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The Importance of a Digital Health Check for Your Business
Interviewed on February 25, 2021
In this episode digitally discover…
- How the owner of Your Exclusive Tours, Rob Rees has survived 3 Victorian lockdowns.
- The process of re-branding a business and the array of associated challenges.
- The journey from tour guide to business owner – defining the moment that propelled you to do a Nike and ‘Just Do It’.
- Key tips and advice for tour operators.
![Digital health check, Rob Rees](https://www.navii.com.au/wp-content/uploads/Digital-Discovery-Show-Rob-Rees-1-768x432.jpg)
Click here to read the full transcript
Despina Karatzias 0:16
Hello, good morning good afternoon from wherever you’re tuning in from. Welcome to our new season of the digital discovery show. I am the proud chief navigators slash gm of the wonderful Tourism Tribe and Navii Digital. And it is with pleasure to come and join you today with a very, very special guest waiting in the wings. Now for the fifth This is the first time you’ve joined us on the digital discovery show. Let me welcome you. This is all about digital transformations in the Australian small business community world and it’s brought to you by both Tourism Tribe and wonderful the new digital community empowering small business across all industries around Australia, Navii Digital. Now today, my special guest is a Victorian small business operator. He’s Navii’s rivalries and he runs a great new business called your exclusive tours. Now before I’ve been rubbing into our our live chat, let me tell you a little bit about him. He is the owner and he of your exclusive tours. He’s been working as a tour guide since December 2015 for various tour operators around a wonderful Melbourne and in late 2018. He went out and he started his great new business Your exclusive tours. Now his tour operation provides private luxury and sightseeing travel experiences in Melbourne and wider regional Victoria and his company has a great philosophy I love it. Your tour your experience, it’s very very customised to the visitor and their needs and their wants of what they want to experience. He loves nothing more than customising his private tours, all creating that private tour experience for his guests. In she really is showcasing the sights and sounds of not only Melbourne and Melbourne city but also Victoria and sharing this experience with these guests. His body loves marks whether it’s the city, or the rugged coastline of the Great Ocean Road and the 12 apostles The Penguins of Philip Arlen, and all finding that beautiful boutique winery distillery or brewery That tickles the taste buds of his guests whether it’s the Yarra Valley, or the beautiful morning to preach that outside of running your exclusive tours. He’s a busy husband and married to his wife, Carly, and also has two beautiful children, Carly and Tyson. And he loves spending time with his family and also keeping fit with his CrossFit with his basketball and also loves giving back to the community as a volunteer and firefighter with the CFA Bayes water. So without further or do welcome, Rob Rees. Hello, Rob.
Rob Rees 3:34
Thank you for the great introduction and expect expect no introduction. Thank you.
Despina Karatzias 3:41
Well deserved things intro. Do Rob. So welcome to the show. I know this is the first time doing a live stream interview like this. So thank you for accepting the invitation. It’s wonderful to have you join us.
Rob Rees 3:55
No thank you for that. Thank you to yourself and Tourism Tribe. The invitation to speak today.
Unknown Speaker 4:02
Sorry,
Rob Rees 4:04
that that thing of time lapse time lapse of
Despina Karatzias 4:08
excellent. No, I think we’re all good with our streaming. We did have some some technical glitches yesterday, but we’re all looking good to go. So Rob, tell us a little bit about your part of the world where you’re at and being in Victoria as EMI surviving. Now we’ve had three goes at stage four lockdown. Tell me about your business and a little bit of backstory and how you’ve gotten through this period.
Rob Rees 4:38
I think initially when I suppose 10 back to when we went to our first lockdown as a bit of a shell shock. that did happen, but we quickly made moves, obviously to protect our interests. And that was obviously going into hibernation and by going into hibernation. We put some things in place over We communicated via social media saying that we’re going into hibernation hibernation, and won’t be operating until such time as we do so. But we always left our phones, emails, and socials open up open to anyone might have a chat chat to us or reach out to us. We’re always available. But from a business perspective, we had to make some very quick decisions and to large protect us to make sure that to make sure to make sure that we can ride what was going to go through because there’s a lot of uncertainty. So first thing we did was obviously, from a financial perspective, we collected any debts or any any monies that are owed to us by by Dennis. And then obviously, with our suppliers, we opened up dialogue with him to say, hey, look, things are tight cash flows coming in, we’ve got cash flow, we’ll sit out settle, there are accounts, expectations, you know, we’ll be the next four to six weeks. In the first lockdown that did happen and, and true to form, we’re all paid out. So all our suppliers were very happy with that as well. And then obviously, as we went off writing and had no income coming in, we made moves to make sure we could keep the business afloat, but obviously just cutting everything right down to a breakeven. So just everything just run ticking along, or breakeven. And then through that, just watched news and that and obviously, watching us at a local state and federal level for any grants that we could apply for. So I’m hired for obviously job caper, and we’re successful in getting job caper. The ATR stimulus, ITR stimulus at a federal level, as well. And then the various state government grants that we had through the first, second, and third lockdown we’ve applied for as well. And then also looking at our local business, looking at local council to see what we could do there as well. But obviously, to keep our focus on on the business, and as we went operating on sale have to undertake some further education. So obviously, through the tourism industry through a tech, I do love doing there are weekly, weekly tutorials that I ran on Thursday, I found that quite interesting. It also gave us ideas on how we could develop and reaping bringing our business out of lockdown how we can possibly survive and anything else I didn’t think of got bought up there. But measuring up big things I like to do was I reviewed our operations to see where where our core business wasn’t what was going on. And a golfer gave me a great understanding what I need to do to play so he could plan to come out of lockdown when we came through. So obviously, we made some move to moves to pivots on our business operations and, and there’s still a work of working progress. And we’re just slowly but surely going from there. But otherwise, everything locked down with my wife and I we had our second child, Tyson he was born in January. So I got to I think the big highlight for me unlocked him was I got to be delegating I got to be got to see Tyson grow for the first six months and have be a lot more active as he was growing up. And then my wife returned to work media and sobbing daddy daycare as well as running our business. So things have kept me busy. So there’s never been a dull moment with what’s going on. So that’s what I’ve done.
Despina Karatzias 8:15
What an opportunity to have through this period also. Yeah, grow your family and be there to enjoy it. I love that. And what you’ve done, you’ve ticked all the boxes, and it’s been tourism has been hit hard, but we cannot shy away from the incredible support that has come from federal and state. I do I can I totally relate even those weekly atec. And as I think what, you know, it was much the same for Tourism Tribe at that time. It was before my time, but I know there was a lot of upskilling programmes to seize the opportunity. We did the same thing, the Upskill During Lockdown and the same looking operations, you innovated and you also use the opportunity outside of being daddy daycare but to educate yourself on what can we what can we improve during this time.
Rob Rees 9:14
Looking at like my lb highlights was our product being in tourism. I have a fairly diverse background. And I’ve somehow finished up doing a one hour weekly meeting with some other local business owners. Like look, local networking group I used to do was actually quite fun just doing that. And it was interesting with a lot of Melbourne businesses, a lot of them, some of them were flourishing whatsoever. Were going gangbusters during lockdown and others were were in the same position as me and so it was just nice to be able to thrash out you know some of the issues and challenges and and that’s I like a nice shoulder to lean on with your local operators through networking group I haven’t actually added that especially comes in business I’m actually doing with one of my colleagues at the moment. While the government grants that we’ve got we’ve actually taken in production into the business to help us grow and develop the business side. We’ve got some fairly aggressive business plans that are coming into place now, but it’s just I suppose time, it’s just, it’s slowly solid, steady, coming, coming out and coming forward. So exciting times ahead for us.
Despina Karatzias 10:18
Exciting times. And I love that too could hard times that have come for business and bottom lines, it has been very evident. And I think, you know, it’s many of us, myself included, have, you know, we’ll have to banding together and sharing and staying connected with like minded individuals like you have within a supportive local business community is very good for mental health as well through these times, we’re not out of the Woodworks and I think, is really important.
Rob Rees 10:50
Now, looking
middles is a big thing in this wheelchair. Just on a side note, through CFA, which being a volunteer, we do, I always do a bit of work to support mental health through there. And that which is that sounds quite exciting. But that’s a different story for another day. And that, but now the middle of the field is a very big thing. And it’s one thing I found by staying connected with all zoom meetings, and that is we couldn’t be in person if it was just a great format to survive.
Despina Karatzias 11:25
And speaking about reimagining your business and the exciting plans you have for the future, you also you mentioned, you know working on your your pivots, or some call it the payroll went to something else. Tell us more about some some of the wins that you’ve had in making that, that transition into looking at more local initiatives.
Rob Rees 11:49
One of the big things we looked at was, you know, as well analysing the jobs, the top jobs we’ve done over the last 12 months, within the first year of operations, we’d noticed we done 12 wedding transfers. And with that, I suppose we developed a product called wedding destinations, which is a where we customise wedding trend, transport and transfers, whether it be the bride and groom, wedding guests, wedding party, mother and father, the bride, you name it, our job is that we look at either getting them tour from the venue, or it’s a full package that when they want, they’re getting married, pick up for the groom, take him to the ceremony, go back at the bride to the ceremony. And then wedding photos and the reception are not going away. So a full package we’ve created there. And we found that has been a nice little pivot for us as well. So we launched that back in a very soft launch back in October. And that was just through some social posts and a bit of Google, Google work net from there has really generated a lot of booking trust going forward. And I suppose we are booking through until the end of the year, which I was quite surprised with. So that was a nice little pivot. And then obviously looking at the domestic market a little bit more so in keep that touring going. We’re just trying to try to find a fit for our products, but also the domestic market. And that so it’s it’s always trying to balancing act disable what and we’re the best way to go on that is and hopefully, we’ll be launching something in the next couple of weeks in relation for the domestic market to have some fun with us and say what we do and how we do.
Despina Karatzias 13:32
Fantastic. So finding through these and to go looking at more local market you’ve discovered really a whole new niche in witness. There is another industry that’s been hit hard, but with an event in the way step.
Rob Rees 13:51
Yeah, that wedding advantage is it’s been hit very hard. And and what we’re finding is that we’ve positioned the upright you know, look it’s, I suppose what we’re looking at because as we run, we run have vehicles that we use wintering, we use lovely Mercedes Benz so nice luxury vehicles. And I suppose we develop the philosophy You know, its elegance and simplicity meets affordability and reliability with Mercedes and obviously in the prior year, that little fine touches that we’ve put to come with it, you know, we can offer a very, very competitive, very competitive right when doing weddings, and it’s a lot it’s finding that has been a big benefit from it. So it’s people like with what we’ve got to offer. So we’ve done Metro bout since October last year, about 20 weddings.
Despina Karatzias 14:39
And I’m just showing everyone still instead here you can really see you become part of the family with a lot of the weddings that you’ve been doing.
Rob Rees 14:47
Especially, especially here, if you had especially if you had banged up, there’s a picture with the bride in front of the nice big bouquets in front down there. That was Yeah, that one there. So that was actually one of our very first weddings that we did. When we came out of lockdown in early November. And we work with that bride she rescheduled about three times. So that wedding they just finally decided to do to do just to do a local wedding in the park, and we just transferred her and a partner. Sorry. And that so that was a lovely thing. And then you got other photos of weddings we did up the top there. All right, so it’s been a it’s been been great. It’s been great doing what we do so
Despina Karatzias 15:32
look, it’s it’s excellent. And see even that private, you know, just working with the environment and the situation and coming up with creative ideas to do things differently and working with a couples that even just pictures tell 1000 words, you can see that that’s something that your service can translate really well.
Rob Rees 15:53
And that’s what that’s one thing we like with our with our socials. You know, we, I suppose part of our digital strategy from during the digital escape programme is you know, we should be doing a lot more marketing and promotion through our socials. But why we look way way how I view our our social media, we uses a storyboard to tell the story of our tours and experiences that people do. And that really is fundamental to how we map, push and promote ourselves on socials. But it’s from the digital peacekeeper, it’s now changing a lot we’re realigning. How can we have best of both worlds to do that. So it’s exciting time as we push and go forward.
Despina Karatzias 16:33
I love that reconnected recently, we’ve we’ve known each other for some time. And as a recent participant of the digital peak Bizkeeper progresses music to all of that is like to hear that. And really using your socials and visual platforms like Instagram as your storyboard, to showcase what you do and how effectively you do it. Fantastic. Now I have a burning question when you were a tour guide yourself so services in your resume making the transition from your tour guiding to this is what I want to do and I call it your knife moment you’re just doing a moment what was your defining moment to because I know there’s a lot of people through this and it’s no secret Victoria has had a little bit tougher than our other states. But it also does help you reflect in pursuing new experiences products or perhaps making that transition What was your defining moment to start your own business
Rob Rees 17:41
one of the defining moments is one master I want to refer to the falling marks is one where I got the opportunity to work to do my work as a private tour guide which was like mid 2017 I did a lovely job was with some clients for a week and then just followed on from that that I’d got the opportunity to do more with more private guiding with this company and then I suppose I really enjoyed just doing the private the private instead of the bigger tour buses and being on a spring I said itinerary I just loved working with on the private groups that if I found that I had a hobby passion and interest you know always incorporate that into into the tour unexpectedly form and that was a real highlight and it’s just a nice bit of icing on the cake form. And then I suppose using tooth end to get started 2018 I started my book with my wife Kylie What do we want to do that and let’s have a girl that have a yacht doing it and obviously she supported that decision and then I suppose one of the defining moments is when when we registered the business name your exclusive tours and had the logo done and then as we’re putting our practice together and finding that vehicle I suppose when the thing when that’s when everything really got real because we had to return we really put some money on the chopping block and invested in buying invest in buying our Mercedes so I spending a fair bit of money there. And then I suppose when really really hit home this is real was when we took our first booking This is our which was a which was at it wasn’t it was January January 19. We took a phone call from a gentleman staying at Crown promenade is key for the tennis he wanted to say the Yarra Valley and just had a chat to him and and we put sign together and he said done let’s go and do it and we took him out for a day out in the Yarra Valley and that was I suppose yet, we haven’t looked back since then. It’s just a as a Ripper of a day loving people. They get to see the sights and sounds and we incorporate a few things along the way as as heavy as having a chat as we’re having a chat out to Yarra Valley with what they do and what they like. That’s So in garden cooperating today, by just changing the itinerary a little bit, I didn’t even know the saying happen. It just turned out to be a river day. And I suppose that was a real defining moment that this is this is real starting to get some direct bookings. And then when we put ourselves through onto the some of the otas will start generate that we start actually generating bookings. That’s when things this is the alert has, this has got legs, American, it’s actually working. And then obviously, all of a sudden, we start to build that tunnel, afford bookings. It just looked really good. You know, man, this is working. So we knew we’re onto a winner. And then obviously, the other big defining moment, just like, yeah, and then obviously, but but the other big defining moment was obviously, when Carly started to step into the business as well. And I will say she’s doing office work are that are that guiding? Or even both of us read at Guardian at one stage? Because we had, we had dumped two bookings on the one day, so that’s when obviously, yeah, this is some defining moments. And this is really working well for us.
Despina Karatzias 21:07
Oh, Rob, thanks for sharing. And I think for anyone listening to that, like I’ve got goose bumps and for anyone that’s in established businesses, you can forget those these defining moments that you took us through so beautifully, registering your business name, making that decision even prior to that with your supportive attitude, knowing of you back, taking that first thing forward bookings come through, and then have been having Kylie join you. I think it’s it’s I’m giving you that validity that always hunch and the passion that I’ve had is you make the right, who didn’t I thank you for sharing that. And it takes some courage and bravery to do the to push through the fear and the commitment. So congratulations. And you know, and the learnings that come after that experiencing a global pandemic, and working out ways quickly on how to mitigate that I think it’s a lot to be proud of. Now, you’ve recently you’ve been graced social media, you have a beautiful website that I’ll bring up shortly at your company, you, you work it was an oversubscribed programme that we did in partnership with the Victorian tourism industry Council, also affectionately known as PT. with Michelle there and the wonderful team. So you recently joined the programme, and what I love what you did, the component of the programme was the digital health checks. Now, just like you have a medical health check, make sure everything is in sync. How did you find that experience of doing the digital health check? And I know that’s something I love that you said it was something that was a customer. And you were able to act on the gaps that were given in feedback that’s given. And just before we answer that, just to give our audience some perspective on what the digital health is a way that we can help businesses not just have an audit done automatically. So although I mean we all love the digital reports that come through this is a human assessor that will go through a 360 degree of review of your online assets. And we’re able to give you some feedback of what’s working extremely well and where we can kind of go up a level. And that’s something that was part of the so we did a digital health check. And then after the programme of our digital peacekeeper, we we are went on to do a second health check. Which way which we reviewed again for Rob, because he did so much great, great work very quickly. So tell us how you found that experience and how important it is to the business. Opportunity put the hand up for these programmes like just grow.
Rob Rees 24:12
I suppose one thing I suppose any business does, like we’re just a husband and wife team and admire. I’m just it’s hard you go look at what your strengths and weaknesses are. And obviously, whilst we have I have some mediocre skills in terms of socials and that we are to look at as an opportunity to improve our skill set to how we could do things better to push them promoted. And one of the things I liked about the digital health check was it came through and highlighted in consistencies or just some things you know, to think how you can do possibly do better as a complete overview and review of where our business is sitting digitally as well. So from that, obviously those boxes are ticked. Yes, we’ve done a great job. No, we haven’t set any He knows on that digital plan, you know, first thing that came out was a highlighter, and every no doubt in the report was highlighted. And then from there, we went through and held up to two way grade or and thought that that was a fair assessment of our business model of what we’re looking to do. If it if it didn’t reflect or if there was room for improvement, then obviously, we looked at ways and on doing it, whether if it was just changing some small details on our site, ensuring consistency, their contact details, trading, as it were, across all platforms that we used, putting, upgrading some functions like putting the talk, the talk to chat, on our page, linking linking a few other linking a few other parts to, to our site and to our socials. And then from there, the real big thing was the weekly the weekly sessions that we’d have, over that six week period that we had to learn about the digital stuff at the time that Tourism Tribe presented it in such a way that was point the plain and simple English, I suppose it follow the KISS principle, keep it simple, stupid, you know, you didn’t have to be an IT guru to understand what it was all about. So everything was just simply laid out this is this is the most effective way on how to do it. And this is all potential results that you can get. So we found that as a as a nice big bonus when doing that out of the doing that over the six week course. And then from there, obviously, there’s a couple things we’ve taken from the digital discover programme, we’ve actually put into a digital plan, which which we’ve got a six month timeline to do. Because as obviously, we’ll shut for the better part of eight months last year, cash flow is king at the moment. And obviously there’s some stuff we do need to to invest some money on it. So it’s just been we’re just doing in baby steps to improve. So we’ve actually got so whilst we work hard over the next few months, and we can manage our cash flow without, without hurting our hip pocket or having to dip back into our pockets to keep the business afloat. I’ve done that enough, over the last eight, nine months to keep your business afloat. I’m just trying to avoid having to put more money in but we’ve just doing little things as we do bookings, we chip away. And we do small things as part of our digital plan to improve to improve our digital presence. So I’m hoping by about mid year will be pretty right on with our from that digital assessment. And we’ll most probably asked Tourism Tribe just to do another one for us to see, to see where things are at and see how much of a variance of improvement there has been. So and then obviously the second assessment that we had done, we looked at a lot a lot of things to get highlighted that we had been achieved and done. I did reach out to Tourism Tribe to query some of our their second digital assessment. And I will say a couple things did get picked up and it was reviewed again. So which is a natural advantage for us. And it’s actually worked and I think it was clay, I spoke with clay with absolute clarity, absolutely brilliant in terms of just came back and clarifying it points to why they put it that way and gave further tips and considerations that we should have. So to me, it was it’s been a great, great benefit and experience of doing the digital landscape because it’s now form a bit more part of our business plan to keep pushing to, to be out there and do what we need to do digitally to, you know, to get to get bookings.
Despina Karatzias 28:47
Between Claire and the assessors and trainers with listen Fabie this is you know, we’re there to champion and support you. And that is a lot of you know, businesses do find these in doing digital health checks, you know, in six months or 12 months time, because it’s very visual of where you can see the growth. What I love what you share, too is this is real sustainable approach that you’ve you’ve been able to receive an ingest this education and learning but I love this look at a six month plan. It doesn’t have to be overnight being really resolved. And taking into consideration where you’ve been and knowing that you have everything you have access access to all of the content for life really for as long as you can. Elbit taking into consideration. We’re in a very fast moving environment. And that’s another thing but to see like putting on your talk
Rob Rees 29:53
Hello.
Despina Karatzias 29:59
I do dropped out they did not.
Rob Rees 30:01
Yes.
Despina Karatzias 30:05
Just being able to because it was over a six week period, being able to even you know, that’s a significant change been able to put in the check the framework of the chat and then instant messaging and creating the the foundations of the funnel for yourself, I think he’s a fantastic
Rob Rees 30:24
you another investor, I do need to credit, someone else’s helped me with a digital thing. It’s, it’s been my niece who she’s very big into the digital space that I worked for, she works very well. And then she does, I get her to help make, as I said, I know what my strengths or weaknesses are in my business and sitting doing changes to our website and stuff. It’s not me. And she’s come through and helped us work with a digital report. And you know, given us also some of her insights as well. So it’s been a real break during that there. So a nice little plug for her. So thanks, Ray for all your help. So
Despina Karatzias 31:02
really good on and it’s another I’m glad you mentioned and brought up you nice because it doesn’t always have to be you, knowing what your strengths and weaknesses are. And I do say this often that having the understanding of why you need to do things or what you want done is important for as a business owner or marketing, you know, head of marketing, for you to be in the driver’s seat. So that is wonderful that you’ve got that additional support for thinking to the place. So Rob, and if anybody else that is joining us, firstly, thank you for joining us live. If you have any questions, burning questions for Rob, please pop them into your comments, I have access to sigmon here and we can we can raise them. If you’ve had any aha moments or inspired by anything that you you’ve heard, please share that with us. So we can celebrate it with Rob as well. But as you know, just starting to come to a close. If there’s anyone else that’s thinking of either starting a corporation or doing the same, what you’ve done is get in the room and do some upskilling and training because there’s a lot around at the moment. What is some of the key tips, advice and things that you may have wished someone taps on the shoulder and let you know at the beginning of your journey in 2018?
Rob Rees 32:31
I suppose when I started in 2018, that we did not have a concrete business plan. No, not really. We had we had we knew what we wanted to achieve. But I think we had a we had a budget to what we want to invest to see how to how would go. And obviously it’s cost us a lot more money to get up and running. And then obviously just to be hit by COVID. It’s been a double whammy. So one thing I will really say is, be prepared. It’s you know your work. A lot of you work long and hard hours. understand who your target market is understand what you want to do know what the differentiation is with your product. So who you want, why you want why you want to do that. And just generally get out there. Give it a go because I suppose better advice I got given when I worked. When I first met many moons ago when I first started working in real estate, the principal the firm I work for, he said Rob, if you’re not knocking these with buyers and sellers, you’re not doing your job. And I suppose that kind of has been the same principle with what we do with your exclusive tours as we get out there when we get out there and talk to people network push promote, get to know our supplier so we can form those relationships. So if we were running into we want to do something special on the site, you know, we pick that phone up, we’ve got that personal relationship saying a classic example might be a winery in the Yarra Valley we got someone who loves their wines and you know just being able to slip in to say, hey, any chance we can have a tour to the winery by the head winemaker or Can someone take us here as part of the tasting you know that they’re just a nice, nice little touch through that. But I suppose just be be flexible, agile. Get in there and give it a go. That’s all I can say. In relation to getting out there and starting your own operation.
Despina Karatzias 34:31
Oh and brilliant. Be prepared. Know your market know how you’re differentiating what’s unique about what you’re doing. I love it. Just get out there and give it a go. Take action.
Rob Rees 34:49
Go on again.
Despina Karatzias 34:53
There we go. We’re back again. I was gonna say the R word in the business and dinner industry. Forming those relationships, like you said, to have that flexibility and call on your suppliers and your colleagues, for you to have them on call, nurturing those relationships is always really, really important. Rob, thank you for your time. Thank you for your openness in sharing your story. It’s been, it’s been wonderful and I feel honoured This is your first interview in this format. And I like I said to you before we got on on the live show that when you my friend, thank you.
Rob Rees 35:36
Thank you asked to Spain, I don’t think he’s a turd Tourism Tribe, for having me today. Just losses when I acknowledge it. Look, I suppose one on to what you put in that last question. If you know people industry, like I had some very good mentors in the industry as well, which I’ve been able to call upon. And they’ve been, it’s been a great been a great source of advice and guidance. So to those couple people, thank you very much, you know who you are. So thank you to them. But otherwise, it’s been a great experience with doing what we’ve been able to do what we’ve been able to achieve and what I’m excited for what we’ve got in store and to where it’s where it’s going to take us. And we’re getting out there, get out there and give it a go until that early. Stage.
Despina Karatzias 36:20
That’s really what you’ve said in mentors, if there’s anything I’ve loved about this industry over 20 years now is that there is always help and support. A phone call away there is abundant on how much you know how many people and organisations and friends are there to support each other. And it’s never been more evident than what we’ve experienced here in Vic has it wrong? No, it’s
Rob Rees 36:49
not looking at the straight lock downs. It’s been hard. Yeah, that’s not that’s the circuit breaker lockdown we had fortnight ago is, you know, has been it’s been it’s been devastating blow here and I suppose how to seniors, you know, when we reacted in November, you know, by by mid January, people start to have this consumer confidence in the market, people are actually starting to baulk and looking forward to going forward and doing stuff that that circuit breaker lockdown has, you know, aside the phone side inquiries, it’s only just matter I’ve in the last day or two that phones start ringing again. So I’m hoping you know, confidence does return with some more good news with restrictions using today. Hopefully final start during again. And we can start to build the build the tunnel again, the next couple of weeks.
Despina Karatzias 37:36
Build the tunnel and the end. It definitely will. And you’re right, there’s there’s it’s onwards, upwards and inwards. I think in with this my new one that I’m adding to the onwards and upwards to keep on doing stuff.
Unknown Speaker 37:53
Rob, thank
Unknown Speaker 37:54
you.
Despina Karatzias 37:55
Happy Friday, and we’ll stay in touch
Rob Rees 38:00
up the spinner
Unknown Speaker 38:00
say that you say Rob,
Despina Karatzias 38:03
and thank you to everyone for joining us. Thank you for your comments. We’ve got Polly, thank you. Thanks, Rob. Very informative. And thank you, Hannah, who’s saying she loved the session today with Rob. being agile and reflective in today’s market condition is so important, as well as really understanding your market.
Next week, same time, same place will have a female flavour next week in celebration of International Women’s Day. We’ll see you there But until then, stay safe and keep on keeping on with your digital discovery journey which is a constant work in progress. Thanks, everyone. And see you next week. Bye
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