In this customer spotlight, we speak with John from John Galligan Travel(JGT), a long established luxury travel specialist now part of Frosch Ireland. With more than 36 years in business, JGT has built a reputation for bespoke five-star holidays, classic cruises and expedition travel to some of the most remote destinations in the world.
Two years ago, the business made the move to Nesta Business Centre in Sandyford after 25 years in a traditional rented office. What followed was a significant reduction in overheads, a simpler way of working and more time to focus on clients rather than property management.
In the interview below, John shares why they decided to switch to a serviced office, what the transition was like and the impact it has had on the business since.
Tell us a bit about your business, what you do and who you help.
“John Galligan Travel (JGT), in NESTA Sandyford, is part of the larger Frosch Ireland travel organisation. We specialise in top-end classic cruises (we do not sell the big ships), bespoke 5-star holidays and expeditions to Antarctica, The Arctic, Galapagos etc. We are the market leaders in our sector. JGT had been in business for 36 years and was acquired last year by the larger, Cork based, Frosch company. Within Frosch, there are other teams that look after air, hotel, package holidays and all other aspects of leisure and corporate travel. Frosch’s core business is business and incentive travel, and they are rapidly expanding into the leisure sector by acquisitions similar to ours.”
What was going on in your business when you decided you needed a serviced office?
“We had rented a private office for the past 25 years and paid some lucky landlords a considerable amount of money in rent. Post covid, we decided to keep the operation tight and reduce costs. We estimate that our move to Nesta saved us about €30,000 per year. Should have done it decades earlier! Procrastination costs.”
What made Nesta the right fit for you?
“NESTA were easy to deal with. I just popped in to look at the office options and the lovely Melissa, showed me around. As we had an internet phone system, we were able to move very quickly and were ready to go over a weekend. Including moving in our own furniture but they had furniture for us if we wanted it. So many of the previous costs associated with renting in our own right were included, that the savings were enormous.”
What’s been the biggest benefit of being based at Nesta?
“Costs, comfort, convenience – we are near the LUAS. And a smile and a warm greeting from Melissa and Ainoa each morning when we arrive. The canteen helps too. Even the coffee is included.”
How has having a professional space supported your day-to-day work or growth?
“By cutting our costs so dramatically, most of the savings came right down to the bottom line. The office is always warm. Not always the case in drafty rented buildings. I have had to spend less time on office and property related matters, freeing me up to sell.”
Have you used any of our additional services (meeting rooms, virtual office, business address, etc.)? If so, how have they helped?
“We have never had cause to use any of the meeting rooms, but we know they are there for us if we need them. We prefer to have our clients into our own office, as we have the machinery there for reservations etc.”
What do you value most about being part of the Nesta community?
“There is a bit of a community and we have met many other SME’s”.
Do you have any exciting plans, launches or milestones coming up that you’d like to share?
“Having just sold my business to Frosch, I am looking forward to a greatly reduced time commitment, but I am working to ensure that my legacy lives on and that JGT/Frosch endures with the high-level service we have become known for. Better still, I will be working to ensure that the new enterprise thrives and consolidates our position at the top end of the travel business.”
What would you say to another business considering moving into a serviced office or storage unit at Nesta?
“Seriously examine your property costs and model your business using a serviced office. It can save you a fortune. We all have egos and having our own offices looks sexy but we might be paying a fortune to stroke that ego. No better stroke than to boost profits by trashing property costs. It is not for everyone, but it certainly worked for us! “
Serviced Offices at Nesta
John’s experience is a reminder that property costs can quietly drain profit over time. By moving into a fully serviced office at Nesta, JGT reduced overheads, removed many hidden expenses, and freed up valuable time that would otherwise have been spent managing premises. He estimates he is saving €30,000 per year by using Nesta serviced offices
For businesses reviewing their current setup, a flexible serviced office offers a professional environment without the financial pressure of a traditional lease. For companies that need additional space for stock, equipment or archives, secure business storage can make the operation even more efficient and cost effective.
If you are rethinking your workspace, it is worth taking a close look at the numbers. As John puts it, sometimes the biggest boost to profit comes not from increasing revenue, but from reducing unnecessary costs.
