Because the way we work and the way you travel relies on the integration of personable customer service and innovative IT systems, we believe that our background technical support is as important as our frontline consultants and our management framework.
And so, our Ambassadors are chosen by their co-workers from throughout the company based on their values that set APX apart as a New Zealand travel management company – Excellence, Teamwork, Fun, Positivity, Conversation and Passion.
To recognise their achievements, this year’s Ambassadors were taken on an all-expenses paid trip to Los Angeles, where they enjoyed a LA Dodgers baseball game, the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, the thrills of Disneyland and the beachfront charm of Santa Monica.
So who better to tell us what makes a great APX Ambassador than our wonderful Ambassador’s themselves? Not to mention, find out what they think makes an enjoyable trip to Los Angeles.
Anthony Cornor
Although Anthony isn’t a big traveller (he actually had to get a passport to go on the Ambassadors’ trip to LA), his work at APX is vital to keep the wheels in motion.
The Wellington-based technology solutions specialist is at the heart of the team that deals with clients who use APX’s online booking tool. Anthony’s days are spent migrating and implementing new clients, assisting them with issues and acting as general tech consultant.
Anthony has been with APX for more than a decade – including two years off to study for a degree – and has been in the thick of the new advancements to the company’s online environment, especially the recent roll-out of the Amadeus platforms.
He’s seen the company move from inputting hand-written profiles of new clients to mass profile uploads and a far greater reliance on smooth-running technology.
“Obviously the travel side of things is a big part of the business, but, arguably, the technology is bigger now,” he says. “It’s quite humbling to be an ambassador but a great acknowledgement from my peers that I am doing a great job.”
Anthony says his greatest skills and the main reasons he was chosen are that he is trusted and able to provide fast solutions to problems.
“People are always able to trust the information I was giving them so if I said this is happening because of x, y and z, then those are the reasons and I’m not just trying to fob them off - and if they come to me with an issue I’ll get it resolved as soon as possible because any problem equates to downtime to them which, if I can’t get it solved quickly, will impact on everyone else too.”
When it comes to visiting Los Angeles, Anthony was wowed by his visit to Dodger Stadium – especially the high resolution playback screens at the ground that were “the size of a small apartment block.”
And his advice for first-time travellers to the US, like him?
“Everything is so much bigger so make sure you build in enough time – basically, anywhere you want to go in LA will take an hour to get there.”
Aleisha McNiven
Aleisha is another APX Ambassador who has been in the middle of the company’s roll-out of Amadeus and, as the leader of Auckland’s finance team, will be well known to most of her colleagues for her oversight of the Amadeus Agency Manager platform that keeps the “back end” of the system up and running.
Having only been in the role for 10 months when the Ambassadors were announced, Aleisha says she was “shocked and humbled” to receive the accolade from her co-workers, especially following the “massive challenge” of implementing new software.
“Everything has basically been turned on its head,” she says.
But having taken the role because she was interested in its challenges rather than for a desire to work in the travel industry, Aleisha - who has countless years of experience working as an accountant Tota– says she’s enjoyed APX’s different approach to staff management.
“I’m not much of a traveller – in fact, Los Angeles was one of my first long-haul flights but I ended up here at APX because of the role rather than the industry. Since then I’ve realized there is a lot more staff engagement than in other companies I’ve worked with: things like the Ambassador roles, I haven’t seen that in a company to that level before.”
And when it comes to enjoying Los Angeles, there’s one thing that immediately jumps out.
“It’s been a childhood dream to go to Disneyland so that was amazing. My advice is just to enjoy every moment of it.”
