How Trailfinders improved efficiency and boosted sales with Crown’s Open Options system

The challenge

The workforce management
challenge at Trailfinders

As the UK’s leading independent travel agency, Trailfinders needed to modernise its time and
attendance processes. The company wanted to move away from outdated systems and empower
branch managers to focus more on sales and customer service rather than administration.

During the implementation of Crown’s Open Options system, Trailfinders took the opportunity to
review its staffing structures and working practices. This led to an organisational change project that
centralised support services and introduced self-service input for staff.

The solution

Crown’s Open Options solution

Crown’s Open Options system provided Trailfinders with a configurable, modular platform that could be rolled out in stages. The system offered:

• Centralised control of time and attendance data
• Greater flexibility for rostering and staff scheduling
• Self-service tools that gave employees ownership of their working patterns

Trailfinders chose Crown for its competitive pricing and the flexibility of the modular system. The implementation was efficient, with testing completed within months and a full rollout shortly after.

“Crown forced us to address the bigger picture and has undoubtedly contributed to our ongoing success. We have been able to reinvigorate our managers and allowed them to focus on sales generation instead of staffing arrangements.”
- Russell McHardy, Operations Director

The results

The results – Smarter systems,
stronger performance

Since introducing Crown’s Open Options system, Trailfinders has achieved consistent 10% year-on-year sales growth. The platform has freed its 32 branch managers to focus on core business activities, supported by centralised services and real-time workforce data.

Employees also gained greater flexibility through a standardised rostering approach that allows them to swap their predictive days to accommodate leave or travel. This flexibility supports staff development and reflects the company’s commitment to nurturing expert travel advisors.

According to McHardy, the system’s success came from both its speed of delivery and the partnership with Crown. “The relationship we have had from the very start has always been an easy and co-operative one which has worked very well for us.”