Ideate

1 min. with a Superhero: Clive Friedberg of Executive Touring

by Fred Roed on 22/05/09 at 1:23 pm
3 comments

Today, we’re talking to Clive Friedberg of Executive Touring, a tour operator and transfer shuttle service based in Cape Town. Clive’s company offers a solution to all tourist and business travellers for their travel requirements, and according to their specific needs. Clive doesn’t offer standard tours, everything he does is customised to meet his clients’ requirements. Clive took me to coffee at Dario’s to chat about his business.

Thanks for the coffee Clive. Tell us what makes your Executive Touring different?
The dfference is the “real” professional manner in the way I conduct my business. I’m very personal, caring and adaptable to the immediate needs of the client, at very competitve rates. I am also a tourist guide and handle the tours personally.

You’re also a good looking guy, like a young Paul Newman, you know? That can’t hurt. So how did you get into the business of driving people around for a living?
I was chatting to a neighbour who has operated a company for 10-years or so and he suggested it would be a great way to get out of the building industry that I have been in for the last 25 years. I immediately got excited and did an official guides’ course so as to be more proficient.

What about your job makes you lie awake at night?
Concern that my clients are satisfied with my service, especially with customised tours that I arrange for them. They rely completely on my judgement for travel plans, accommodation and sightseeing, as all trips are designed around customers personal preferences. And that information is usually gathered through e-mail only.

Well, you did alright by picking the perfect coffee spot for a meeting venue. Tell us one disaster story…
Being fairly new in the industry, I must be honest and admit that I don’t think it has happened yet. But being realistic, I know it will someday.I’ll keep you posted on that one.

Clive (right) with the great coffee maestro of Hout Bay, Dario himself.

What is your perfect client?
Touring with people who have come to enjoy themselves and appreciate our wonderful country, especially when they haven’t had this experience before and are amazed at what we have to offer.

What is Executive Touring’s best marketing tool?
Up to now it has been my website and I think this will continue to be important to me. Eventually I hope that ‘word of mouth’ will become just as important.

Clive, there are millions of guys wanting to get into the tourism game. Tell us some pitfalls to avoid in the industry.
Trying to offer too much in too short a time, as regular Tour operators sometimes do. The industry being very competitive, one has to be careful of losing business to other operators when getting assisstance, as is sometimes required.

And, finally, a word of advice to Ideate readers – is there a lot of money to be made in tours and transfers?
With 2010 being the focus of development in the Tourist Industry at present, I feel that the vibe that it is a shortcut to make of lot of money is misleading. The established, big operators are already well established and there are many, new smaller companies being formed to get in on the act. Together, it has become very competitive and the long term official tourist projection is a loss of tourism for 2009.

There are some great opportunities for me in Cape Town, for example, the ad agency people who are coming down for the Loeries Advertising Awards in Cape Town this year. Advertising execs and management types like my style of service. Let’s see what next period brings.

Let’s indeed. Clive, thanks for your time, and we wish you all the best for the lead up to the Loeries as well as 2010 next year. Anybody wanting to get hold of Clive for tours or personalised trips around the Western Cape can get through his mobile: +27 (0)83 267 3640 or email him at clive@executivetouring.co.za

Fred Roed is the marketing guy in the Ideate crew. Fred is the CEO of web marketing company World Wide Creative and the co-founder of online learning portal Heavy Chef. Fred loves writing about people out there doing marketing right. Follow Fred on Twitter here. View more articles by Fred Roed.

Tags: advertising

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