Marcia, Sonya, Angelaque and Louise from Cotels joined us in the SilverDoor office to spill the beans about their plans for 2015 and explain why they really do ‘give a duck’!
You’ve recently added to the Cotels team, how’s it been having Angelaque on board?
Angelaque has been with Cotels since the beginning of the year and she’s been a fantastic addition to the team. She’s managing a number of our accounts which has allowed Sonya and me (Marcia) to focus on developing our product, sales and marketing.
You mentioned that you’ve improved your services, what makes Cotels offering unique?
It’s a bit tongue in cheek, but our motto is ‘we really give a duck’ and we do! Along with complimentary slippers, fresh milk, cereal, tea and coffee, we also give each person who stays at a Cotels apartment a free rubber duck as part of our bathroom packs. Our motto is also about the outstanding service we offer our clients as we really do care and this is at the heart of everything we do.
We’ve also just consolidated all the Sky packages at our apartments. All apartments now feature Sky’s serviced apartment specific package which includes all channels including Sky Sports and Sky Movies.
What can we expect from Cotels in 2015?
Our new way of thinking at Cotels is ‘work smarter, not harder’, but that’s not to say we don’t work incredibly hard! We’re trying to be as attentive as possible to what our customers want from a serviced apartment. It’s all about the little extras and we want to make sure we go beyond what’s normally expected of a stay in temporary accommodation. We’ll continue to make our processes smoother and more efficient and have plans to expand further in Northampton and Luton, so keep an eye out!
You’ve been a member of the Association of Serviced Apartment Providers (the ASAP) for a number of years, how has your membership benefited you?
We’ve actually been members of the ASAP from a really early stage. We’re only a small provider, so the support they offer us really makes a difference. For example, we’ll be exhibiting for our 5th year at the Business Travel Show in February at the ASAP Pavillion stand. We simply wouldn’t be able to get that kind of exposure without the help of the association. They also help to improve our operational standards and ensure the quality of our serviced apartment offering is always up to scratch.
…and are you looking forward to this year’s Business Travel Show?
Absolutely. It’s a good chance to see everybody in the industry and pick up some new sales leads. Plus, the after-party at SilverDoor is always really good!
