Marcus Richards
As one of the UK’s leading travel management companies, Simplexity Travel offers corporate travel services to businesses of all sizes.
We are proud to count household names from the worlds of sport (Brentford, Birmingham City and Millwall football clubs included), music, fashion, film and TV among our clients, both in the UK and internationally.
We also work with a range of private clients, delivering bespoke luxury holidays for couples, families and lone explorers.
Tell us about yourself?
I have worked in the travel industry since 1998. From the very beginning I believed that great customer service should be one of the cornerstones on which a business is built, something which remains true to this day.
I started my own travel company in 2007 but unfortunately three years later, personal circumstances forced its closure.
Over the next 12 months I put all my effort into creating a new business model that would allow me to build on my early successes but to also rectify past mistakes. Thus it was that Simplexity Travel was launched in 2011.
If you could go back in time a year or two, what piece of advice would you give yourself?
A global pandemic might be decimating the industry you love but have faith that you will emerge stronger and more focussed than ever.
What problem does your business solve?
We create innovative, cost-effective and well-executed travel solutions for time-pressed businesses and individuals
What is the inspiration behind your business?
Simplexity Travel was founded in response to a growing need for a travel management specialist which could offer a one-stop shop for all things travel-related, whether handling flight tickets and transfers, booking accommodation, hiring private yachts or transferring equipment.
Instead of clients having to make multiple calls, we make it possible for them to make just one – to a company with limitless resources and global contacts who will ensure that no detail of an itinerary, no matter how complex, would be overlooked
What is your magic sauce?
To listen carefully to what our clients want, and to then meet their needs and exceed their expectations
What is the plan for the next 5 years? What do you want to achieve?
We are working with many more clients in the US and the Middle East so are starting to draw up plans for future expansion in these territories.
We have some of the best staff within the industry working in our Mayfair headquarters so one challenge is recruiting the same calibre of personnel further afield. We also like to keep on top of technological advances within the travel sector.
At the same time we need to tread carefully when incorporating these into our business model as our customers expect the highest level of personal service and some of the new technology used by our competitors lacks the human touch.
Even in today’s high-tech world, people prefer to put their trust in people rather than technology and systems
What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced so far?
The pandemic without a doubt. That said I am proud we did not have to make anyone redundant during that terrible period and, in fact, grew our team.
How do people get involved/buy into your vision?
Simply drop me a line at [email protected]
