Centre Stage: Who is Lesley Smith, Operations Manager?

At Clarity, we like to shine the spotlight on our teams, so you get to know a little more about the people behind the service.

This time around, we caught up with Lesley Smith, Operations Manager of our specialist Marine Team. Lesley shares her insights into her world, what's involved in her role, and much more. Let's dive in...

How long have you been in the business and where were you working before you joined?

I've been with Clarity for 35 years this May. Before that I worked in the travel industry for 3 years under a different agent.

What is your role within the business and what are your main responsibilities?

I’m an Operations Manager in Edinburgh and I look after four teams;

1. The Core Team, who deal with everyday business travel.
2. Sabre, who are a bespoke team for one of our customers in the media sector.
3. Marine, who look after all the Marine business for Clarity.
4. Clarity Edge, which is our VIP offering for Clarity.

Tell us more about the Marine Team?

Our Marine Team look after several clients who have offshore rigs or ships. They deal with a lot of large crew changes which can be very challenging as they often change last minute if ships do or don’t move or weather and other conditions, which could impact travel. During Covid, Marine travel didn't stop like other industries, and the team had to adapt the way we worked by booking out whole hotels for months at a time and booked hundreds of car hires.

What key skills do you need to work in the team?

Working well within a team and being adaptable to last minute changes are really important skills, plus a good knowledge of geography and Global Distribution Systems (GDS).

What does a typical workday look like?

Each morning I start with looking at staffing and any issues which may occur with any team being short. Although we have four separate teams, we often help each other rather than going out to other offices to help. Then I look at our MI when it comes in for the day, before looking for data that doesn't look correct or is missing. I have two fabulous Team Managers, Fiona and Pauline, who look at invoice errors and day to day running of the office and queries from the team, but I also try to get involved in this. The rest of my day is usually taken up with client meetings, queries, and more recently the closure of our office and moving to home working of all staff until our new office is ready in July. This involved emptying the office of over 15 years of junk!

What do you enjoy most about your role?

My team! They are just fantastic and even on the most manic and stressful days they make me laugh. They are the most dedicated, conscientious bunch of folks I know, I am very lucky.

Speaking of which, meet the team:

Brian Morrison

With 43 years in the travel industry, including 36 in marine travel, Brian thrives on the challenge of handling diverse flight enquiries to destinations worldwide.

‍Fun Fact: Brian flew on Concorde on its final day of operation.

Dianne McGregor

Dianne has been in the industry for 39 years and loves the fast pace and challenges of major crew changes in marine travel.

‍Fun Fact: In her spare time, Dianne volunteers for Spaniel Aid.

Stacey Greer

With over 20 years in the industry, Stacey relishes the variety and fast pace of the marine team, especially handling large crew changes.

‍Fun Fact: Stacey has been a season ticket holder at Aberdeen FC for years and even has her name on their Wall of Fame!

Carol Cameron

Carol has dedicated 24 years to the travel industry, enjoying the dynamic environment and the accounts she manages. Most of all, she values working with her team.

‍Fun Fact: Carol is a passionate gardener, though her plant care skills are still a work in progress compared to her marine travel expertise!

What are the main challenges you encounter in your role?

Time, there is not enough hours each day to get everything done. To do lists have to be reviewed every day. Trying to make sure we get through the clients queries without missing SLA’s.

What do you enjoy most about working here?

Clarity is a brilliant company to work for, I feel part of a large family who all have the same end goals.

Want to know more about our specialist Marine services?

We support customers in the marine, energy and resource sector with business travel risk management resources to provide peace of mind and keep on top of industry issues and security risks worldwide. Learn more about the work that Lesley and the team do to support this sector.