Tiqets has offices all over the world – from Philadelphia to London and good ol’ Amsterdam – and has made it a priority to operate as one global community. The new Remote Tiqeting series focuses on our international Tiqeteers and what makes them tick abroad.
We’re kicking things off with Alexis Peppis, our UK and Ireland Regional Manager. Holding the fort at Tiqets’ London office, he talks about his passion for travel, working remotely and how team bonding transcends country borders.
It’s time to shine! Tell us a bit about yourself and your past work experience
I’ve been working in the online ticketing business since leaving Uni – I studied Biology so it wasn’t an obvious choice! I did try my hand at Biology but found the lab life too quiet and boring, I’m a sociable chap so needed a role with a little more human interaction. I enrolled for an internship at lastminute.com and the rest, as they say, is history!
What does the average day of a UK & Ireland Regional Manager look like?
Jeez, an average day? I’d like to see one! The role is diverse and keeps you on your toes. As the UK Regional Manager I am the face of Tiqets here in the UK, so I’m out and about quite a bit visiting clients both new and old.
And what are the main objectives of your role?
I’ve two main tasks at Tiqets: 1) grow the number of attractions we work with and 2) ensure the customer experience is faultless. If a customer has had a poor experience, it lies upon my shoulders to ensure it doesn’t happen again (luckily, that doesn’t happen often!).
What makes London such a great city to live in? Do you ever dream of moving somewhere else?
Oh my, where to start?? My heart is in London – it’s a city that has everything and anything, and lots of it. I’ve lived in other cities such as Sydney and travelled to many, many capital cities around the globe, but for me, none hold a light to London. Theatre, history, culture, food, London is at the forefront. I love seeing the juxtaposition of the new (The Shard) next to the old (Tower of London).
You’ve been in the travel business for a long time. What makes it such a great industry to work in?
Geez, thanks, now I feel old! I mean… it’s not been that long..! Seriously though, I’m lucky. Travel is my passion. I’m a keen culture vulture and love going to attractions from the Colosseum to Kinky Boots the Musical. So I enjoy talking to the teams behind these attractions and helping them achieve their goals. And I think it’s the same for others in this industry. Everyone I talk to has a real passion which makes the meetings fun and engaging. Here in the UK, there are plenty of trade networking events and my clients have quickly become very close friends – no one leaves this industry!
What sparked your interest in Tiqets?
Before I joined Tiqets I went on a roadtrip around California. I hired a car and had no real plans, no hotels or attractions pre-booked. I used the app Hotels Tonight to book my hotels on the fly, but I couldn’t find an app that did something similar for attractions and was often left frustrated with trying to find a printer from a local internet cafe. When I found out about Tiqets I knew this is where I needed to be – at the forefront of ticketing technology making culture easier to access.
What does Tiqets do to make sure you feel connected to Amsterdam HQ?
Yeah I admit I was a little worried about working remotely – I had never done it before. But Tiqets really does ensure you’re involved in office life. There is a budget for me to visit the office whenever the need arises, and I’m often told to “not be a stranger and visit”. But above that, there are daily slack channels to gossip in and any company-wide meetings have a live feed allowing us to watch and interact. This spring Tiqets treated us all to a ski-trip to Austria which really helped me bond with some of my colleagues whom I don’t get to sit next to in an office and of course there was the legendary Karaoke Christmas Party last year… I promised myself I wouldn’t sing – oh well!
What’s the most rewarding part of your role?
For me it’s hearing/seeing the positive reviews. Tiqets is the highest rated ticketing company on TrustPilot, so it’s always a joy seeing those positive reviews come in and I love cherry-picking the best of them and forwarding to our clients. If someone had a great experience at London Zoo because of us, then I’m happy. A ticket is more than a piece of paper to gain entry, it’s a chance to make lasting memories with friends and family. Money fills the pocket, but memories fill the soul!
Any professional highlights from the last year?
This year we held our first Remarkable Venue Awards in London. It was great to get up on stage and reward the many attractions we work with. We’ve already started planning for next year’s which is going to be bigger and better, I can’t wait!
We’ve hired a City Coordinator who’s just joined you in London. Are you happy to have a new buddy?
Oh yeah, definitely… although that means I can no longer turn up to work in my pyjamas! Seeing the team grow has been great to watch and I look forward to hiring more staff in London.
Speaking of hiring, we’ve got a lot of job openings in our international offices. What are the main traits any good Tiqeteer should have?
Tiqets’ success is a real team effort, everyone rolls up their sleeves and gets stuck in. I’m not sure if people are just pleased to see me, but the office is always super-positive with people smiling and laughing together. So any applicant must be sociable and have a can-do attitude.
And last but not least, can we join you for a pint next time we’re in London?
Of course! I’ve just discovered a new pub, it’s the only one in the UK that doesn’t need a license as it has a Royal Charter dating back to 1567 – where else but London?