Sarah Higginson, Account Manager, Clarity, winner of the Service Excellence Individual Award

Congratulations on your award! Can you tell us what this recognition means to you?

It’s lovely to know my efforts have been appreciated and that I am making a difference. The following day after the awards (Saturday) I left my house at 6am to go to Manchester to run with the graduates completing the 5k and it made me smile all the way round. 

On the mental health side, our industry always has a “theatre stage” we perform on for customers, but its important that our staff have someone they can turn to when they need to let their guard down and say safely, things are not ‘ok’. I’m grateful to be part of a team that do that. 

What inspired you to pursue excellence in your specific field within the business travel industry?

I’ve worked in this industry all my life, from my first job at 16 and I’m now 49. If I can add value to customers internally and externally, and make someone’s life easier, more enjoyable or more successful, that’s what I want to do. 

Your dedication to client value and mental health initiatives is commendable. How do you balance these different aspects of your role?

They work side by side. My job involves getting to understand my customers, offering support, service solutions and enhancing the travel experience they have with us. To do this, I build a relationship of trust with them first by visiting them, and bringing relevant staff with me to listen to their needs and provide solutions.

Solutions come by communicating the customer needs to our internal team, listening to their expertise, and their recommendations and matching. This means I get involved with many staff from all departments. 

At Clarity, we also actively promote the Healthy Space team through regular Mental Health First Aider (MHFA)-themed workshops, signatures highlighting our MHFA roles; I promote all our activity to our customers too.

Finally, I work at the Foodbank on a Friday (I started during Covid), which keeps me very grateful and grounded. When stressed at work, it shows my problems are temporary. 

What impact have your mental health and wellness initiatives had on your colleagues and clients?

Anyone can approach me at any time, and the issues vary from small to large, covering bereavement, family trauma and anything in between; but they are all as important to the person making the call. In regard to impact, that’s more for them to say, but we’ve had some recent calls when colleagues have spoken about my support in a very over-whelming way. I’m not an expert at all, but if someone can listen without judgement, that goes a long way. 

What advice would you give to others in the business travel industry looking to make a significant impact?

Find an area that is important to you, that you think needs some support and ask around to see how you can help. Don’t assume it’s been thought of before, they have enough help or it’s a silly idea. A mentor of mine told me: ‘Don’t let the path to perfection be the death of good’. I use this all the time.