Lana Kerr
Sandwick,Isle of Lewis
Summary
I consider myself to be a highly organised person who has the ability to deal with stressful situations and handle multiple projects simultaneously with a high degree of accuracy. I have a positive outlook in life and I am hardworking and passionate about the Job I do and I always want to exceed customer expectations so they get a high level of service. I never get frustrated dealing with people as I can understand that they want things to be as perfect as possible when they are spending a lot of money or have an important memory to make.
I am enthusiastic, respectful and honest and always driven to achieve a high standard in any Job I do or work given to me.
I have a responsible attitude to my work and everything that I do.
I am a caring and friendly person with a helpful nature and I get on with everyone I meet.
I enjoy meeting new people and ensuring that they walk away feeling that they had the best service that they could have got.
I always want a customer to feel that the very best was done for them so they trust me and want to deal with me again. I have experienced poor customer service in my life so I want to ensure that people know they can still get great one to one personal service.
I enjoy both working on my own and handling responsibility to working along side and for others.
Overview
27
27
years of professional experience
Work history
Manager
HebridesTravel - part of the Barrhead Travel Group
Stornoway, Western Isles
11.2014 - Current
- Responsible for meeting and greeting customers face to face which involves being flexible and offering evening appointments for people who work during day.
- Dealing with new travel enquiries and bookings face to face and over the phone and by email and also via social media.
- Tailor making and quoting complex trips & itineraries including creating group hotel bookings such as school trips.
- Arranging Honeymoons & Weddings & Renewal of Vows.
- Managing all incoming enquiries and responding to customers with quotes and or information as quickly as possible to close the sale.
- Processing deposits and future payments, producing invoices, contracts and checking balances are paid on time.
- Handing out documents and going over planned trips to ensure clients are happy and all questions answered.
- Manage daily branch operations by overseeing financial performance, key performance indicators and employee performance.
- Created advertising initiatives for brand awareness that publicised the business and built reputation of the company to generate repeat custom.
- Established professional communicative relationships with business partners and others in the network to promote trust and rapport and increase sales.
- Implemented company policies and legal guidelines.
- Supervised and developed staff, providing training, support and direction.
- Built and maintained positive relationships with employees, enhancing staff retention.
- Evaluated and Managed challenging developments for the company.
- Upskilled staff through targeted training opportunities, enhancing team capabilities.
Manager
The Co-operative Travel
Stornoway, Western Isles
08.2007 - 06.2014
- Managed staffing schedules of employees, delivering operational efficiency.
- Addressed client issues with compassion and professionalism, ensuring swift, successful resolution.
- Developed strong teams by skillfully recruiting, orienting and training loyal, hard-working employees.
- Analysed sales to identify top-performing products and staff members.
- Managed branch operations and employees and provided training to staff.
- Responsible for meeting customers face to face and dealing with new travel enquires and bookings.
- Managing Invoices and payments
Business Travel Consultant
Thomas Cook Retail
Stornoway, Western Isles
05.2004 - 07.2007
- Issued tickets, exchanges and refunds.
- Resolved last-minute emergency travel difficulties.
- Managed enquiries throughout travel fulfilment lifecycle.
- Navigated Booking Tools to book ferry, flights, accomodation & car hire for business customers.
- Acted as primary point of contact providing active travel consultation for business customers.
- Demonstrated exemplary customer service and rapport-building communication.
- Skillfully crafted and prepared comprehensive tailor made travel itineraries based on clients needs.
- Booked travel arrangements for large organisations including the local council.
- Confidently communicated with businesses & clients.
- Offered exemplary service to new and existing clients, helping to build lasting relationships and secure new travel bookings.
- Used promotional offers to sell tour packages, meeting and exceeding monthly sales targets.
- Handled large volumes of email enquiries daily.
- Processed payments and established payment plans on behalf of customers, offering multiple methods to maximise sales.
- Responded to clients' questions, issues and complaints.
- Adhered to clients budgets while making plans.
Sales Consultant
Thomas Cook Retail
Stornoway, Western Isles
05.2001 - 05.2004
- Increased revenue through upselling.
- Listened to customer problems and concerns, offering tailored solutions.
- Followed-up on prospective bookings to meet sales targets.
- Arranged and booked package holidays & flights for customers.
- Took inbound calls from customers offering detailed quotations.
- Dealt with Foreign exchange in the Bureau.
- Made phone calls to various companies & tour operators.
- Delivered training sessions.
- Cashed up at the end of each day.
- Filing, managing invoices and other admin duties to ensure the store performed well.
Accounts Clerk
Western Isles Council
Stornoway, Western Isles
04.2000 - 04.2001
- Prepared claims reports by using payroll printouts.
- Prepared and input journals onto the Financial Management System.
- Reconciled payroll and ledger reports to do reconciliations.
- Reconciled for petty cash imprests to do imprest reconciliations.
- Answered the phone, filing and general admin.
- Covered for the Chief Executive's secretary while she was on Annual Leave which involved typing of letters and memos.
- Provided support to the Senior Accounts team.
Trainee Payroll Clerk
Western Isles Council
Stornoway, Western Isles
08.1998 - 04.2000
- Inputting and checking homecare timesheets
- Inputting and checking manual worker timesheets
- Inputting and checking car mileage claims.
- Reconciling additional voluntary contributions lists using payroll printouts.
- Inputting and reconciling pension remittances onto an excel spreadsheet.
- Maintenance of the flexitime records.
- Opening, recording and distributing mail.
- Typing of letters and memos for the payroll section.
- Reconciled and balanced payroll accounts accurately to meet deadlines.
- Responded to enquiries and provided information regarding payroll related matters.
- Managed employee records on database to maintain accuracy and updated information.
- Provided administrative support to accounting department.
Education
Standard grades in English, Maths & Science -
Lionel Secondary School
Isle of Lewis, Western IslesGSVQ Level 1 - Office & Information Skills -
Lewis Castle School
Isle of Lewis, Western IslesGSVQ Level 2 - Care -
Lewis Castle School
Isle of Lewis, Western IslesCookery Skills & Domestic Science -
Lewis Castle College
Isle of Lewis, Western IslesSkills
- Customer service - I am able to provide a personable attention to detail first class customer service to all different kinds of people I meet and speak to ensuring repeat custom I enjoy meeting new people and getting to know them and helping them as much as I can while also ensuring they trust me to deal with their requirements I have a drive to secure bookings but yet provide the client what they want to enable that
- Business development - I am confident in developing a business by increasing sales, managing discounts, building good relationships with the people I work with and for
- Business & Leisure travel experience - I am confident in booking all types of Business & Leisure travel I can confidently book all types trips and put my own itineraries together I am able to gauge the correct price to give to customers to ensure I am making plenty profit but yet the customer is happy with the price and service I have also been responsible for many local clients Weddings, Honeymoons and Renewal of Vows abroad
- Daily operations - I am able to complete any task confidently from admin duties to emails to speaking with businesses and members of the public I am a fast learner and always learning new systems and procedures and always complete every task thoroughly to the highest standard
- Flexible approach - I have a flexible approach to work as sometimes the nature of working means you can be extremely busy some days and I am able to be calm under pressure and work more hours on some days while other days can be quieter so I can adjust to that
Qualifications
English - Communications 3
Communications 4
Maths - Numeracy 1, 2 & 3
Core Mathematics 2,3 & 4
Science - Science in Context 1
Science practical skills
Introduction to science investigation skills
Social Subjects - Investigating a foreign culture
Investigating Europe
The individual in industry & work
Language - Gaelic 1 & 2
Technology - SVQ Level 2 Administration
Information Technology 1 & 2
Word Processing 1 & 2
Administrative Support 1
Using a Keyboard
Working in a reception Area
Text processing 1 & 2
Information Technology: Office Applications 1
Care Level 2 - Accident & Emergency procedures
Promoting equal opportunities
Investigating skills for caring
Causes & prevention of disease
Introduction to human development: Infancy to old age
Courses Attended
Word 6 Customised Level 1 - 1 Day Course - Western Isles Council Year 2000
Financial Management Systems Training - 1 Day Course - Western Isles Council Year 2000
SDA Briefing Course - 1 Day Course - Western Isles Council Year 2000
Selling Skills Course - 5 Day Course - Thomas Cook Retail Year 2001
Sales Consultant & Customer Service training - 2 month training period - Coop Group Year 2007
Interests & Hobbies
When I am not working I enjoy spending time with my daughter and elderly mum.
I love to drive and take us on road trips and travel about and stop to enjoy places locally as well as holidays on the mainland.
I also like to keep fit by walking and going to the gym and swimming.
I also try and read as much as possible and enjoy a film at weekends with friends.
Extra information
During the Covid pandemic while working from home I took on a second job with the Western Isles council. I was working back to back with another care worker providing a hot meal service to a client. This involved preparing a hot meal for him 3 evenings per week and sometimes helping him with some personal care.
In 2009 I was asked to consider putting myself forward for the Coop membership board as they had a lack of elected members from my age group. I did this and was elected through a voting process and served on this for many years until it was disbanded.
It was really enjoyable to put forward concerns of the public and to have things thoroughly investigated and also deciding on good local causes to donate money to.
Timeline
Manager
HebridesTravel - part of the Barrhead Travel Group
11.2014 - Current
Manager
The Co-operative Travel
08.2007 - 06.2014
Business Travel Consultant
Thomas Cook Retail
05.2004 - 07.2007
Sales Consultant
Thomas Cook Retail
05.2001 - 05.2004
Accounts Clerk
Western Isles Council
04.2000 - 04.2001
Trainee Payroll Clerk
Western Isles Council
08.1998 - 04.2000
Standard grades in English, Maths & Science -
Lionel Secondary School
GSVQ Level 1 - Office & Information Skills -
Lewis Castle School
GSVQ Level 2 - Care -
Lewis Castle School
Cookery Skills & Domestic Science -
Lewis Castle College