Managing Expectations

What value do we bring to you and why should you book with us rather than book direct? These are questions you should definitely be asking. They are questions we often ask ourselves when we drive our business forward to assure ourselves that we bring value to you each and every time you make a booking. At the end of the day there needs to be a benefit to you and this benefit should not come with a caveat or hidden pitfall.

We pride ourselves in giving honest, impartial advice. That’s how we like to be treated, so that underpins our business ethos in return. We don’t know every answer and when we don’t, we will tell you that and find the answer for you, rather than hiding behind a smokescreen.

First of all, we do not charge any more versus booking direct. That is a given. When this is not possible, we will make you aware of this and should any discrepancies arise then you should flag them with us.  If you are comparing costs, make sure that you are comparing like for like.

With that being the case, why would you choose to send money to a largely unknown entity somewhere in the world, where their financial regulations may not be as stringent as those within your home country? Why risk losing all your money? When you book with us, you get full financial security for free and as standard.  You have everything to lose by doing so, but everything to gain by booking through us.

Secondly, our advice costs nothing. We are impartial. Yes, we have our favourites, of course, and that will often shine through. However, we don’t have to send you to lodge ‘x’, we can recommend the best one to suit you and your needs. That is what we do. Furthermore, we help you cut through the marketing noise. We have seen it all over the years and can distinguish between hype and honesty.

One of the biggest roles we play when you make contact is managing expectations. If you read reports found online it would be easy to believe that what they are offering is the best thing since sliced bread. Some believe this to be a necessity – glamorising what may actually be mediocre. This is often because they do not know the marketplace on a wider scale, so they do not know how their operation compares to others. We, again, help cut through this and help highlight why an operation may or may not be the right fit for you.

We would prefer to lose your booking through honesty and transparency than to falsify advice, which, in turn, will raise your expectations above what you’re likely to experience and receive. We would actually prefer to slightly underestimate what you’re likely to receive, as this should lead to a trip that exceeds expectations – we’re fine with that. We are here to gain your trust and loyalty for years to come, not on a single booking and move on to the next.

How do you cut through marketing hype? Sadly, the devil is in the detail and it is often only a trained eye that will be able to see through this. This is, again, where we are there to help and manage your expectations, making sure you get what you are paying for. One to always be wary of is catch statistics. We have seen totally unreasonable expectations placed on a myriad of rivers and lodges across the world. This pains us, as we know full well it is false and will likely to lead to a bad experience. It is always better to speak so someone who has actually been there several times in varying conditions as the advice is then given on personal experience.

Between Peter, Charlotte, Steffan and Alex we have fished and experienced a huge amount of destinations first hand. From the highlands of Mongolia to the end of the earth in Argentina and most places in between. This insight and experience is something we can convey to you, making sure that it’s the right fit but also what you can expect. When you add in the experience and knowledge of our consultants; Peter, Charles, Pete, Gordon and Lisa then there’s very little of the fishable globe that we haven’t personally covered within the team. We are here to help and make sure we get it right for you.

What else do we bring to your booking? Click HERE for a full breakdown of why you should book with us and our black dog, Basil.