La Clef Decamp is growing and welcoming an outstanding intern!
La Clef Decamp continues to grow and take flight!
To optimize our organization and ensure top-notch service for our clients, we have recruited an outstanding intern!
Let me introduce Justine Lietot and her pivotal role in managing our charming gîtes.
Let’s get acquainted!
Justine is a delightful 19-year-old, energetic and committed, brimming with relevant initiatives.
A student in commerce and digital marketing at CNED, she applies what she learns directly to support our organization as an intern.
Her efficiency is undeniable, and she will be officially hired in January to assist me full-time.
She has a constructive approach to teamwork.
She joined the team as an actress and project developer.
She adds an important building block to our gîtes’ development!
What’s more, Justine is local.
Originally from Hambye, she knows Villedieu-les-Poêles and Normandy inside out.
Her knowledge of the region is a real asset for the company’s growth and for advising our clients.
We welcomed Justine to La Clef Decamp’s offices in early November.
So… what has happened since her arrival?
Her Role at La Clef Decamp
I can say that Justine acts as our watchtower.
She is taking a step back and gaining some perspective on the company.
She is giving it a new dimension.
Her main objectives:
- Business development
- Promoting the gîtes
- Maximizing occupancy rates
- Commercial strategy
- Managing listings
Most importantly, she develops all the actions necessary to optimize our gîtes, tasks I simply don’t have time to focus on.
She supports me brilliantly—my right hand—and manages with an iron hand in a velvet glove:
- Housekeeping teams
- Client, supplier, and partner relations
- Event organization (including the upcoming inauguration)
- Social media communication
- Creating a client database and following up (requesting feedback)
- Promoting the selfie photo booth
Optimized Communication
After identifying low booking periods, Justine works proactively to anticipate them and make up for potential lost revenue.
To improve occupancy rates, she focuses the commercial strategy on:
- Offering tailored deals
- Following up with clients via email
- Communicating on Facebook and LinkedIn
- Focusing on a weekend-specific strategy
Managing Booking.com
Indeed, expanding the activity of our gîtes on Booking.com requires careful monitoring and a significant time investment.
It involves customized management, with particular attention to pricing:
- Ensuring prices are accurate and appropriate
- Offering promotions during pre-identified low periods
Leveraging local knowledge for better offers
The Normandy region holds no secrets for Justine.
Her network allows her to connect with specific service providers to establish partnerships.
Justine makes additional offers available to our clients to enhance their stay.
- Bakeries for tasting delicious macarons
- Sports activities, including karting
- Restaurants serving exquisite seafood
Her arrival has brought a new momentum to La Clef Decamp.
Our collaboration with this remarkable young woman is a true opportunity for productive growth.
A True Team Effort
I’ll admit it—as a business owner who has always managed everything alone, I had to learn to delegate.
It was difficult to let go of the reins… and for a passionate horse rider like me, that’s pretty ironic!
But delegation was vital for the company.
I simply didn’t have enough time to efficiently develop the management of our gîtes.
Now, our complementary skills allow us to:
- Better promote the gîtes:
We attend BNI (Business Network International) networking events, meeting entrepreneurs and professionals who might be interested in seminars.
- Optimize recruitment:
Justine posts relevant job ads on Facebook and conducts interviews for housekeeping staff.
- Manage schedules:
She set up Google Drive for an overview of the organization, including contact details for the housekeeping teams at each site.
- Test new rental options:
We offer overnight stays when the gîtes are not fully booked.
- Publish our listings on targeted platforms:
« Gite de groupe », « grandsgites.com », « giga-location », perfectly suited to our offerings.
A New Promising Turn
I greatly appreciate my new recruit—she demonstrates true human values.
We share the same vision for the company’s development.
And, on top of that, she loves interior design!
We complement each other… she is calm and composed, while I’m talkative and a bundle of energy.
We bring a lot to each other.
She has fully earned her place in the La Clef Decamp team.
Thanks to her and her range of responsibilities, I can now dedicate myself full-time to clients and organizing work for our future gîtes.
Justine brings structure, positivity, efficiency, and initiative.
After the start of 2019, with these organizational changes and improvements in gîte management, we entered a second turning point in November 2019…
The turning point of maturity: Version 2.0!