Richard French

Experience

• 

  Trailfinders

  Jul 2000 - Sept 2005

  Team Leader, Senior Retail Travel Consultant

  • Travel sales: Sold a wide variety of airlines and preferred travel products; balancing client preferences with key revenue drivers including commission levels and overrides. Consistently met customer service and individual sales targets and encouraged and facilitated the wider team to successfully meet theirs.• Retail travel management: Responsible for opening and closing the store, rosters, banking, petty cash and managing operations on a day-to-day basis. Dealt directly with airlines and wholesalers and managed client and supplier appointments. Show less

• 

  HRG Australia

  Sept 2005 - Sept 2010

  Business Travel Consultant

  • Corporate travel sales: Worked autonomously across multiple corporate travel accounts to achieve departmental sales targets while meeting all SLAs and regularly exceeding customer expectations. While in this role I received several accolades including HRG Employee of the Month (on multiple occasions) and HRG High Achiever for exceeding sales targets by 25%.

• 

  Platinum Travel Corporation

  Sept 2010 - now

  • C-suite travel management and customer service: As Manager of Platinum’s V.I.P Desk, I was responsible for meeting the high-level travel needs of some 20+ heads of business. This role required the highest level of travel knowledge and accountability across the business, as well as a strong reliance on personal and industry relationships to secure waivers and favours - and so to minimise write-offs. In this role I consistently met or exceeded client SLAs, enjoyed unprecedented client retention and personally achieved more than $2.5 million in travel sales annually.• Staff management and training. As a key member of Platinum’s leadership team, I’ve shared responsibility for the long-term strategic growth of our corporate travel team and sales. I have trained and supported staff in the implementation of new systems and large-scale operational change, and led by example in the delivery of consistent, high-level customer service. In 2019, these efforts were rewarded with Platinum winning Corporate Travel Agent of the Year at the Australian Travel Awards. Show less • High-level account management: In this role I serviced and retained upward of 30 corporate accounts; carefully balancing the needs and expectations of key corporate clients with the ambitious sales targets of a rapidly growing business. I met all Account Management KPIs while single-handedly completing 70% of corporate business transactions in FY16/17.• Relationship building: With a rapidly growing business came the need to expand and consolidate relationships with key suppliers and technology partners to support higher turnover and more complex client needs. This was a role that required great sensitivity, good humour and flexibility, and to which I applied myself passionately. Some of the testimonials that contributed to Platinum’s being named 2018 Travel Agency of the Year were directly attributed to my time and key achievements in this role.• Business development: Developed and implemented key business strategies to support the growth and longevity of the business, with a focus on automation and staff retention. • Corporate team leadership: Managed and supported the professional development of 8 corporate travel consultants; a team which grew to 12 during my tenure. In this role I implemented the first formal staff development plans and consultant KPIs to assess travel sales, customer service and contribution to culture in equal measure. Show less • Operational excellence: In this role I was responsible for the performance of the corporate sales team in its entirety; ensuring they delivered the highest levels of travel management and customer service whilst consistently meeting short and long-term sales targets. All SLAs and contractual responsibilities were satisfied during my tenure, with annual turnover growing by an average of 30% year on year and management singling out my achievements in driving yield increases across the business. • Relationship building: In this role I was personally responsible for servicing and maintaining key supplier contracts and relationships, and for providing ad hoc support to business leaders, account managers and Platinum directors. Annual reviews consistently recognised my positive, team-oriented attitude as directly contributing to the overall wellbeing and performance of the corporate team; and to its consistently exceeding sales and growth targets.• Professional development and recruitment: One of my personal goals as Operations Manager was to recruit and retain the best corporate travel staff in Victoria. With the support and investment of Platinum management, I invested significant time and resources into training and developing travel graduates who went on to lay the foundations for Platinum’s dramatic expansion in FY16/17. Show less • Corporate travel sales: Prepared competitive quotes and optimised arrangements to suit clients’ business travel needs and preferences. Effectively managed bookings from end-to-end, and prepared accurate travel itineraries and documents including back-end reporting whilst consistently meeting personal sales targets.• Customer service: Delivered a consistently high level of customer service in line with contracted SLAs. Developed and maintained meaningful relationships with clients and partners that laid the foundations for Platinum’s future success. Show less

  • Manager - VIP Desk

    Jun 2018 - now

  • Corporate Team & Relationship Manager

    Feb 2016 - May 2018

  • Operations Manager

    Sept 2012 - Feb 2016

  • Senior Business Travel Consultant

    Sept 2010 - Sept 2012