Innovation has team flying high

Frank Ford Travel recognised as Ballarat Business Award finalist

THERE’S no arguing that the past eighteen months have been challenging for so many businesses and without a doubt, one of the hardest-hit industries has been the travel industry.

With international travel literally stopping in its tracks overnight, it left many travel agencies out on a limb with many having to lay off staff or worst still, close the business.

Frank Ford Travel is one such Ballarat business that has been forced to reinvent itself over the past 18 months and it’s this reinvention and innovation that has led them to being a finalist in the 2021 Federation Business School Commerce Ballarat Business Excellence Award Finalists in the category of the Power FM Small Business Award.

“The recognition of being a finalist means so much to the team and I,” said Kylee Ellerton, owner and director of Ballarat’s Frank Ford Travel.

“When COVID hit, we had to take a long, hard look at our business model and structure. It meant tough conversations with my business mentor, accountant and financial planner.

“We had 760 international bookings cancelled in a matter of days and 75 per cent of our business revenue was from international travel.

“We had limited cash flow, a large demand for customer support but our ability to ‘pivot’ was somewhat restricted.”

After stripping the business back to the bones, Ms Ellerton turned her attention to what her clients needed most.

As the fear of COVID spread throughout the country, she and her staff quickly put together hygiene packs that could be used and sold to existing clients to support them in feeling safe.

Secondly, Ms Ellerton realised there was a gap in the market for door-to-door services to and from Tullamarine airport where contact with other people was kept to a minimum.

As a result, Frank Ford Travel offered a new transfer service for people who had to continue to travel for work, such as fly-in-fly-out workers and clients deemed as high risk.

“This came about from understanding our clients so well and knowing what they needed most to feel safe, and we wanted to continue to support them where we could,” Ms Ellerton said.

The third innovative business idea was working in collaboration with local accommodation providers and putting packages together such as doggie stays, mystery picnics and high-teas.

“The Ballarat business community has been particularly great at supporting each other and through the last 18 months, it makes me so proud to live here.” Ms Ellerton said.

“Working as hard as we have to keep the business going and to continue to support our clients has been worth it and to be a finalist in the 2021 Federation Business School Commerce Ballarat Business Excellence Awards really is the icing on the cake to what has been the most difficult time in business.”

“It’s wonderful to see so many Ballarat businesses being recognised and celebrated and it’s something that the business community needs right now.”

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