with strong attention to detail and creativity.
• Liaising with Solmar Villas Marketing department to ensure presence within Trade publications, pushing messages for coverage
• Social media - maintaining the Solmar Villas UK Agents Facebook page, introducing new accounts if necessary.

Skills, Behaviors and Experience

• A positive attitude to additional tasks in line with business needs.
• A strong understanding of the UK travel trade.
• A strong knowledge of industry systems and processes.
• Confidence applied through all programs of the Microsoft Office suite and be comfortable with technology such as CRM systems and MS Office suite.
• Good interpersonal skills and approachability - the ability to interact commercially with colleagues across the business at all levels, with external customers and Key Accounts via an excellent telephone manner and email correspondence.
• Self-starter able to work on own initiative whilst maintaining a strong team player mentality
• Strong commercial awareness and decision making/negotiation skills.
• Information gathering and interpretation - the ability to take basic information from any source and to add value by way of effective presentation, formatting and insight.
• Acceptance of the need to travel and be away on business overnight as necessary, although this will be minimal and advance notice will be given
• Sales driven, account management – the ability to develop strong B2B commercial relationships
• Flexibility / adaptability.

NO AGENCIES PLEASE.