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These agency pooches come armed with more than just good looks – they’re also a dab hand at enticing customers in, too. Abra Dunsby meets some of the sparkiest, furriest salespeople in the business
Having a dog in the office not only makes it a joy to come into work every day, but there are actual benefits to your health and productivity, too.
Taking the office pooch for a walk allows you a much-needed break from your desk and time to stretch your legs, so it’s easier to stay active, for example.
Then there’s the study conducted by the International Journal of Workplace Health Management, which found that having a dog in the office reduces stress levels.
The clever team at Virginia Commonwealth University in the US have also proved that office dogs can improve job satisfaction too.
For travel agencies, reduced stress levels and increased productivity is the perfect environment for making a sale.
Over the past couple of weeks we have been inundated with travel agents keen to tell us all about their cute canines, and how they make their agency a happier, healthier place to work.
If that’s not a case for bringing your dog to work with you, we don’t know what is…
When she’s not gnawing on gravy bones or chasing the postman, Sushi the 13-year-old bichon frise loves nothing more than hanging out in the office at LAH Travel and enjoying cuddles with customers.
She’s also quite the saleswoman, and her pictures have featured in the office window and on the agency newsletter to draw clients in.
Sushi has been dubbed the chairman on the agency’s website, and she’s a regular on the company Facebook page, where her pictures are used to promote holidays with her very own #Sushi dog deals of the day hashtag.
“More people comment on Sushi than on other Facebook posts,” Linda Hill Miller, LAH Travel’s managing director says. “She absolutely draws clients into the agency too.
Customers love her and they are very disappointed if she’s not in – she goes to the hairdresser on Fridays.” Miller adds that Sushi is such a successful salesperson that she’s been immortalised in giant toy form to be used to engage clients at events.
Like all divas, Eric the pug refuses to reveal his age, so we have to go to his mother, Jill Waite, director at Pole Travel, to find out that he’s 11.
Eric’s favourite past times are eating, barking at Pole Travel’s Karen while she makes a cup of tea, and posing for photos in fancy dress – he’s tried his hand at being a Mexican pug, Christmas pug, and a pumpkin in the last year.
“He brings joy and a unique aroma to the office, and clients love to come into the office to visit him,” Waite says. Eric keeps pestering her to set him up with his own Facebook page, as he’s had plenty of success selling holidays to clients.
“We have promoted dog-friendly holidays on Facebook using pictures of Eric, which were particular popular with his pug friends,” she adds.
Mavis the cockapoo had just returned from her first ever holiday, staying at a Hoseasons dog-friendly lodge in Devon, when we caught up with her owner, Kate Harris at Inspired Travel.
Harris says: “Mavis brings much laughter and mayhem to the office. All our clients know her as she’s regularly on our Facebook page.”
In fact Mavis has proved to be a real Facebook hit for the agency, with likes and comments increasing on any post she features in.
“We often have pictures of her with offers and we featured her in our Christmas Facebook video, which was a spoof of the Marks & Spencer advert,” says Harris.
Mavis is also a dab hand at promoting the company through marketing efforts, too. “We have a toy Mavis lookalike which we have taken on trips to photograph for Facebook,” explains Harris. “We plan to include her in one of our newsletters soon, too.”
Rescue dog Bobby the Labrador lives and breathes travel, with family homes in France and the south of Spain.
While he’s yet to make a sale himself, owner Joanna Sharkey, who works at Halsbury Travel, says having him in the office has helped to bring a stress-free attitude to the office, which can helps agents to sell more. “Bobby is such a softie at heart,” Sharkey tells me.
“He has such a calming effect on us all, especially if you’re having a bad day. I think the office is a much more tranquil and happy place with Bobby around.”
At 13, Lulu the Jack Russell is going through the stroppy teenager phase, and insists any customer that visits the travel agency gives her a belly rub.
She can be found reclining on her very own cane chair in the office, or barking along to her favourite song, Hit the Road Jack by Ray Charles.
“Lulu really loves welcoming clients into the shop,” says owner Tim Worrell, travel consultant and golf specialist at C The World. “She definitely helps us make a sale as people love to come to see Lulu and book their holidays here.”
Representing all the travel agency cats out there is Sam the tabby, who is most likely to be found snoozing on the One Traveller filing cabinet, or on the computer keyboard if he’s feeling cheeky.
He’s not lazy when it comes to his role as ambassador for the company though and features proudly on the staff section of the agency website.
He’s also a social media star, having featured on the agency’s Facebook page on various occasions. “Sam has a lot of success on Facebook,” says Ian Darkin, director at One Traveller.
A picture of him on our agency page is the second highest performing image in terms of likes and comments.” He also features regularly in the agency’s newsletters.
Check out the original doggy hall of fame here
