By Victoria Naidu

Inside Activitar’s Onboarding Process: An Interview with Jesse-Lee Leech

Jesse-Lee Leech, an Onboarding Consultant at Activitar, shares insights into the onboarding process, the challenges businesses face, and how the future of onboarding is evolving.

Background & Inspiration

What initially attracted you to the travel and tourism industry, and how did you come to work with Activitar?

It wasn’t so much an attraction as it was a lifestyle. My parents were tour operators in Namibia, and I had the privilege of traveling and learning from them throughout my formative years. I met both Pierre and Marshall while working at a company that used Activitar as their management platform. The lasting impression was Pierre’s words when he called to check in a few weeks after our initial meeting. He recognized that I had the attitude and morals that he wanted to have on his team and within his company.

Can you share a fulfilling experience or achievement during your time at Activitar that has shaped your approach to onboarding new clients?

In October 2023, right after the Support and Onboarding teams were split, Marisa and I were left with a stack of suppliers while our team lead was on leave. We had 16 contracts come in, and with the grace of God and a huge amount of support from each other and the Support team, we had 12 suppliers go live that same month. It was a humbling and fulfilling moment to be part of this achievement and to learn the best approaches for individual suppliers. Armed with this knowledge, I now approach new clients with a simple strategy: What do you need, and how can we get your business there with Activitar?

Core Values Alignment

How do Activitar’s core values influence the way you approach onboarding new businesses onto the platform?

Integrity and transparency are key. Activitar’s onboarding process prioritizes clear communication, setting realistic expectations, and offering transparent guidance. This ensures that businesses fully understand the platform’s capabilities, pricing structure, and potential challenges right from the beginning, fostering trust and long-term partnerships.

Can you provide an example of a time when you helped a business successfully onboard while staying true to Activitar’s values?

A core part of onboarding is ensuring businesses feel confident using Activitar. One example would be guiding a business owner who was initially resistant to change, showing them how the system’s real-time insights could streamline their operations. By providing step-by-step guidance and a hands-on approach, they quickly saw the value of the platform and fully embraced it.

Customer Care

How do you introduce new business clients to the advantages of using Activitar’s online booking management platform?

I tailor the onboarding process to what will be most beneficial for their business, giving them space to explore the system on their own. A key example would be explaining how the platform provides valuable business insights, such as booking trends and customer behavior, helping them make data-driven decisions through our extensive reporting features.

What strategies do you use to ensure clients understand the importance of customer care in managing their tour and activity business?

Customer care is essential to business growth. I focus on educating clients throughout their journey, highlighting how customer service impacts retention and revenue. I also demonstrate the tools available within Activitar to enhance their service quality.

Onboarding Approach

What are the key steps in your onboarding process to ensure businesses maximize the platform’s capabilities from day one?

Ensuring that each supplier fully understands the platform’s capabilities is crucial. Activitar is vast and complex, so we use one-on-one training to showcase its full potential. By taking a personal approach, encouraging screen-sharing, and allowing clients to navigate the system themselves, we ensure they grasp the features most relevant to their business.

What are the most common challenges businesses face during onboarding, and how do you help them overcome these hurdles?

Common challenges include understanding the platform’s features, resistance to change, customization difficulties, and information overload. To overcome these, we:

• Provide clear, step-by-step training.
• Offer expert guidance on integrations.
• Emphasize the benefits of change.
• Customize the platform to fit business needs.
• Break the process into manageable steps with ongoing support.

By using a phased approach and continuous assistance, clients transition smoothly and see the platform’s value.

Leadership & Team Dynamics

How does collaboration within the Activitar team enhance the onboarding experience for new clients?

From the beginning, there is transparency between teams. We gather client needs from sales and address any potential challenges to ensure the best outcomes. Within our team, our Virtual Office provides a safe space to discuss setups, query processes, and brainstorm solutions to optimize the client journey. Our goal is to make clients self-sufficient on Activitar, easing the need for future support.

What role does leadership play in refining and improving the onboarding process?

Leadership plays a critical role by setting a strategic vision, allocating resources, and fostering collaboration. They ensure the process is data-driven, continuously improved, and user-centered. Leadership also empowers teams by providing training and tools to deliver an effective onboarding experience.

Future Outlook & Personal Connection

How do you see onboarding evolving as the digital landscape continues to change?

Onboarding will become more personalized, interactive, and efficient. AI and automation will enable tailored self-service experiences, while omnichannel support ensures seamless transitions across devices. The process will become shorter, with a greater focus on delivering value quickly, continuous education, and proactive assistance. There will also be a stronger emphasis on accessibility and inclusion, ensuring that all users can navigate platforms easily.

What excites you about the future of onboarding at Activitar, and how do you hope to contribute to its growth?

I’m most excited about the integration of AI and automation in our department. AI can personalize user journeys, provide real-time chatbot support, and predict user needs, while automation can guide users through workflows, self-service tutorials, and targeted notifications. Together, these advancements will create a more efficient, engaging, and scalable onboarding experience with less manual intervention. I can’t wait to see this in action!