July 30, 2024 • 54 mins
In this episode of the Tourism Hub Podcast, host Despina Karatzias sits down with Torie from Moonraker Dolphin Swims to discuss the fascinating journey of running a family-owned marine tourism business on the Mornington Peninsula.
Torie shares the origins of Moonraker, started by her parents in 1990, and how she grew up immersed in the business, making it her own. They delve into the importance of being hands-on in every aspect of the business, from cleaning to making executive decisions, and the value of delivering exceptional customer service.
Torie explains the significance of responding to every customer review, both positive and negative, and how it shapes the business. She also highlights the importance of being human in business interactions, providing personalised responses, and ensuring customer satisfaction. The conversation covers the evolution of the tourism industry, especially post-COVID, and the shift towards grassroots businesses and new market players.
They discuss the challenges and rewards of running a marine tourism business, the importance of local and national awards, and the strategies used to maintain a high level of service and customer satisfaction. Torie also shares insights into staff management, risk mitigation, and the benefits of offering guarantees to customers. This episode is a treasure trove of practical advice and inspiration for anyone in the tourism industry.
- 04:57 - What ignites you and gets you out of bed every morning
- 05:54 - Strategy with the review process
- 08:58 - What have you seen as the biggest changes in the market
- 11:38 - What ignited your parents to start Moonraker
- 14:40 - The Mornington Peninsula is fundamentally tourism based
- 16:46 - Dolphin swim personal transformational benefits for guests
- 22:24 - Risk mitigation and challenges are challenging elements in any tourism business
- 25:19 - Challenge in staffing
- 35:24 - A lot of operators don't see how valuable their product is for a gift
- 37:36 - What were some things that were holding Torie back when she started the business
- 40:29 - Best advice you've ever received is deliver a good product
- 52:10 - Why don't be shy with unhappy customers
References:
Moonraker Dolphin Swims: https://www.moonrakercharters.com.au
Mornington Peninsula Business Excellence Awards: https://www.mpbusinessawards.com.au
Tourism Australia: https://www.tourism.australia.com
Resdy Booking System: https://www.resdy.com
Connect with Torie and Moonraker Dolphin Swims:
Website:https://www.moonrakercharters.com.au
Instagram:@moonrakerdolphinswims
Facebook:Moonraker Dolphin Swims
#TourismHub #BeExcellent
Show hosted byDespina Karatziasand brought to you by Tourism Hub in association with Institute Of Excellence.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Tori, my fangirl, now we can talk openly.
I'm out of the closet,I've been watching you.
Welcome to Tourism Hub podcast.
I'm so excited to be here.
I'm so excited and I just foundout you listened to the episode.
I do, I've listened to all of them.
Because it is one of theseThings with content that, um,
yeah, you just don't know.
But with digital, you can, um, yeah, yeah.
(00:23):
Anyway, you, you can see thatthere's people there, but I've
never really met someone thatsaid, I've listened to all of them.
So I'm just so thrilled doubly thatyou're here and you've listened to them.
Oh, Tori, I tell you, I'm afangirl for so many reasons.
Now we've probably been on the trajectoryof tourism around the same time of when
(00:44):
we launched our career through like.
You know, probably the same timethat Moonraker's been around.
That's it!
Um, so Moonraker Dolphin Swim, I'mgoing to kick off the big why and
purpose why Moonraker came to be.
Sure, so it's a family business.
Mum and Dad started it back in 1990 andas a only child lived on the, literally
(01:08):
on the coast, it was It was almost like mypath was mapped out and there were so many
other career choices I could have had.
But that's what I did.
I did it in school holidays.
I lived and breathed thatbusiness from such a young age.
And it was basicallyjust A rite of passage.
A rite of passage.
(01:29):
It's so interesting because so manyfamily businesses in our industry
are multi generational and I'm seeingthat now and you could have kind
of said I want nothing to do like.
Easily.
I could have done somethingcompletely different.
Was that ever a point of like,this isn't for me, or you
(01:53):
just knew from the beginning?
Oh, look, and what a wonderful, Imean, I don't think you'd find, yeah.
What a wonderful lifestyle I'dimagine you had growing up.
I did.
So that, and that was the thing.
And I still reflect on ittoday that I'm the person that
yes, this runs the company.
(02:14):
And makes the hard decisions, but I'malso the person that does the cleaning.
Yeah.
And I've done every part of the business.
Yes.
And I will still go back anddo every part of the business.
If there's one area that's fallingdown, I'm more than happy to jump in.
And I think that thatis quite a strong thing.
Because we are a small team and we do workreally long hours over that peak summer.
(02:35):
Yes.
That they see the person that paystheir wages, that they need to, I guess,
help build their business is also theperson that's checking on the bathrooms.
Yeah.
Um, and ordering thestock and doing things.
So it's a really, it'sjust a rite of passage.
A rite of passage.
I'll keep it at that.
Oh, but I see that from youtoo, just being around that.
(02:57):
I mean, we talk a lotabout visitor servicing and
delivering a great experience.
Yes.
And a great service.
Yes.
That's something, I guess.
because you've been around it,seeing your parents, you wouldn't
have needed much training.
That's also something that's in your DNA.
Yes, that's it.
But it's also given me such a strongfocal point on what works and what
(03:21):
doesn't, um, and how the business hasgrown and changed over those years,
where it's come from, where it's goneto, where it is now, where it can go to.
It's, it's such a moving.
Beast of its own really.
Oh, and I can imagine for your parents nowas mothers Yes, like for you like for them
to see you take the reins like that andthen yeah, it would be yeah That's also
(03:47):
Circle that's it and you're so you'rejust as passionate as you you've just
started it a year exactly I can justsee you Enthusiasm and that's it.
And I do think that enthusiasm comes frombeing You In all areas of the business.
And that's not all the time.
Um, but there are daysthat I am all over it.
(04:08):
And then there's daysthat I'm on the side.
There's days that I'm not even atwork, but I'm still getting the
occasional email or I'll get a textmessage or something like that.
So.
It's great to work in it, and it'salso great to work on it because
there's that really crossoversection that gives you that all round
knowledge and all round experience.
(04:29):
Oh, so much to talk about.
So much to talk about.
So, Tori, as you, as yourself, as ahuman of tourism, what ignites you
and gets you out of bed every morning?
There's so many things.
Um, so first and foremost, I really enjoythe team of people that we have around us.
(04:49):
Um, they're very similar to myself.
They're very driven.
Um, but it's also, I strivefor a really good review as
much as I strive for a bad one.
I'll never shy away from a bad review.
And they are the thingsthat get me out of bed.
If we have received abad one, that's okay.
But let's work out why and let's fix it.
(05:11):
So then it turns it around.
That's what gets me out of bed.
That's what gets you.
Look, it's so important, isn't it?
Like as much as we love thegood reviews that you're using.
Yes.
Anything that's constructiveor comes out or someone's take
a customer's taken the time.
What a great gift.
It is such a great gift anddo not shy away from it.
Yeah.
Um, it was funny.
Speaking of bad reviews, wentthrough all that, all of the
(05:34):
reviews that Moonraker had for thelast 10 months the other night.
Yeah.
And look, that took metill 10 o'clock at night.
Yeah.
You know.
Yeah.
That's what you do when you're a mum.
Yeah.
And I reached out to one customer.
It wasn't a great one.
It wasn't a bad one.
It was a three star, I think.
So it's mid range.
Yeah.
She'd had issues with herunderwater camera that she'd hired.
So I just reached out, replied toit and said, hey, Just tell us.
(05:57):
Let's just fix it.
And last night at 8.
30, she sent me this beautifulemail to say, Thank you so much.
I'm coming back and I'mgoing to change my review.
And I was like, this is fantastic.
Oh, what a wonderful.
That's the stuff.
That's the stuff and thestuff that you care enough.
Do you have a strategywith your review process?
(06:17):
Reply to every single one.
Every single one.
Yep.
And make sure it's not a generic reply.
Yeah.
Do put some heart and soul intoit and say, Hey, thanks so much
for enjoying this part of it.
Or thanks so much for your feedbacktowards this element of the cruise,
or I'm so pleased you love the staff.
I'm so pleased you love the seals.
Make sure that I'm a reallybig believer in being human.
(06:40):
Yes.
Yes.
That's the key thing that I have found hasdriven the business as far as it's gone.
Be a human being.
Yeah.
Don't be a corporation.
If your business isenormous, that's fantastic.
If it's tiny and it's just youand your partner or you and
somebody else that works for you.
Yes.
Be a human being.
(07:00):
Yes.
Because that's where you'll grow.
And is that something thatyou take on yourself as the
owner to respond to everyone?
Or do you just, you know,distribute between the team?
Sometimes I will distribute, but Iactually really like doing it myself.
Yeah.
Because, and it's the same withrisk mitigation and reviews.
Yeah.
The two big R's in my industry,or in my business, um, is the
(07:24):
reviews will give you feedback.
That's great.
If you can see like a patternin them, it's really quick and
it's a really easy way to fix it.
And the same with risk.
So if you're seeing the same injuryhappening, say two or three times,
quickly fix it before something happens.
Um, and they are the biggest gifts thatyou can get for free within your business.
(07:47):
The two big Rs.
So true.
I mean, look, we have a lot in commonas tour operator and, um, mines.
Yes.
At the mercy of Mother Nature, likesaying today, I know with sailing or
ballooning we're at the mercy of winds.
You are.
And, uh, and it is somethingthat to keep on learning.
I think that's it, that would begreat for anyone that's listening.
(08:08):
And I know for a lot of businessesthat I work with, it's something
with the reviews and you just,it's that qualitative information.
It is.
It's coming directly from your people.
And it's completely free.
Yeah, yeah.
And it's coming from everyone.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So it's coming from every different,uh, segment within your business.
They can be a family, they canbe an international guest, they
can be a local, they're the onesthat are seeing it for what it is.
(08:33):
Yes.
And it's free.
And it's free.
So capture it.
Speaking of international guests.
We were talking earlier again, justbriefly about that journey, because
we've both been on that journey too,very similarly with very little training,
throw in the deep end, you going overseasto represent your business and the
state, and you're trying to work outwho's who in the international zoo.
(08:59):
Tell me about that journey.
And now, Moving forward, how that's,what, what have you seen as the
biggest changes in the market?
I think it is since COVID.
And I hate using that word, butsince COVID, I know you have to use
it, but since COVID, it is, it is.
(09:21):
That is so true.
And it used to be that therewas It was such a straight way
of marketing your business.
You'd go to ATE, you'd go overseas,you'd then like connect with your
wholesalers and your inbounders.
And it was just such a flow on pattern.
And I think we all work together.
We're all in offices and we allhad our boxes that we ticked
(09:44):
and it was very Straightforward.
Nowadays, it's not.
You've got people that haveshifted within the industry.
Um, you've got newplayers in the industry.
You've got a lot of small businessesrun by really, really fantastic
people that have come fromsomewhere completely different.
Yeah.
They may be CEOs of accountingfirms and things like that, that
(10:07):
have now gone, Oh, you know what?
I'm going to start a tourism business.
Or I'm going to do an Airbnb.
So there's this newshift within the market.
Um, and I think it's great because we'reseeing a lot of grassroots businesses.
And I think tourism's now goneback to its infant stages.
It's no longer led by by the, thetraditional elders like ourselves,
(10:30):
where we all know each other, youknow, the next person that's going to
sit in front of you at ATE, you knowthem, you know where they've come from,
you know, how many people they sendyou, you know, everything about them.
You've now got new people.
We're so far back, butwe're also so far forward.
Yeah.
So it's a shifting ground and it'llbe so exciting to see where it goes
(10:52):
in the next two or three years.
Oh, so true.
So true.
And that's, that's right.
Like looking at whether it's a youngperson coming out of uni, getting into
tourism, or Or a small startup businesstrying to find their way or their
market or their offering of what theirproducts because it's, we're in the
(11:14):
business of offering the intangible.
It's the feeling.
It's the experience.
It's exactly what we're all doing.
We're speaking of that.
I'm also curious what ignitedyour parents to start Moonraker?
What was there?
They originally, so they bothhad completely separate careers.
Mum was always marine, marine tourism,hospitality, um, and dad was always
(11:39):
more, I guess, your commercial person.
So I think it was an easy mesh,boat being that commercial side,
tourism being mum's side, and Ithink it was just this easy mesh.
It was something that wasn'treally captured down here.
So they started off doing seal swims,discovering the South Channel Fort,
which is a small island, Um, adding indolphins, and it was really that marine
(12:03):
tourism growth, and then over that 10years or so, it did start to take off.
And I can still remember stories ofthem saying, we used to stand at the
pier near the car ferry, giving outbrochures, trying to convince tourists.
to come out and do somethingbefore they went on the ferry.
And I think it's such a beautifulstory of how many tourism and
(12:25):
especially marine tourism businessesstarted and it was trying to convince
people to do something different.
Wow.
So I just love it.
And that's a great, you know, that's areal entrepreneurial mindset to think,
well, we were, we were the first, Iwould think, on the peninsula or one
of, one of, but now that there's more,it just means that we're all doing
(12:47):
a good job to attract the visitor.
As we were saying earlier, tostay more, extend their stay and
have more experiences on offer.
Build partnerships with otherfantastic businesses or other
like minded businesses as well.
Yes.
Yes.
Um, And then your guest gets that wholeexperience and it is very simple and
it's very easy if all the businessesare like minded, so it works well.
(13:11):
Now you also, I mean now justa bit of context for everyone
watching and listening.
Our business at Global Ballooningkept on coming up in the tourism,
adventure tourism categorynext to Moonraker Dolphin Swim.
And we kept losing, wellnot losing, learning.
I don't like to lose that word.
Every time we didn't win, we learned.
(13:35):
So I just said to the team like, Let,just let them write it out together
and then we'll re enter when RuneRaker,because you're doing such a good job.
But recently we reconnectedfrom the Morning to Peninsula
Business Excellence Awards.
No surprise, took it, took it out.
But I love that you also, youknow, there's tourism awards,
(13:56):
which have incredible benefitsfor any tourism operator.
And you go, you know, you have anopportunity to go on a national stage.
But I love, This, uh, that you, you'resupporting your local business awards.
Talk, if you could talk a little bitto me, to talk a little bit about that
and just how far we still have to goat businesses that don't traditionally
(14:22):
see themselves as tourism businesses,but have so much opportunity,
such low hanging fruit, right?
Talk to me about your observation ofliving, working, running a business
in a regional Victorian town.
Easy, so the Mornington Peninsulais fundamentally Some people
(14:44):
believe not, but it really is.
If you drive 10 minutes down theroad, you'll pass all of these.
There are the farm gates,their gardens, their tourism
offerings of any description.
So a business award is somethingthat I encourage people to do.
And it wasn't something that I'dever thought of doing, but I think
capturing a business award yourstrength as a business before you go
(15:08):
and turn it into a tourism business.
It always gives you thatbottom line approach.
So you know where you're spendingyour money, you know what you're good
at within your business, which thenwill have that flow on effect into
the growth of a tourism business.
Um, interestingly, I guessMornington Peninsula and
(15:28):
spending quite a bit of time in.
what I call country Victoria, whichit's more sort of regional now, um,
which is that Echuca Moama area.
The Mornington Peninsulais so advanced in tourism.
It is so advanced.
And I think that comes from likethe, the strengths of people like
Elva Hemming that just, yeah, theyjust drove it as hard as they did.
(15:52):
And they did really putthat stamp on the peninsula.
And then now traveling to otherareas around the state, I'm
just seeing how lucky we are.
as a region.
So yes, the national and thestate awards are so great.
They're so fantastic, but do focuson local as well and really focus on
(16:13):
business because as a small business,but also looking at new businesses
that are forming, get your rootsin before you grow your branches.
Oh, there you go.
That's the quotable.
That's it.
I love it.
I love it.
I love it.
Because that will then, it'll reallycement you in your industry because
(16:34):
you'll have that strength and knowledgeof what makes your business so good.
So good.
The, a type of experience like that.
A dolphin swim has also personaltransformational benefits because
I think being out in the open waterand you see these majestic animals.
(16:56):
Yes.
Leap out at you.
I mean, I would lose my poo emojito see that, you know, it's just
something that you don't seeevery day and that you see it.
What, what, what do you, what'sthe sentiment or do you, like
when, What do people say?
How do they react?
How do you find that of being outhere and enjoying an experience like
(17:18):
what you offer in just the region?
Yeah.
Well, I guess after doing itfor the decades that I've done
it, I still get such a big kickout of a fantastic dolphin swim.
There is nothing better.
Yeah.
And it really shines throughbecause your guests are so excited.
And they're doing it for their first time.
I'm doing it for my four millionthtime and I still love it.
(17:41):
Yes.
Um, and I really love seeing howexcited they get, but it's the
satisfaction of delivering it.
So it's a great product.
Yeah.
It's a great, it'severything that you need.
Um, It's relatively easy to sell becausedolphin swims, they're so unique.
There's only so many places inAustralia that you can do it.
(18:02):
So that's why it's great local,domestic and internationally,
because it's a really unique niche.
And I imagine, again, through a lotof similarities, it's such a great
product to partner with others.
Similar to the ballooning.
Yeah, so you can really, yeah, youcan really leverage that in your
(18:25):
packaging and your collaborations.
I love also, I love, that you've donethis, like see a dolphin guarantee.
It also just helps people togo, yeah, I can come back.
Yeah.
I think that's brilliant,Tori, to, to, to do that.
And that's part of my philosophy, Iguess, as a business owner and also
(18:46):
delivering the product, because,um, I'm really big on being a human.
Yes.
Um, don't look at your productand go, how can I sell it?
I always look at my product and go,and I train my staff exactly the
same way and people that deliverit for me when I'm not there.
If they have children, it isan expensive product because
there's a lot that goes into it.
(19:06):
So, I always tell peopleto look at it as a whole.
If you were going to deliver thisproduct and buy it, would you
be happy with the end result?
And similar to the ballooning, likeyou are hampered by weather and wind
and all of these different things.
Like you've got this beautiful brochureand you've got these beautiful things, but
(19:27):
sometimes you can't deliver exactly where.
Yes.
So I always train people to say, well,if you can't deliver that, deliver
something else and make it up on the go.
But would you be happy withit if you bought the product?
Yes.
So important.
And I think that that is a really keymessage across all businesses, not just
(19:47):
tourism, and especially not just marinetourism or adventure tourism, is deliver
it how you would like to receive it.
And that's somethingthat I'm really big on.
That, and it just givesthat human element.
So offering the dolphin guarantee, it doescut, it cuts into your bottom line, but it
also gives people the confidence to book.
(20:08):
And I found that that'scome back a lot recently.
Like, Oh, if I'm on the boat,I'll just chat away to a customer.
And I'll be like, look, what's going on.
How have you enjoyed it?
And why did you book our product?
Why didn't you book thisperson's or this person's?
And they're like, well, I noticedthat you offer this, this and
this, but the confidence I got waswhen I could come back for free.
(20:31):
And that was the number onething for me that really changed
how we deliver our product.
And you're really stating theobject, like it's every dolphin swim.
just like every balloonflight, is different.
There's never, it's notalways the same, right?
Yeah, yeah, ever.
Yeah, yeah, and that's a partof the adventure, but I think by
(20:52):
stating that, I really loved it.
I thought that's just brilliant, becauseit just gives you, it's a no brainer then.
It is.
You don't question it.
Yeah, yeah.
And it may not be exactlyas the brochure's depicting.
But you're still going to walk awayand go, wow, that was fantastic.
Yes.
And so many reviews that I see thatpeople write, they're like, we had the
best time and we can't wait to comeback because we didn't see the dolphins.
(21:15):
Yeah.
And I'm like, That's great.
Yeah.
Fantastic.
Yeah.
Can't wait to see you.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Come back tomorrow.
Yeah.
No, I think that's a, and ifanyone can learn from that, just
as you've evolved, a small changelike that can make a big difference.
Huge difference.
To the bottom line, as much as itcan impact, you can also make a huge
difference to, uh, to your growth.
(21:36):
Yeah, exactly.
Yeah.
So, um, and I just find that itgives you that connection then
with your customer because they'relike, Oh wow, they really do care.
I really do understand that it is abig investment to come out and do these
tours, as it is to go ballooning or sharkdiving or anything that's a little out
of the ordinary, it comes with quitea big price tag because it's either
(21:57):
high risk or there's a lot to be done.
Involved in delivering that product.
Yeah.
Be it boat and fuel andall that sort of thing.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And that's also, just as part of your,I like what you're telling your team in
terms of like, that's your barometer.
Check in, would you be happy withthat if you paid this much money.
(22:17):
Exactly.
The same thing in any service.
How we're making people feelis what we're delivering.
Exactly.
So it's really
Now, when we're talking aboutchallenging times times.
because that is a riskmitigation and challenges.
What are, what are some ways or toolsthat, you know, or some key, um, scenarios
(22:40):
that you can think of when you'remitigating, challenging Environment,
people, um, yeah, all of that.
There are so many challengingelements in a business and especially
a tourism business and an outdoorbusiness and all of those things.
Um, like you've got your weather,you've got, then you've got a new thing.
(23:00):
Well, it's not really that new,but you've got like cyber issues.
And there's a lot of things nowaround fraud and people just seem
to be getting caught out everyday, always hear another story.
So that's another challenge, gettingpeople to pay online, getting people
to prepay because there is stillthat, since COVID there was a little
bit of distrust, like is the businessgoing to be here in six months time?
(23:24):
Will I buy a voucher because theymight close and I'll never see my
money or get to experience the product.
So there are so many challenges.
Um, Transcribed Looking atthe challenges ahead, a lot
of them are slipping away now.
So I think it's a good time for ourbusiness and other businesses now to
sort of, to grow, maybe have a littlebit of an offshoot, still deliver
(23:46):
that core product, but know that alot of the challenges are passed.
Um, and what have youlearned in your business?
So for us, it was, you know, being human,being open, um, delivering a product
that you would like to experience.
That reduced a lot of our challenges.
Like how do we attract people?
(24:08):
We're getting a lot more repeat business.
Word of mouth has gone throughthe roof because people are like,
Oh, we had such a great time.
No matter if they didn't see thedolphins, they still had a good time.
So there's just little, I guess, tweaksall the way along within your business
that you can make that will reduce.
your risks will reducethe challenges at foot.
Um, some of them can just be safety risks.
(24:31):
Make your product really safe.
You can't safeguard everything, butyou can certainly safeguard a lot.
Um, and that is also because if you're anobservant manager or you, if you've got
a really observant manager, they're goingto pick up on little things very quickly.
My other thing is involve your team.
(24:52):
Don't treat them as they're justthe employees that deliver this.
They're the people on the ground.
So they're hearing conversations, they'reseeing where things are going wrong.
So get them together.
Have some open conversationsthat aren't stressful.
Because a lot of people do fear,Oh God, I'm sitting with my boss.
Don't be that person.
(25:13):
Don't be their friend,but don't be that person.
Um, be the person that they can cometo and that they can be so open with
and say, this just isn't working.
Yeah.
Um, that will reduce a lot of challenges.
And when you look at your, you know,bringing in new people, what are some
qualities that you look for to mitigateand knowing just what you require when
(25:37):
there's so many variables that can happen?
What do you look for in your team?
So.
That's another challengeactually is staffing.
Since COVID there's this new element thatsome people, they just don't want to work.
That's okay.
That's their choice, but they'renot people that I need on my team.
Um, so the ones that I reallyfocus on, they have a passion.
(26:01):
And it can be a passionfor the environment.
It can be a passion forworking with people.
Um, it can be a passion becausethey love being outdoors.
Look for those people and don't try andlook for the same person every time.
So look for a sectionwithin your business.
So I need someone thatwill not stop talking.
I'll go and find someone thatdoes that and they will, they'll
(26:24):
go and chat to every customer.
They'll get to the root of every issue.
Then I need someone that's super safe.
So I'll find somebody that reallyfocuses on delivering a product and
knowing safety and they're big like.
checklist people.
They're not my people, butthey're the people I need.
Um, and then you've got other peoplethat they love the marine environment.
(26:47):
So they're going to sit down andchat to somebody that just wants
to learn about the environment.
So really look who is in your teamand what do they bring to the table?
Yes.
Not so much what do they not bring,because everybody has their downsides.
Look for what they bring.
And are you making up the wholepiece of the pie every time
you roster them all together?
(27:08):
Yes.
That's the best thing that I can,I can sort of instill in people.
Find their strengths.
Don't worry about their weaknesses.
Just work on their strengthsbecause they're going to be happy.
They're going to deliver theproduct that you want them to.
Strength approach all the way.
All the way.
Yes.
Don't focus on their weakness.
Only on their strength.
Yes.
(27:28):
Help them develop if they wish, butjust focus on delivering what they love.
That was a big.
I guess it was very defining momentsI think over that period when all of
our backs is, you know, you talk aboutrisk, but who can foresee a pandemic?
So as tourism operators, whenwe don't fit in a box, we're
(27:49):
not a bus, we're not a plane.
No.
You know, we don't know our parameters.
That's the thing.
Um, but when the team, you couldreally see who stepped up to the
occasion and who, you know, Yeah.
And that was it.
And that was a shining light.
Yes.
And as you say, like, wedidn't fit in a category.
So with all of the changing regulations.
(28:12):
I had somebody that loved regulations.
Yeah.
So they would update ourCOVID plan once a week.
Oh, brilliant.
And that, that was something that Iwould have never done myself because I
was like, Oh my gosh, so much paperwork.
Or never knew that was in them.
No, that was, it just, it came tolight and that's what kept us going.
Yeah.
Because it was just, Like every weekin Dropbox, here's the new COVID
(28:36):
plan, here's the updates, summarisethe updates, email them out, done.
Yes.
Yes.
It was a godsend.
A godsend.
Um, when it comes to, I call these, youknow, when, if you think about the success
you have had and the enduring success.
to, you know, 30 years on asa, you know, as a business.
(29:01):
I mean, not even as a tourism business,I think as a business, as a business,
what would you put down, you know,what, what's some of the moonraker
philosophies or non negotiables thatyou would attribute to that success?
Such a diverse product.
So unique.
Um, and one that is areally strong product.
(29:26):
Like we were quite early in theinternational market, um, There's still a
lot of marine tourism businesses that arejust not in the international space yet.
And I'm like, come onguys, what are you doing?
And I think that came from us justbeing this really solid business.
It was one that you could rely on.
(29:47):
Um, one that didn't change.
And when they did, or when we didchange, it was changed for the better.
Um, we never cut corners.
We always make sure that what we deliveris just so strong and so worthwhile.
Um, making sure that when we,making sure that when we do deliver
(30:12):
something, be it in the internationalspace, it looks fantastic.
Doesn't need to cost theearth, but it looks fantastic.
Because what we sell, I hate to say it'sa sexy product, swimming with dolphins.
Yeah.
It's a great product, like ballooning,like shark diving, like all of these
great things that Australia has on offer.
Um, that's.
(30:33):
That is when, and that's a really runningtheme of excellence, winning awards.
I think you really nailed it there foranybody that's watching or listening in
terms of having your state or nationalmarketing organizations get behind you.
(30:56):
Having that reliable hero productthat is, I mean, you got to talk sexy.
It was like us, Melbourne was Hollywood,but we really wanted to get people out to
the region, to the Yarra Valley product,but we would always lead with Melbourne
because for all of that uniqueness.
And I think that's a really key valid.
(31:17):
If anyone's taking away is whatis that hero first class product
that you have, um, that's reliable.
And when I mean, but that's whatI I've loved over the years and
why we resonate that's reliable.
in probably the mostunreliable circumstances.
(31:37):
Exactly.
So you're always No, that is it.
Yeah.
And it's so true because when youare at ATE or when you're overseas
selling your product, you'reactually not selling your product.
Yes.
You are selling your region.
Yes.
So, I think for a lot of new people in theindustry, don't go there expecting that
you're going to pick up six new contracts.
(31:59):
You need to piggyback off your region.
Yes.
So, my first question was always,have you been to Mornington Peninsula?
Yes.
What do you know about the peninsula?
And so many people would say, Oh, Ialready used this product in this product.
That was your entry.
It was then, Oh, great,fantastic products.
We're only 10 minutes from there.
(32:22):
And that is, that was always the leadingquintessential destination ambassador.
Yes.
Lead with we, not me.
Exactly.
So important.
So important.
You don't exist.
Unless your region is there.
Oh, that was definitelymy first time overseas.
It's like, oh my, this has got nothingto do with me and balloons now.
(32:43):
I've got to kind of bring them.
Here's where Melbourne is.
This is where, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Have a map of the state.
Yeah.
That was all I had on my desk was amap of the state with the peninsula.
And you could always see by the endof ATL, wherever you were, there was
lots of dots on Mornington Peninsula.
And the dots were.
(33:04):
Where the other major attractions were.
It wasn't where I was.
It was where everybody else was.
Yes.
Because we are all workingto get them to our region.
That's That's right.
And then piggyback off each other.
Yep.
So you got another heroproduct linking in.
That's, and I just thought if anyone'sGoogling, what the heck is a TE?
So the Australian Tourism Exchange.
(33:26):
Yes.
Yeah.
So it's an annual, I mean, ithad the disruption as well.
Mm-Hmm.
an annual conference whereall of the key buyers.
from around the worldcome to a capital city.
in Australia and meetincredible suppliers.
Um, that's it.
We're the supplier.
Yeah.
Um, like Moonraker, Dolphin Swims.
(33:49):
And it's a space where there's still,I think 15 minute appointments and
you get, but it sounds so long.
15 minutes is gone.
It's gone.
By the time you have thoseconversations, what are your clients?
What?
Cause you're kind of qualifyingwhat they do and who's their target
audiences to fit it into you.
(34:09):
But it is, it's um, I found sovaluable too, with, with ATEs,
also just meeting and having thattime with your other colleagues.
Oh definitely.
The other suppliers, right?
That's where you learn, that's whereyou go, how you, how do you, how you
manage your cancellation policies.
How's this, what's this?
Your booking systems.
Exactly.
There's all of that.
(34:29):
Um, yeah.
You've been through, do you use an offthe shelf booking system or do you?
So we use Resdy.
Resdy, yeah.
So Resdy's been great for us.
Yeah.
We've tried another one,it was a total disaster.
Um, straight back to Resdy.
Yeah.
It is expensive.
Yeah.
But you get what you pay for.
Yes.
And you can customiseit to your own business.
So it doesn't, I gotta soundlike I'm a, I'm a, I'm not a
(34:50):
salesperson for RISD, but it's great.
Oh, look, but when I, it was, it promptedme, I guess, again, in my operator brain,
I just remember they were the times I'dhave those type of conversations because
you kind of feel a bit alone when you'rejust in your business working it all out.
But then you go, Oh, the peopleare a little bit ahead of me.
They have.
What are you doing here?
Yeah.
(35:11):
Yeah.
How do you manage things?
So again, if anyone else is outthere, whether you're, yeah.
Yeah.
Booking system is a big thingfor a tourism operation.
It can either create a hell of a lotof work or it can reduce so much work.
Be seamless.
Yes, definitely seamless.
And I was looking actually, Iloved it and I knew I kind of had
an inkling it was RISD because Iwas looking for my son's birthday.
(35:35):
Right?
And it will tell me even how many steps.
So I was like, okay, I've still got time,but I'll keep an eye on it, you know, to
see the weather and see what's coming.
But I, that's, that's, um, andgifting, I guess, before we go into
our excellence round and wrap thingsup, a lot of operators don't see how
valuable their product is for a gift.
(35:58):
It's such a big thing.
It is such a big thing.
Something that I've learned off anotheroperator, and that's exactly what
tourism is, you just learn off eachother, is a monetary value voucher.
And especially in today's climate,because people are feeling the
pinch with climbing interest rates,groceries that are horribly expensive.
(36:21):
A gift of an open ticket,but it's to a certain value.
They have been really popular.
In the last 18 months, so traditionallywe would sell the experience as a
gift, but now we've actually flipped itaround, and yes you can still buy that,
but they're further down the chain onthe visual site when you're looking.
(36:41):
The top things that are selling atthe moment are of a certain value,
so you might buy a 50 voucher, a 20so they come in different segments.
Oh, that's interesting.
It's such a great insight.
That's something I never thought about.
It feels like a Bunnings voucher,but so many people love it because
they might be doing a Kris Kringleor it might be a reward for another
(37:05):
staff member within an organisation.
They may say okay, if you reachthis target, you get a 200 voucher.
So those sort of thingsare being picked up.
Brilliant.
Really interesting how tourism shifts.
Oh, look, I certainly try that.
It's like how much stuff do we need toget out and do experiences like that?
But I love, but then if you, yeah, topie, yeah, it might be too much, but I can
(37:26):
still contribute or say here's something.
I hope a lot of peopleare inspired by that.
Cause I see a lot of businesses whenI've been looking for fans, you know, now
we've just, past Christmas, what to buy.
It's just not easy.
No, it's not.
I'll go too hard basket.
I'll move on.
Yeah.
Get on.
Exactly.
So I think it's important for anyoneout there consider to make it easy to
(37:49):
purchase as your product as a gift.
Exactly.
Which you do really well.
Thank you.
So we're looking into our excellenceround with our excellent Tori.
So when you, so in the beginningof really now you are now really.
taken the reins.
Yes.
What were some things that you canrecall that were holding you back?
(38:13):
Holding me back.
Look, there was quite a few thingsto be honest, um, because I was young
and I was very young when I firststarted this and I was a female in an
industry that was mostly male dominated.
Like I remember going to tradeevents and all of the people
that I was sitting next to.
were men and they were all intheir 40s and I'm in my 20s and
(38:37):
I'm a female also driving a boat.
So these are a few things that I found.
I'm sure still go on today, but lookingaround, there's a lot of young women in
tourism and that's so important becauseit's not a male female dominated role.
Everybody brings their best to thetable and that's what it should be.
(38:57):
Other challenges were thelicense constraints back then.
There's still licenseconstraints, but I guess.
Going through the industry andbeing what I would probably
like an old barnacle of the sea.
I've been there long enough that nowpeople will come to me and go, okay,
we're going to redraft the marinewildlife or the marine mammal permits.
(39:20):
And we're also goingto do the legislation.
What are things that you've picked up on?
What are things that you've seen?
So those challenges havecertainly dropped back a little.
In other things, it was a, Itwas a relatively new thought,
like swimming with animals.
going swimming in Port Phillip Bay,people still had that notion of
(39:41):
all their sharks, all woods deep.
So us as humans hadn't yet evolvedenough to, to be outdoor people.
We were still, outdoorwas like quad bike riding.
It was all, it was completelydifferent to what we see now.
Um, so the landscape has changed a lot.
Other things that held us back orheld me back was employing staff.
(40:04):
If you're sitting in front of somebodythat is in their early twenties, That
runs a business, sometimes peoplewould be like, not sure about that.
So all of those things haveall fallen by the wayside, but
yeah, they still exist today.
Young people can still bring ahuge amount to the table because
their thought pattern is different.
(40:25):
Yeah.
And now I feel old saying that, but Iwould ask now one of my younger crew.
or team members, whatdo you think of this?
If it's going on social mediaor what would you do here?
Because they are the forefrontof who I'm targeting.
Um, so little things like that.
Is there anything you would have donedifferent to those things that any
(40:47):
of those that were holding you back?
No, probably not.
No.
Yeah.
No.
It all just adds to the tapestry.
It really does.
It really does.
Um, yeah.
Best advice you've ever received.
I was thinking about this earlier todayactually, so I've received a lot of
Bits and pieces over the years, butthe number one thing that has always
(41:09):
stuck with me is deliver a good product.
Don't worry about your branding.
And to me, that wasalways the wrong advice.
I was always like, what do you mean?
Why would I not promote my own brand?
And they said, if you askthem in two years time, which
dolphin swim did they travel on?
That customer will have no idea.
(41:30):
But deliver the productthat they will remember.
So forget about your success.
Your industry success is so muchmore important than your own,
because that will be the standpointbecause you need good word of mouth.
People will find you if your advertisingis good enough, and you will always
(41:51):
be at the top of search engines.
You'll always be a great companyto follow on social media.
But deliver the product.
Don't worry about your branding.
Make sure that when the persongets off, they had a great time.
Yes.
Because they will then tell 10 people.
Those 10 people will go,Oh, we should do that.
Yes.
Focus on the delivery.
Exactly.
And the feels.
(42:12):
Yes.
They are making people feel.
Exactly.
Very, very solid.
Personal habits.
Like what are personal habits ofTauris that contribute to your award
winning entrepreneurial success?
Oh my gosh, you shouldask some of my staff.
I do make them laugh.
Um, personal habits area lot of communication.
Yeah.
Um, and, um, I do a lot of my email.
(42:34):
If I'm at the farm, because I live50 percent of my life at a farm,
I will get up at four o'clockin the morning and start my day.
And it gives me a good two anda half hours of just clear.
Uninterrupted.
Completely uninterrupted.
Yeah.
Um, that is one of my habits that I'llbe sending emails to some of my team
(42:56):
members, not all of them, and it couldbe dated at like Thursday morning, 5.
22am.
Yeah.
And then, yeah, I'll get a textmessage about 8 o'clock going,
Oh my gosh, do you ever sleep?
Yeah.
So I do a lot of work duringour peak season at crazy hours.
Yeah.
Because I find thatit's my most clear time.
(43:17):
Yeah.
Yeah.
I can very, very muchresonate with that too.
I'd say all women could.
Oh, it is.
Especially moms.
It's just the quiet timeof that time of the day.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Is the most productive.
Yeah.
And I also really enjoyanswering emails from customers.
So if somebody's had an issue,I really like doing that
(43:39):
because I like to be the one.
I do think that it gives the customer.
Almost a little bit of a shock if themanaging director replies to the issue.
Yes.
Yeah.
Um, and usually the resolutionthat I can supply, it's no better
than any of the other team members.
Don't get me wrong, but I think becauseit's got that stamp, the customer
goes, Oh wow, somebody actually cares.
(44:00):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yep.
And really quickly.
Really, really quickly.
So there's some of myquirky little habits.
Do you love the stats?
Do you look at the stats of thebehind, you know, behind the scenes?
Your website, visitors to thewebsite, where they're coming from.
Yeah, I'm a numbers person.
Um, at the end of the season, one of myteam, she knows I'm a numbers person,
and she will produce like a six orseven pages, and they'll be all like pie
(44:24):
charts, they'll be graphs, they'll benumbers, all of those sort of things.
And they're the things that Iwill then make decisions on.
Because I love it.
Oh, so important.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Well, that's it.
There's so much story in the numbers.
There's so much story.
Yeah.
And to help you make those decisions.
Exactly.
And it gives you a completelyuninterrupted view.
(44:46):
Yeah.
So there's no, I guess there's nooutside influences on those numbers,
they're just, they're black and white.
Yeah.
There's no grey area.
Yeah.
This product's working really well.
This one's not.
This add on isn't.
This add on is.
Yeah.
Um, and it gives you that, youcan make business decisions in 10
minutes based on really good numbers.
Yeah.
And they can be really solid businessdecisions that you need to make.
(45:10):
Um, and numbers don't lie.
They never do.
Never.
No.
So it's good.
Internet resource.
Like, yeah.
Is there something you'll go tothat you can't live without, apart
from your phone or your computer?
I know.
I do look at my phone and it does comeup in a lot of conversations, but I
(45:30):
think that's across all business people.
Yeah.
Unfortunately, it's, it'sNow, like a paper diary was.
Yep.
Yep.
Um, a resource that I look at a lot wouldbe some of Tourism Australia's resources.
I know that sounds like a really bigjump, but a lot of that is It's not
(45:50):
historical data, it's current trends.
Um, Tourism Victoria previously hadgreat resources for training staff, and
especially, and I guess that's come upin this discussion, what are some of
the acronyms, like ATE and then ITOs.
So, um, If I'm training a new staffmember into, if they're going to
(46:12):
deliver or showcase our brand andproducts internationally, they've had
a little bit of on the ground training.
They may have gone to acouple of a tech sales events.
They'll come back and they're like,okay, I think I've got my head around it.
Turism Vic used to have thisfantastic resource that I'm
so pleased I printed it out.
I sound like such an old lady.
(46:33):
Um, and it really does break it downbecause you'll have a discussion
with somebody experienced likeyourself or myself in the market.
And you'll be like, Oh,go and contact your OTAs.
They'll do la, la, la, la.
And to a new person,you'd be like, okay, okay.
And you're thinking, whereasif you give them this document,
It's so black and white.
So black and white.
(46:54):
It's just a little training manual.
That's an excellent, yeah,training manual and that.
And I also love what you said, going, likeusing TA even from a trends or the latest
research from the top helps also pave whatare we going to focus on moving forward.
It really does.
And one great thing that TA have donein the past is at ATE they would often
announce what their next focus is.
(47:17):
for Australian branding.
So it could be like your coastal, itcould be your, uh, outback tourism.
So it gives you a little bit of aheadway to make some quick changes,
even if it's just to your website.
Like if they're focusing on food andwine tourism, that might take two
years to come and come to fruition.
(47:37):
But it gives you something to banginto your international sales pitch
because that's going to be picked up.
That's what they're seeking.
And now, Victoria, a bit different, alittle bit different, like for all our,
you know, all our smaller businesses,pick up right on those coattails.
Exactly.
(47:58):
Pick it up early, make the change.
And it doesn't need to bea complete business change.
It can just be adding in anotherline, um, adding in a tagline,
changing an offering to add one morestep that you already do, but just
showcase it, put it as a dot point.
Yeah.
Because.
If you are advertising to your wholesalersand they're looking for that, it's
(48:20):
like, oh, this company already does it.
Yeah, I know this company does it.
Yeah.
So keep on the ball.
Finger on the pulse.
Definitely finger on the pulse.
Be aware.
Mm-Hmm.
. Um, any book or podcast that youwould recommend your podcast?
Yeah,
. Um, I listen to a lot ofvery diverse podcasts.
(48:43):
Yeah.
They all.
Uh, business related, um,agriculture, because there's
such a big growth in women in ag.
Um, and that will one day growinto a tourism offering for
Australia, because there's a lotof destinational tourism focuses.
And as I was saying earlier, likeyou've got your Chukumoama, you've
(49:04):
got your Greater Shepparton,there's a little bit in Benalla.
They're all focusing on farm gate trails.
And what is different?
Um, to either you're really outstandingregions like Mornington Peninsula,
um, Great Ocean Road, Yarra Valley,like they're still your tick points.
So they're things that I do listento, um, a lot of business podcasts.
(49:28):
Um, and a lot of the podcaststhat I listen to in business are
actually males that deliver themfor no, it's not a sexist thing.
Um, it just seems to be thatthey are delivering really
quality content in business.
Yeah.
So it's very diverse.
Yeah.
Your favorite business one.
(49:48):
What would be your favorite business thatyou can, that can have for listeners?
Aussie ones?
Overseas?
No, they're all Aussie.
So there was um, ohgod I've got a problem.
Dara the CEO is one I've beenlistening to, but it's overseas.
But I think I've really like,I've been listening to it a lot
since I've been on the road.
(50:09):
And it's been reallygreat, but at high level.
And I think now I'm, yeah, I know, Iguess that's what inspired like talking
more in the weeds as a small businessrather than these big, I mean, I just
listened to one like Thierry Henry, likethe famous soccer player, which is great
to see that again, as humans, that's whatit's all like, his mental health, he,
(50:31):
what he is experiencing is very resonated.
Yeah, it does.
Um, but I think from a listeningto some everyday things.
Tourism Sisters, for anyone elsethat's listening that will resonate,
that's what, um, yeah, I hope it,um, it is helpful and insightful and
when, um, I'll get that off you andadd that into our little show notes.
(50:54):
I think there's a Tristan White one.
Oh, there you go.
Because I love, yeah, okay.
So, and little things, likehow to communicate with staff.
Yes.
Um.
Not that we have communication issues,but it's just something completely
different to the way I communicate.
Yes.
And it can just belittle things like that.
So, I know there was a Tristan White onethat I've listened to nearly all of them.
Yes.
(51:14):
Um, and that was prettymuch on staff communication.
And things like that.
Brilliant.
Really, really good.
But I'll give you some more.
All different specialists.
Yeah.
Excellent.
So best way to connectwith you and Moonraker.
Okay.
Anyway.
Yeah.
Send, like, I don't mind if peoplesend me a DM via social media.
(51:36):
Yeah.
I'm there to help people.
Yes.
Oh.
Um, don't feel that there is a barrier.
Yeah.
Send a message.
Yeah.
I will always reply.
And I will give you.
The information that you need.
I'm not going to hold it back becausefeeling that you may take over my scene.
Yeah.
The more people that come andtry and take over my scene, the
better it is for our industry.
Yes.
(51:56):
So ask the hard questions.
That's what I love about our industry.
You've got everybody that's aheadof you is always so willing to help.
Like you're a mentor to so many now,and I'm sure it's like many were to
you, like the elves of our world.
Oh my gosh.
I mean, just.
But yeah, I love Elva.
Elva pretty much, I'm almostgoing to say dragged me through.
(52:21):
Yeah, yeah.
To teach me those fundamentals.
Yeah.
And if I can give even half of theresources that Elva gave me to somebody,
it's such a beautiful way to pass it on.
Um, I'm hopeless at answering the phone.
Yeah, absolutely hopeless.
So send a text message.
Yes.
Send me an email, a DM via social media.
I'll always reply.
Yeah, brilliant.
(52:43):
And any parting piece or guidance orfavour, like what's, what would be
a final thing to Be a human being.
Be a human being.
It's all you need to do.
Yeah.
No matter if you have had a Some of theworst incidences in your business to if
you have a customer that is just Genuinelyunhappy with what they've received.
(53:03):
Yeah, be human and resolve it.
Don't hide Yes, bring out thathuman element and say I can help.
Yeah, but let's justwork on this together.
Yeah Yeah.
And that is my number one pieceof advice to any business, not
so much tourism, just anyone.
Yeah.
Be a human being.
Don't shy away from an unhappy customerbecause it will only take you a couple
(53:25):
of seconds to reduce the unhappinessto, okay, I'll work with you.
Yes.
Just a few seconds.
And it's just a conversation.
Yeah.
Some people you can't help, butothers, and I would say 95 percent
of the issues that come back, you canresolve within a couple of minutes.
Yes.
Yeah.
And it's just a few minutes of your time.
Few minutes of your time.
(53:46):
You're human.
Well, Tori, you're awonderful human being.
Thank you.
I've, uh, just devoured justhaving this reconnection with you.
Anytime.
And then I've got your number, you know?
Oh, I'm so excited.
I just love it.
I can text you now.
Um, so thank you for doing this.
Anytime.
I know you'll, you'll be helping many,uh, anybody Yeah, I'll have all of
(54:07):
your socials and Moonraker DolphinSwim information in everywhere where
you'll find this, uh, this podcast.
Thank you.
You are welcome.
Happy days.
Happy dolphin swims.
Oh, we just need some more sunshine.
We need some more sunshine.
It's, um, it's really beenincredible seasonally, hasn't it?
Living up, yeah.
(54:27):
It feels like autumn.
It's been autumn all of summer.
It does come, it will come, it does come.
It will.
Yeah.
Feb, March.
But we love the variety.
That's why we're in Melbourne.
That's why.
We couldn't do without it.
That's it.
Thank you so much.
You're welcome.
All of the excellence and success to you.
Thank you.
And same to you.
Yay.
Thank you.
(54:48):
Excellent.
Yay.
Can you take it?
Tori, my fangirl, now we can talk openly.
I'm out of the closet,I've been watching you.
Welcome to Tourism Hub podcast.
I'm so excited to be here.
I'm so excited and I just foundout you listened to the episode.
I do, I've listened to all of them.
Because it is one of theseThings with content that, um,
yeah, you just don't know.
But with digital, you can, um, yeah, yeah.
(00:23):
Anyway, you, you can see thatthere's people there, but I've
never really met someone thatsaid, I've listened to all of them.
So I'm just so thrilled doubly thatyou're here and you've listened to them.
Oh, Tori, I tell you, I'm afangirl for so many reasons.
Now we've probably been on the trajectoryof tourism around the same time of when
(00:44):
we launched our career through like.
You know, probably the same timethat Moonraker's been around.
That's it!
Um, so Moonraker Dolphin Swim, I'mgoing to kick off the big why and
purpose why Moonraker came to be.
Sure, so it's a family business.
Mum and Dad started it back in 1990 andas a only child lived on the, literally
(01:08):
on the coast, it was It was almost like mypath was mapped out and there were so many
other career choices I could have had.
But that's what I did.
I did it in school holidays.
I lived and breathed thatbusiness from such a young age.
And it was basicallyjust A rite of passage.
A rite of passage.
(01:29):
It's so interesting because so manyfamily businesses in our industry
are multi generational and I'm seeingthat now and you could have kind
of said I want nothing to do like.
Easily.
I could have done somethingcompletely different.
Was that ever a point of like,this isn't for me, or you
(01:53):
just knew from the beginning?
Oh, look, and what a wonderful, Imean, I don't think you'd find, yeah.
What a wonderful lifestyle I'dimagine you had growing up.
I did.
So that, and that was the thing.
And I still reflect on ittoday that I'm the person that
yes, this runs the company.
(02:14):
And makes the hard decisions, but I'malso the person that does the cleaning.
Yeah.
And I've done every part of the business.
Yes.
And I will still go back anddo every part of the business.
If there's one area that's fallingdown, I'm more than happy to jump in.
And I think that thatis quite a strong thing.
Because we are a small team and we do workreally long hours over that peak summer.
(02:35):
Yes.
That they see the person that paystheir wages, that they need to, I guess,
help build their business is also theperson that's checking on the bathrooms.
Yeah.
Um, and ordering thestock and doing things.
So it's a really, it'sjust a rite of passage.
A rite of passage.
I'll keep it at that.
Oh, but I see that from youtoo, just being around that.
(02:57):
I mean, we talk a lotabout visitor servicing and
delivering a great experience.
Yes.
And a great service.
Yes.
That's something, I guess.
because you've been around it,seeing your parents, you wouldn't
have needed much training.
That's also something that's in your DNA.
Yes, that's it.
But it's also given me such a strongfocal point on what works and what
(03:21):
doesn't, um, and how the business hasgrown and changed over those years,
where it's come from, where it's goneto, where it is now, where it can go to.
It's, it's such a moving.
Beast of its own really.
Oh, and I can imagine for your parents nowas mothers Yes, like for you like for them
to see you take the reins like that andthen yeah, it would be yeah That's also
(03:47):
Circle that's it and you're so you'rejust as passionate as you you've just
started it a year exactly I can justsee you Enthusiasm and that's it.
And I do think that enthusiasm comes frombeing You In all areas of the business.
And that's not all the time.
Um, but there are daysthat I am all over it.
(04:08):
And then there's daysthat I'm on the side.
There's days that I'm not even atwork, but I'm still getting the
occasional email or I'll get a textmessage or something like that.
So.
It's great to work in it, and it'salso great to work on it because
there's that really crossoversection that gives you that all round
knowledge and all round experience.
(04:29):
Oh, so much to talk about.
So much to talk about.
So, Tori, as you, as yourself, as ahuman of tourism, what ignites you
and gets you out of bed every morning?
There's so many things.
Um, so first and foremost, I really enjoythe team of people that we have around us.
(04:49):
Um, they're very similar to myself.
They're very driven.
Um, but it's also, I strivefor a really good review as
much as I strive for a bad one.
I'll never shy away from a bad review.
And they are the thingsthat get me out of bed.
If we have received abad one, that's okay.
But let's work out why and let's fix it.
(05:11):
So then it turns it around.
That's what gets me out of bed.
That's what gets you.
Look, it's so important, isn't it?
Like as much as we love thegood reviews that you're using.
Yes.
Anything that's constructiveor comes out or someone's take
a customer's taken the time.
What a great gift.
It is such a great gift anddo not shy away from it.
Yeah.
Um, it was funny.
Speaking of bad reviews, wentthrough all that, all of the
(05:34):
reviews that Moonraker had for thelast 10 months the other night.
Yeah.
And look, that took metill 10 o'clock at night.
Yeah.
You know.
Yeah.
That's what you do when you're a mum.
Yeah.
And I reached out to one customer.
It wasn't a great one.
It wasn't a bad one.
It was a three star, I think.
So it's mid range.
Yeah.
She'd had issues with herunderwater camera that she'd hired.
So I just reached out, replied toit and said, hey, Just tell us.
(05:57):
Let's just fix it.
And last night at 8.
30, she sent me this beautifulemail to say, Thank you so much.
I'm coming back and I'mgoing to change my review.
And I was like, this is fantastic.
Oh, what a wonderful.
That's the stuff.
That's the stuff and thestuff that you care enough.
Do you have a strategywith your review process?
(06:17):
Reply to every single one.
Every single one.
Yep.
And make sure it's not a generic reply.
Yeah.
Do put some heart and soul intoit and say, Hey, thanks so much
for enjoying this part of it.
Or thanks so much for your feedbacktowards this element of the cruise,
or I'm so pleased you love the staff.
I'm so pleased you love the seals.
Make sure that I'm a reallybig believer in being human.
(06:40):
Yes.
Yes.
That's the key thing that I have found hasdriven the business as far as it's gone.
Be a human being.
Yeah.
Don't be a corporation.
If your business isenormous, that's fantastic.
If it's tiny and it's just youand your partner or you and
somebody else that works for you.
Yes.
Be a human being.
(07:00):
Yes.
Because that's where you'll grow.
And is that something thatyou take on yourself as the
owner to respond to everyone?
Or do you just, you know,distribute between the team?
Sometimes I will distribute, but Iactually really like doing it myself.
Yeah.
Because, and it's the same withrisk mitigation and reviews.
Yeah.
The two big R's in my industry,or in my business, um, is the
(07:24):
reviews will give you feedback.
That's great.
If you can see like a patternin them, it's really quick and
it's a really easy way to fix it.
And the same with risk.
So if you're seeing the same injuryhappening, say two or three times,
quickly fix it before something happens.
Um, and they are the biggest gifts thatyou can get for free within your business.
(07:47):
The two big Rs.
So true.
I mean, look, we have a lot in commonas tour operator and, um, mines.
Yes.
At the mercy of Mother Nature, likesaying today, I know with sailing or
ballooning we're at the mercy of winds.
You are.
And, uh, and it is somethingthat to keep on learning.
I think that's it, that would begreat for anyone that's listening.
(08:08):
And I know for a lot of businessesthat I work with, it's something
with the reviews and you just,it's that qualitative information.
It is.
It's coming directly from your people.
And it's completely free.
Yeah, yeah.
And it's coming from everyone.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So it's coming from every different,uh, segment within your business.
They can be a family, they canbe an international guest, they
can be a local, they're the onesthat are seeing it for what it is.
(08:33):
Yes.
And it's free.
And it's free.
So capture it.
Speaking of international guests.
We were talking earlier again, justbriefly about that journey, because
we've both been on that journey too,very similarly with very little training,
throw in the deep end, you going overseasto represent your business and the
state, and you're trying to work outwho's who in the international zoo.
(08:59):
Tell me about that journey.
And now, Moving forward, how that's,what, what have you seen as the
biggest changes in the market?
I think it is since COVID.
And I hate using that word, butsince COVID, I know you have to use
it, but since COVID, it is, it is.
(09:21):
That is so true.
And it used to be that therewas It was such a straight way
of marketing your business.
You'd go to ATE, you'd go overseas,you'd then like connect with your
wholesalers and your inbounders.
And it was just such a flow on pattern.
And I think we all work together.
We're all in offices and we allhad our boxes that we ticked
(09:44):
and it was very Straightforward.
Nowadays, it's not.
You've got people that haveshifted within the industry.
Um, you've got newplayers in the industry.
You've got a lot of small businessesrun by really, really fantastic
people that have come fromsomewhere completely different.
Yeah.
They may be CEOs of accountingfirms and things like that, that
(10:07):
have now gone, Oh, you know what?
I'm going to start a tourism business.
Or I'm going to do an Airbnb.
So there's this newshift within the market.
Um, and I think it's great because we'reseeing a lot of grassroots businesses.
And I think tourism's now goneback to its infant stages.
It's no longer led by by the, thetraditional elders like ourselves,
(10:30):
where we all know each other, youknow, the next person that's going to
sit in front of you at ATE, you knowthem, you know where they've come from,
you know, how many people they sendyou, you know, everything about them.
You've now got new people.
We're so far back, butwe're also so far forward.
Yeah.
So it's a shifting ground and it'llbe so exciting to see where it goes
(10:52):
in the next two or three years.
Oh, so true.
So true.
And that's, that's right.
Like looking at whether it's a youngperson coming out of uni, getting into
tourism, or Or a small startup businesstrying to find their way or their
market or their offering of what theirproducts because it's, we're in the
(11:14):
business of offering the intangible.
It's the feeling.
It's the experience.
It's exactly what we're all doing.
We're speaking of that.
I'm also curious what ignitedyour parents to start Moonraker?
What was there?
They originally, so they bothhad completely separate careers.
Mum was always marine, marine tourism,hospitality, um, and dad was always
(11:39):
more, I guess, your commercial person.
So I think it was an easy mesh,boat being that commercial side,
tourism being mum's side, and Ithink it was just this easy mesh.
It was something that wasn'treally captured down here.
So they started off doing seal swims,discovering the South Channel Fort,
which is a small island, Um, adding indolphins, and it was really that marine
(12:03):
tourism growth, and then over that 10years or so, it did start to take off.
And I can still remember stories ofthem saying, we used to stand at the
pier near the car ferry, giving outbrochures, trying to convince tourists.
to come out and do somethingbefore they went on the ferry.
And I think it's such a beautifulstory of how many tourism and
(12:25):
especially marine tourism businessesstarted and it was trying to convince
people to do something different.
Wow.
So I just love it.
And that's a great, you know, that's areal entrepreneurial mindset to think,
well, we were, we were the first, Iwould think, on the peninsula or one
of, one of, but now that there's more,it just means that we're all doing
(12:47):
a good job to attract the visitor.
As we were saying earlier, tostay more, extend their stay and
have more experiences on offer.
Build partnerships with otherfantastic businesses or other
like minded businesses as well.
Yes.
Yes.
Um, And then your guest gets that wholeexperience and it is very simple and
it's very easy if all the businessesare like minded, so it works well.
(13:11):
Now you also, I mean now justa bit of context for everyone
watching and listening.
Our business at Global Ballooningkept on coming up in the tourism,
adventure tourism categorynext to Moonraker Dolphin Swim.
And we kept losing, wellnot losing, learning.
I don't like to lose that word.
Every time we didn't win, we learned.
(13:35):
So I just said to the team like, Let,just let them write it out together
and then we'll re enter when RuneRaker,because you're doing such a good job.
But recently we reconnectedfrom the Morning to Peninsula
Business Excellence Awards.
No surprise, took it, took it out.
But I love that you also, youknow, there's tourism awards,
(13:56):
which have incredible benefitsfor any tourism operator.
And you go, you know, you have anopportunity to go on a national stage.
But I love, This, uh, that you, you'resupporting your local business awards.
Talk, if you could talk a little bitto me, to talk a little bit about that
and just how far we still have to goat businesses that don't traditionally
(14:22):
see themselves as tourism businesses,but have so much opportunity,
such low hanging fruit, right?
Talk to me about your observation ofliving, working, running a business
in a regional Victorian town.
Easy, so the Mornington Peninsulais fundamentally Some people
(14:44):
believe not, but it really is.
If you drive 10 minutes down theroad, you'll pass all of these.
There are the farm gates,their gardens, their tourism
offerings of any description.
So a business award is somethingthat I encourage people to do.
And it wasn't something that I'dever thought of doing, but I think
capturing a business award yourstrength as a business before you go
(15:08):
and turn it into a tourism business.
It always gives you thatbottom line approach.
So you know where you're spendingyour money, you know what you're good
at within your business, which thenwill have that flow on effect into
the growth of a tourism business.
Um, interestingly, I guessMornington Peninsula and
(15:28):
spending quite a bit of time in.
what I call country Victoria, whichit's more sort of regional now, um,
which is that Echuca Moama area.
The Mornington Peninsulais so advanced in tourism.
It is so advanced.
And I think that comes from likethe, the strengths of people like
Elva Hemming that just, yeah, theyjust drove it as hard as they did.
(15:52):
And they did really putthat stamp on the peninsula.
And then now traveling to otherareas around the state, I'm
just seeing how lucky we are.
as a region.
So yes, the national and thestate awards are so great.
They're so fantastic, but do focuson local as well and really focus on
(16:13):
business because as a small business,but also looking at new businesses
that are forming, get your rootsin before you grow your branches.
Oh, there you go.
That's the quotable.
That's it.
I love it.
I love it.
I love it.
Because that will then, it'll reallycement you in your industry because
(16:34):
you'll have that strength and knowledgeof what makes your business so good.
So good.
The, a type of experience like that.
A dolphin swim has also personaltransformational benefits because
I think being out in the open waterand you see these majestic animals.
(16:56):
Yes.
Leap out at you.
I mean, I would lose my poo emojito see that, you know, it's just
something that you don't seeevery day and that you see it.
What, what, what do you, what'sthe sentiment or do you, like
when, What do people say?
How do they react?
How do you find that of being outhere and enjoying an experience like
(17:18):
what you offer in just the region?
Yeah.
Well, I guess after doing itfor the decades that I've done
it, I still get such a big kickout of a fantastic dolphin swim.
There is nothing better.
Yeah.
And it really shines throughbecause your guests are so excited.
And they're doing it for their first time.
I'm doing it for my four millionthtime and I still love it.
(17:41):
Yes.
Um, and I really love seeing howexcited they get, but it's the
satisfaction of delivering it.
So it's a great product.
Yeah.
It's a great, it'severything that you need.
Um, It's relatively easy to sell becausedolphin swims, they're so unique.
There's only so many places inAustralia that you can do it.
(18:02):
So that's why it's great local,domestic and internationally,
because it's a really unique niche.
And I imagine, again, through a lotof similarities, it's such a great
product to partner with others.
Similar to the ballooning.
Yeah, so you can really, yeah, youcan really leverage that in your
(18:25):
packaging and your collaborations.
I love also, I love, that you've donethis, like see a dolphin guarantee.
It also just helps people togo, yeah, I can come back.
Yeah.
I think that's brilliant,Tori, to, to, to do that.
And that's part of my philosophy, Iguess, as a business owner and also
(18:46):
delivering the product, because,um, I'm really big on being a human.
Yes.
Um, don't look at your productand go, how can I sell it?
I always look at my product and go,and I train my staff exactly the
same way and people that deliverit for me when I'm not there.
If they have children, it isan expensive product because
there's a lot that goes into it.
(19:06):
So, I always tell peopleto look at it as a whole.
If you were going to deliver thisproduct and buy it, would you
be happy with the end result?
And similar to the ballooning, likeyou are hampered by weather and wind
and all of these different things.
Like you've got this beautiful brochureand you've got these beautiful things, but
(19:27):
sometimes you can't deliver exactly where.
Yes.
So I always train people to say, well,if you can't deliver that, deliver
something else and make it up on the go.
But would you be happy withit if you bought the product?
Yes.
So important.
And I think that that is a really keymessage across all businesses, not just
(19:47):
tourism, and especially not just marinetourism or adventure tourism, is deliver
it how you would like to receive it.
And that's somethingthat I'm really big on.
That, and it just givesthat human element.
So offering the dolphin guarantee, it doescut, it cuts into your bottom line, but it
also gives people the confidence to book.
(20:08):
And I found that that'scome back a lot recently.
Like, Oh, if I'm on the boat,I'll just chat away to a customer.
And I'll be like, look, what's going on.
How have you enjoyed it?
And why did you book our product?
Why didn't you book thisperson's or this person's?
And they're like, well, I noticedthat you offer this, this and
this, but the confidence I got waswhen I could come back for free.
(20:31):
And that was the number onething for me that really changed
how we deliver our product.
And you're really stating theobject, like it's every dolphin swim.
just like every balloonflight, is different.
There's never, it's notalways the same, right?
Yeah, yeah, ever.
Yeah, yeah, and that's a partof the adventure, but I think by
(20:52):
stating that, I really loved it.
I thought that's just brilliant, becauseit just gives you, it's a no brainer then.
It is.
You don't question it.
Yeah, yeah.
And it may not be exactlyas the brochure's depicting.
But you're still going to walk awayand go, wow, that was fantastic.
Yes.
And so many reviews that I see thatpeople write, they're like, we had the
best time and we can't wait to comeback because we didn't see the dolphins.
(21:15):
Yeah.
And I'm like, That's great.
Yeah.
Fantastic.
Yeah.
Can't wait to see you.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Come back tomorrow.
Yeah.
No, I think that's a, and ifanyone can learn from that, just
as you've evolved, a small changelike that can make a big difference.
Huge difference.
To the bottom line, as much as itcan impact, you can also make a huge
difference to, uh, to your growth.
(21:36):
Yeah, exactly.
Yeah.
So, um, and I just find that itgives you that connection then
with your customer because they'relike, Oh wow, they really do care.
I really do understand that it is abig investment to come out and do these
tours, as it is to go ballooning or sharkdiving or anything that's a little out
of the ordinary, it comes with quitea big price tag because it's either
(21:57):
high risk or there's a lot to be done.
Involved in delivering that product.
Yeah.
Be it boat and fuel andall that sort of thing.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And that's also, just as part of your,I like what you're telling your team in
terms of like, that's your barometer.
Check in, would you be happy withthat if you paid this much money.
(22:17):
Exactly.
The same thing in any service.
How we're making people feelis what we're delivering.
Exactly.
So it's really
Now, when we're talking aboutchallenging times times.
because that is a riskmitigation and challenges.
What are, what are some ways or toolsthat, you know, or some key, um, scenarios
(22:40):
that you can think of when you'remitigating, challenging Environment,
people, um, yeah, all of that.
There are so many challengingelements in a business and especially
a tourism business and an outdoorbusiness and all of those things.
Um, like you've got your weather,you've got, then you've got a new thing.
(23:00):
Well, it's not really that new,but you've got like cyber issues.
And there's a lot of things nowaround fraud and people just seem
to be getting caught out everyday, always hear another story.
So that's another challenge, gettingpeople to pay online, getting people
to prepay because there is stillthat, since COVID there was a little
bit of distrust, like is the businessgoing to be here in six months time?
(23:24):
Will I buy a voucher because theymight close and I'll never see my
money or get to experience the product.
So there are so many challenges.
Um, Transcribed Looking atthe challenges ahead, a lot
of them are slipping away now.
So I think it's a good time for ourbusiness and other businesses now to
sort of, to grow, maybe have a littlebit of an offshoot, still deliver
(23:46):
that core product, but know that alot of the challenges are passed.
Um, and what have youlearned in your business?
So for us, it was, you know, being human,being open, um, delivering a product
that you would like to experience.
That reduced a lot of our challenges.
Like how do we attract people?
(24:08):
We're getting a lot more repeat business.
Word of mouth has gone throughthe roof because people are like,
Oh, we had such a great time.
No matter if they didn't see thedolphins, they still had a good time.
So there's just little, I guess, tweaksall the way along within your business
that you can make that will reduce.
your risks will reducethe challenges at foot.
Um, some of them can just be safety risks.
(24:31):
Make your product really safe.
You can't safeguard everything, butyou can certainly safeguard a lot.
Um, and that is also because if you're anobservant manager or you, if you've got
a really observant manager, they're goingto pick up on little things very quickly.
My other thing is involve your team.
(24:52):
Don't treat them as they're justthe employees that deliver this.
They're the people on the ground.
So they're hearing conversations, they'reseeing where things are going wrong.
So get them together.
Have some open conversationsthat aren't stressful.
Because a lot of people do fear,Oh God, I'm sitting with my boss.
Don't be that person.
(25:13):
Don't be their friend,but don't be that person.
Um, be the person that they can cometo and that they can be so open with
and say, this just isn't working.
Yeah.
Um, that will reduce a lot of challenges.
And when you look at your, you know,bringing in new people, what are some
qualities that you look for to mitigateand knowing just what you require when
(25:37):
there's so many variables that can happen?
What do you look for in your team?
So.
That's another challengeactually is staffing.
Since COVID there's this new element thatsome people, they just don't want to work.
That's okay.
That's their choice, but they'renot people that I need on my team.
Um, so the ones that I reallyfocus on, they have a passion.
(26:01):
And it can be a passionfor the environment.
It can be a passion forworking with people.
Um, it can be a passion becausethey love being outdoors.
Look for those people and don't try andlook for the same person every time.
So look for a sectionwithin your business.
So I need someone thatwill not stop talking.
I'll go and find someone thatdoes that and they will, they'll
(26:24):
go and chat to every customer.
They'll get to the root of every issue.
Then I need someone that's super safe.
So I'll find somebody that reallyfocuses on delivering a product and
knowing safety and they're big like.
checklist people.
They're not my people, butthey're the people I need.
Um, and then you've got other peoplethat they love the marine environment.
(26:47):
So they're going to sit down andchat to somebody that just wants
to learn about the environment.
So really look who is in your teamand what do they bring to the table?
Yes.
Not so much what do they not bring,because everybody has their downsides.
Look for what they bring.
And are you making up the wholepiece of the pie every time
you roster them all together?
(27:08):
Yes.
That's the best thing that I can,I can sort of instill in people.
Find their strengths.
Don't worry about their weaknesses.
Just work on their strengthsbecause they're going to be happy.
They're going to deliver theproduct that you want them to.
Strength approach all the way.
All the way.
Yes.
Don't focus on their weakness.
Only on their strength.
Yes.
(27:28):
Help them develop if they wish, butjust focus on delivering what they love.
That was a big.
I guess it was very defining momentsI think over that period when all of
our backs is, you know, you talk aboutrisk, but who can foresee a pandemic?
So as tourism operators, whenwe don't fit in a box, we're
(27:49):
not a bus, we're not a plane.
No.
You know, we don't know our parameters.
That's the thing.
Um, but when the team, you couldreally see who stepped up to the
occasion and who, you know, Yeah.
And that was it.
And that was a shining light.
Yes.
And as you say, like, wedidn't fit in a category.
So with all of the changing regulations.
(28:12):
I had somebody that loved regulations.
Yeah.
So they would update ourCOVID plan once a week.
Oh, brilliant.
And that, that was something that Iwould have never done myself because I
was like, Oh my gosh, so much paperwork.
Or never knew that was in them.
No, that was, it just, it came tolight and that's what kept us going.
Yeah.
Because it was just, Like every weekin Dropbox, here's the new COVID
(28:36):
plan, here's the updates, summarisethe updates, email them out, done.
Yes.
Yes.
It was a godsend.
A godsend.
Um, when it comes to, I call these, youknow, when, if you think about the success
you have had and the enduring success.
to, you know, 30 years on asa, you know, as a business.
(29:01):
I mean, not even as a tourism business,I think as a business, as a business,
what would you put down, you know,what, what's some of the moonraker
philosophies or non negotiables thatyou would attribute to that success?
Such a diverse product.
So unique.
Um, and one that is areally strong product.
(29:26):
Like we were quite early in theinternational market, um, There's still a
lot of marine tourism businesses that arejust not in the international space yet.
And I'm like, come onguys, what are you doing?
And I think that came from us justbeing this really solid business.
It was one that you could rely on.
(29:47):
Um, one that didn't change.
And when they did, or when we didchange, it was changed for the better.
Um, we never cut corners.
We always make sure that what we deliveris just so strong and so worthwhile.
Um, making sure that when we,making sure that when we do deliver
(30:12):
something, be it in the internationalspace, it looks fantastic.
Doesn't need to cost theearth, but it looks fantastic.
Because what we sell, I hate to say it'sa sexy product, swimming with dolphins.
Yeah.
It's a great product, like ballooning,like shark diving, like all of these
great things that Australia has on offer.
Um, that's.
(30:33):
That is when, and that's a really runningtheme of excellence, winning awards.
I think you really nailed it there foranybody that's watching or listening in
terms of having your state or nationalmarketing organizations get behind you.
(30:56):
Having that reliable hero productthat is, I mean, you got to talk sexy.
It was like us, Melbourne was Hollywood,but we really wanted to get people out to
the region, to the Yarra Valley product,but we would always lead with Melbourne
because for all of that uniqueness.
And I think that's a really key valid.
(31:17):
If anyone's taking away is whatis that hero first class product
that you have, um, that's reliable.
And when I mean, but that's whatI I've loved over the years and
why we resonate that's reliable.
in probably the mostunreliable circumstances.
(31:37):
Exactly.
So you're always No, that is it.
Yeah.
And it's so true because when youare at ATE or when you're overseas
selling your product, you'reactually not selling your product.
Yes.
You are selling your region.
Yes.
So, I think for a lot of new people in theindustry, don't go there expecting that
you're going to pick up six new contracts.
(31:59):
You need to piggyback off your region.
Yes.
So, my first question was always,have you been to Mornington Peninsula?
Yes.
What do you know about the peninsula?
And so many people would say, Oh, Ialready used this product in this product.
That was your entry.
It was then, Oh, great,fantastic products.
We're only 10 minutes from there.
(32:22):
And that is, that was always the leadingquintessential destination ambassador.
Yes.
Lead with we, not me.
Exactly.
So important.
So important.
You don't exist.
Unless your region is there.
Oh, that was definitelymy first time overseas.
It's like, oh my, this has got nothingto do with me and balloons now.
(32:43):
I've got to kind of bring them.
Here's where Melbourne is.
This is where, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Have a map of the state.
Yeah.
That was all I had on my desk was amap of the state with the peninsula.
And you could always see by the endof ATL, wherever you were, there was
lots of dots on Mornington Peninsula.
And the dots were.
(33:04):
Where the other major attractions were.
It wasn't where I was.
It was where everybody else was.
Yes.
Because we are all workingto get them to our region.
That's That's right.
And then piggyback off each other.
Yep.
So you got another heroproduct linking in.
That's, and I just thought if anyone'sGoogling, what the heck is a TE?
So the Australian Tourism Exchange.
(33:26):
Yes.
Yeah.
So it's an annual, I mean, ithad the disruption as well.
Mm-Hmm.
an annual conference whereall of the key buyers.
from around the worldcome to a capital city.
in Australia and meetincredible suppliers.
Um, that's it.
We're the supplier.
Yeah.
Um, like Moonraker, Dolphin Swims.
(33:49):
And it's a space where there's still,I think 15 minute appointments and
you get, but it sounds so long.
15 minutes is gone.
It's gone.
By the time you have thoseconversations, what are your clients?
What?
Cause you're kind of qualifyingwhat they do and who's their target
audiences to fit it into you.
(34:09):
But it is, it's um, I found sovaluable too, with, with ATEs,
also just meeting and having thattime with your other colleagues.
Oh definitely.
The other suppliers, right?
That's where you learn, that's whereyou go, how you, how do you, how you
manage your cancellation policies.
How's this, what's this?
Your booking systems.
Exactly.
There's all of that.
(34:29):
Um, yeah.
You've been through, do you use an offthe shelf booking system or do you?
So we use Resdy.
Resdy, yeah.
So Resdy's been great for us.
Yeah.
We've tried another one,it was a total disaster.
Um, straight back to Resdy.
Yeah.
It is expensive.
Yeah.
But you get what you pay for.
Yes.
And you can customiseit to your own business.
So it doesn't, I gotta soundlike I'm a, I'm a, I'm not a
(34:50):
salesperson for RISD, but it's great.
Oh, look, but when I, it was, it promptedme, I guess, again, in my operator brain,
I just remember they were the times I'dhave those type of conversations because
you kind of feel a bit alone when you'rejust in your business working it all out.
But then you go, Oh, the peopleare a little bit ahead of me.
They have.
What are you doing here?
Yeah.
(35:11):
Yeah.
How do you manage things?
So again, if anyone else is outthere, whether you're, yeah.
Yeah.
Booking system is a big thingfor a tourism operation.
It can either create a hell of a lotof work or it can reduce so much work.
Be seamless.
Yes, definitely seamless.
And I was looking actually, Iloved it and I knew I kind of had
an inkling it was RISD because Iwas looking for my son's birthday.
(35:35):
Right?
And it will tell me even how many steps.
So I was like, okay, I've still got time,but I'll keep an eye on it, you know, to
see the weather and see what's coming.
But I, that's, that's, um, andgifting, I guess, before we go into
our excellence round and wrap thingsup, a lot of operators don't see how
valuable their product is for a gift.
(35:58):
It's such a big thing.
It is such a big thing.
Something that I've learned off anotheroperator, and that's exactly what
tourism is, you just learn off eachother, is a monetary value voucher.
And especially in today's climate,because people are feeling the
pinch with climbing interest rates,groceries that are horribly expensive.
(36:21):
A gift of an open ticket,but it's to a certain value.
They have been really popular.
In the last 18 months, so traditionallywe would sell the experience as a
gift, but now we've actually flipped itaround, and yes you can still buy that,
but they're further down the chain onthe visual site when you're looking.
(36:41):
The top things that are selling atthe moment are of a certain value,
so you might buy a 50 voucher, a 20so they come in different segments.
Oh, that's interesting.
It's such a great insight.
That's something I never thought about.
It feels like a Bunnings voucher,but so many people love it because
they might be doing a Kris Kringleor it might be a reward for another
(37:05):
staff member within an organisation.
They may say okay, if you reachthis target, you get a 200 voucher.
So those sort of thingsare being picked up.
Brilliant.
Really interesting how tourism shifts.
Oh, look, I certainly try that.
It's like how much stuff do we need toget out and do experiences like that?
But I love, but then if you, yeah, topie, yeah, it might be too much, but I can
(37:26):
still contribute or say here's something.
I hope a lot of peopleare inspired by that.
Cause I see a lot of businesses whenI've been looking for fans, you know, now
we've just, past Christmas, what to buy.
It's just not easy.
No, it's not.
I'll go too hard basket.
I'll move on.
Yeah.
Get on.
Exactly.
So I think it's important for anyoneout there consider to make it easy to
(37:49):
purchase as your product as a gift.
Exactly.
Which you do really well.
Thank you.
So we're looking into our excellenceround with our excellent Tori.
So when you, so in the beginningof really now you are now really.
taken the reins.
Yes.
What were some things that you canrecall that were holding you back?
(38:13):
Holding me back.
Look, there was quite a few thingsto be honest, um, because I was young
and I was very young when I firststarted this and I was a female in an
industry that was mostly male dominated.
Like I remember going to tradeevents and all of the people
that I was sitting next to.
were men and they were all intheir 40s and I'm in my 20s and
(38:37):
I'm a female also driving a boat.
So these are a few things that I found.
I'm sure still go on today, but lookingaround, there's a lot of young women in
tourism and that's so important becauseit's not a male female dominated role.
Everybody brings their best to thetable and that's what it should be.
(38:57):
Other challenges were thelicense constraints back then.
There's still licenseconstraints, but I guess.
Going through the industry andbeing what I would probably
like an old barnacle of the sea.
I've been there long enough that nowpeople will come to me and go, okay,
we're going to redraft the marinewildlife or the marine mammal permits.
(39:20):
And we're also goingto do the legislation.
What are things that you've picked up on?
What are things that you've seen?
So those challenges havecertainly dropped back a little.
In other things, it was a, Itwas a relatively new thought,
like swimming with animals.
going swimming in Port Phillip Bay,people still had that notion of
(39:41):
all their sharks, all woods deep.
So us as humans hadn't yet evolvedenough to, to be outdoor people.
We were still, outdoorwas like quad bike riding.
It was all, it was completelydifferent to what we see now.
Um, so the landscape has changed a lot.
Other things that held us back orheld me back was employing staff.
(40:04):
If you're sitting in front of somebodythat is in their early twenties, That
runs a business, sometimes peoplewould be like, not sure about that.
So all of those things haveall fallen by the wayside, but
yeah, they still exist today.
Young people can still bring ahuge amount to the table because
their thought pattern is different.
(40:25):
Yeah.
And now I feel old saying that, but Iwould ask now one of my younger crew.
or team members, whatdo you think of this?
If it's going on social mediaor what would you do here?
Because they are the forefrontof who I'm targeting.
Um, so little things like that.
Is there anything you would have donedifferent to those things that any
(40:47):
of those that were holding you back?
No, probably not.
No.
Yeah.
No.
It all just adds to the tapestry.
It really does.
It really does.
Um, yeah.
Best advice you've ever received.
I was thinking about this earlier todayactually, so I've received a lot of
Bits and pieces over the years, butthe number one thing that has always
(41:09):
stuck with me is deliver a good product.
Don't worry about your branding.
And to me, that wasalways the wrong advice.
I was always like, what do you mean?
Why would I not promote my own brand?
And they said, if you askthem in two years time, which
dolphin swim did they travel on?
That customer will have no idea.
(41:30):
But deliver the productthat they will remember.
So forget about your success.
Your industry success is so muchmore important than your own,
because that will be the standpointbecause you need good word of mouth.
People will find you if your advertisingis good enough, and you will always
(41:51):
be at the top of search engines.
You'll always be a great companyto follow on social media.
But deliver the product.
Don't worry about your branding.
Make sure that when the persongets off, they had a great time.
Yes.
Because they will then tell 10 people.
Those 10 people will go,Oh, we should do that.
Yes.
Focus on the delivery.
Exactly.
And the feels.
(42:12):
Yes.
They are making people feel.
Exactly.
Very, very solid.
Personal habits.
Like what are personal habits ofTauris that contribute to your award
winning entrepreneurial success?
Oh my gosh, you shouldask some of my staff.
I do make them laugh.
Um, personal habits area lot of communication.
Yeah.
Um, and, um, I do a lot of my email.
(42:34):
If I'm at the farm, because I live50 percent of my life at a farm,
I will get up at four o'clockin the morning and start my day.
And it gives me a good two anda half hours of just clear.
Uninterrupted.
Completely uninterrupted.
Yeah.
Um, that is one of my habits that I'llbe sending emails to some of my team
(42:56):
members, not all of them, and it couldbe dated at like Thursday morning, 5.
22am.
Yeah.
And then, yeah, I'll get a textmessage about 8 o'clock going,
Oh my gosh, do you ever sleep?
Yeah.
So I do a lot of work duringour peak season at crazy hours.
Yeah.
Because I find thatit's my most clear time.
(43:17):
Yeah.
Yeah.
I can very, very muchresonate with that too.
I'd say all women could.
Oh, it is.
Especially moms.
It's just the quiet timeof that time of the day.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Is the most productive.
Yeah.
And I also really enjoyanswering emails from customers.
So if somebody's had an issue,I really like doing that
(43:39):
because I like to be the one.
I do think that it gives the customer.
Almost a little bit of a shock if themanaging director replies to the issue.
Yes.
Yeah.
Um, and usually the resolutionthat I can supply, it's no better
than any of the other team members.
Don't get me wrong, but I think becauseit's got that stamp, the customer
goes, Oh wow, somebody actually cares.
(44:00):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yep.
And really quickly.
Really, really quickly.
So there's some of myquirky little habits.
Do you love the stats?
Do you look at the stats of thebehind, you know, behind the scenes?
Your website, visitors to thewebsite, where they're coming from.
Yeah, I'm a numbers person.
Um, at the end of the season, one of myteam, she knows I'm a numbers person,
and she will produce like a six orseven pages, and they'll be all like pie
(44:24):
charts, they'll be graphs, they'll benumbers, all of those sort of things.
And they're the things that Iwill then make decisions on.
Because I love it.
Oh, so important.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Well, that's it.
There's so much story in the numbers.
There's so much story.
Yeah.
And to help you make those decisions.
Exactly.
And it gives you a completelyuninterrupted view.
(44:46):
Yeah.
So there's no, I guess there's nooutside influences on those numbers,
they're just, they're black and white.
Yeah.
There's no grey area.
Yeah.
This product's working really well.
This one's not.
This add on isn't.
This add on is.
Yeah.
Um, and it gives you that, youcan make business decisions in 10
minutes based on really good numbers.
Yeah.
And they can be really solid businessdecisions that you need to make.
(45:10):
Um, and numbers don't lie.
They never do.
Never.
No.
So it's good.
Internet resource.
Like, yeah.
Is there something you'll go tothat you can't live without, apart
from your phone or your computer?
I know.
I do look at my phone and it does comeup in a lot of conversations, but I
(45:30):
think that's across all business people.
Yeah.
Unfortunately, it's, it'sNow, like a paper diary was.
Yep.
Yep.
Um, a resource that I look at a lot wouldbe some of Tourism Australia's resources.
I know that sounds like a really bigjump, but a lot of that is It's not
(45:50):
historical data, it's current trends.
Um, Tourism Victoria previously hadgreat resources for training staff, and
especially, and I guess that's come upin this discussion, what are some of
the acronyms, like ATE and then ITOs.
So, um, If I'm training a new staffmember into, if they're going to
(46:12):
deliver or showcase our brand andproducts internationally, they've had
a little bit of on the ground training.
They may have gone to acouple of a tech sales events.
They'll come back and they're like,okay, I think I've got my head around it.
Turism Vic used to have thisfantastic resource that I'm
so pleased I printed it out.
I sound like such an old lady.
(46:33):
Um, and it really does break it downbecause you'll have a discussion
with somebody experienced likeyourself or myself in the market.
And you'll be like, Oh,go and contact your OTAs.
They'll do la, la, la, la.
And to a new person,you'd be like, okay, okay.
And you're thinking, whereasif you give them this document,
It's so black and white.
So black and white.
(46:54):
It's just a little training manual.
That's an excellent, yeah,training manual and that.
And I also love what you said, going, likeusing TA even from a trends or the latest
research from the top helps also pave whatare we going to focus on moving forward.
It really does.
And one great thing that TA have donein the past is at ATE they would often
announce what their next focus is.
(47:17):
for Australian branding.
So it could be like your coastal, itcould be your, uh, outback tourism.
So it gives you a little bit of aheadway to make some quick changes,
even if it's just to your website.
Like if they're focusing on food andwine tourism, that might take two
years to come and come to fruition.
(47:37):
But it gives you something to banginto your international sales pitch
because that's going to be picked up.
That's what they're seeking.
And now, Victoria, a bit different, alittle bit different, like for all our,
you know, all our smaller businesses,pick up right on those coattails.
Exactly.
(47:58):
Pick it up early, make the change.
And it doesn't need to bea complete business change.
It can just be adding in anotherline, um, adding in a tagline,
changing an offering to add one morestep that you already do, but just
showcase it, put it as a dot point.
Yeah.
Because.
If you are advertising to your wholesalersand they're looking for that, it's
(48:20):
like, oh, this company already does it.
Yeah, I know this company does it.
Yeah.
So keep on the ball.
Finger on the pulse.
Definitely finger on the pulse.
Be aware.
Mm-Hmm.
. Um, any book or podcast that youwould recommend your podcast?
Yeah,
. Um, I listen to a lot ofvery diverse podcasts.
(48:43):
Yeah.
They all.
Uh, business related, um,agriculture, because there's
such a big growth in women in ag.
Um, and that will one day growinto a tourism offering for
Australia, because there's a lotof destinational tourism focuses.
And as I was saying earlier, likeyou've got your Chukumoama, you've
(49:04):
got your Greater Shepparton,there's a little bit in Benalla.
They're all focusing on farm gate trails.
And what is different?
Um, to either you're really outstandingregions like Mornington Peninsula,
um, Great Ocean Road, Yarra Valley,like they're still your tick points.
So they're things that I do listento, um, a lot of business podcasts.
(49:28):
Um, and a lot of the podcaststhat I listen to in business are
actually males that deliver themfor no, it's not a sexist thing.
Um, it just seems to be thatthey are delivering really
quality content in business.
Yeah.
So it's very diverse.
Yeah.
Your favorite business one.
(49:48):
What would be your favorite business thatyou can, that can have for listeners?
Aussie ones?
Overseas?
No, they're all Aussie.
So there was um, ohgod I've got a problem.
Dara the CEO is one I've beenlistening to, but it's overseas.
But I think I've really like,I've been listening to it a lot
since I've been on the road.
(50:09):
And it's been reallygreat, but at high level.
And I think now I'm, yeah, I know, Iguess that's what inspired like talking
more in the weeds as a small businessrather than these big, I mean, I just
listened to one like Thierry Henry, likethe famous soccer player, which is great
to see that again, as humans, that's whatit's all like, his mental health, he,
(50:31):
what he is experiencing is very resonated.
Yeah, it does.
Um, but I think from a listeningto some everyday things.
Tourism Sisters, for anyone elsethat's listening that will resonate,
that's what, um, yeah, I hope it,um, it is helpful and insightful and
when, um, I'll get that off you andadd that into our little show notes.
(50:54):
I think there's a Tristan White one.
Oh, there you go.
Because I love, yeah, okay.
So, and little things, likehow to communicate with staff.
Yes.
Um.
Not that we have communication issues,but it's just something completely
different to the way I communicate.
Yes.
And it can just belittle things like that.
So, I know there was a Tristan White onethat I've listened to nearly all of them.
Yes.
(51:14):
Um, and that was prettymuch on staff communication.
And things like that.
Brilliant.
Really, really good.
But I'll give you some more.
All different specialists.
Yeah.
Excellent.
So best way to connectwith you and Moonraker.
Okay.
Anyway.
Yeah.
Send, like, I don't mind if peoplesend me a DM via social media.
(51:36):
Yeah.
I'm there to help people.
Yes.
Oh.
Um, don't feel that there is a barrier.
Yeah.
Send a message.
Yeah.
I will always reply.
And I will give you.
The information that you need.
I'm not going to hold it back becausefeeling that you may take over my scene.
Yeah.
The more people that come andtry and take over my scene, the
better it is for our industry.
Yes.
(51:56):
So ask the hard questions.
That's what I love about our industry.
You've got everybody that's aheadof you is always so willing to help.
Like you're a mentor to so many now,and I'm sure it's like many were to
you, like the elves of our world.
Oh my gosh.
I mean, just.
But yeah, I love Elva.
Elva pretty much, I'm almostgoing to say dragged me through.
(52:21):
Yeah, yeah.
To teach me those fundamentals.
Yeah.
And if I can give even half of theresources that Elva gave me to somebody,
it's such a beautiful way to pass it on.
Um, I'm hopeless at answering the phone.
Yeah, absolutely hopeless.
So send a text message.
Yes.
Send me an email, a DM via social media.
I'll always reply.
Yeah, brilliant.
(52:43):
And any parting piece or guidance orfavour, like what's, what would be
a final thing to Be a human being.
Be a human being.
It's all you need to do.
Yeah.
No matter if you have had a Some of theworst incidences in your business to if
you have a customer that is just Genuinelyunhappy with what they've received.
(53:03):
Yeah, be human and resolve it.
Don't hide Yes, bring out thathuman element and say I can help.
Yeah, but let's justwork on this together.
Yeah Yeah.
And that is my number one pieceof advice to any business, not
so much tourism, just anyone.
Yeah.
Be a human being.
Don't shy away from an unhappy customerbecause it will only take you a couple
(53:25):
of seconds to reduce the unhappinessto, okay, I'll work with you.
Yes.
Just a few seconds.
And it's just a conversation.
Yeah.
Some people you can't help, butothers, and I would say 95 percent
of the issues that come back, you canresolve within a couple of minutes.
Yes.
Yeah.
And it's just a few minutes of your time.
Few minutes of your time.
(53:46):
You're human.
Well, Tori, you're awonderful human being.
Thank you.
I've, uh, just devoured justhaving this reconnection with you.
Anytime.
And then I've got your number, you know?
Oh, I'm so excited.
I just love it.
I can text you now.
Um, so thank you for doing this.
Anytime.
I know you'll, you'll be helping many,uh, anybody Yeah, I'll have all of
(54:07):
your socials and Moonraker DolphinSwim information in everywhere where
you'll find this, uh, this podcast.
Thank you.
You are welcome.
Happy days.
Happy dolphin swims.
Oh, we just need some more sunshine.
We need some more sunshine.
It's, um, it's really beenincredible seasonally, hasn't it?
Living up, yeah.
(54:27):
It feels like autumn.
It's been autumn all of summer.
It does come, it will come, it does come.
It will.
Yeah.
Feb, March.
But we love the variety.
That's why we're in Melbourne.
That's why.
We couldn't do without it.
That's it.
Thank you so much.
You're welcome.
All of the excellence and success to you.
Thank you.
And same to you.
Yay.
Thank you.
(54:48):
Excellent.
Yay.
Can you take it?
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