Jun
09
2011
Lynchpin Ireland Tours
My family and I recently visited Ireland and we selected Mr. Lowell Courtney and Mr. David Hudson of Lynchpin Tours (www.lynchpintours.com) to create an itinerary and guide us around the countryside. Our decision to hire an individual tour guide resulted in an error-free and extremely enjoyable vacation that would not have been possible if we had joined a large bus group or attempted to do it on our own.
The analogies between our industry and my family’s experience in Ireland cannot be understated. We chose an independent expert because it was important that we had a very enjoyable experience; too much time and money were at stake to make a mistake. Lowell Courtney exchanged many, many emails with us and spoke several times on the phone about our family’s likes, dislikes, interests and personalities. He carefully constructed a portfolio of hotels, B&B’s and small inns that suited us perfectly. We visited sites that were of interest to us and skipped those that weren’t appropriate. Lowell and David made us feel like we were the most important visitors on the planet.
The process offered by Lynchpin Tours mimics what an excellent financial advisor provides to their client. A significant effort was made to understand all of the needs and desires of the client and a plan was developed and reviewed for accuracy several times. A few bumps developed (such as being in Dublin during the Queen’s visit) but David Hudson immediately adapted our itinerary to avoid any significant loss of quality time.
Sure, we could have tried to do it ourselves, but we wouldn’t have known about the shortcut that Lowell took to avoid a traffic jam in Galway or the great little pub in Kinsale. Never mind that they drive on the wrong side of the road! Without experts like Lowell and David to guide us, it would have been difficult to achieve the same results- sort of like someone who attempts to manage their investments without a professional advisor.
We could have joined a large tour group and received a generic experience, but we had unique needs and requests. For example, one of our most memorable experiences was staying with a couple who run their own B&B; the conversations and interaction we had with them was an invaluable education that could never be duplicated as part of a large tour group. Sounds very much like conversations I have had with clients and financial advisors who want what’s best for them rather than subscribing to the sales overtures of a large brokerage firm.
Interestingly, the cost of our Ireland vacation was not significantly greater than other options. But the experience was! Again, a close corollary with financial professionals.
The bottom line is that if something is important to you, you will make the necessary investment to ensure that the results meet your expectations. And if you want to visit Ireland, do yourself a favor and contact Lowell or David at Lynchpin Tours!
