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Walking the Walk

When you travel with Stray you are promised an unforgettable off the beaten track experience that will fill your blogs with wild adventures and your facebook with new best friends. To deliver on these big promises every single person in our capable team needs to 'walk the walk' to make this a reality.

In order to maintain such an amazing and capable team, we provide staff with ongoing training and opportunities to ensure we’ve got the best people on the job.

We encourage all our crew to live the brand and keep the adventure alive by spending time in our destinations, with our partners, our customers or simply enjoying the great outdoors. 

Metaphorically speaking 'Walking the Walk' is as much about adventure as it is about having integrity. For us it's about being a dependable teammate who delivers on promises and putting our customers front and centre of what we do every day.

Here are some of the things we do at Stray to 'Walk the Walk'... 


LIVING THE BRAND

Blue Duck Hut

There is only one way to learn how we do things and that is to get out there and experience it. As part of our induction program all new starters are sent on a trip to learn what it means to 'Stray'.

We organise team weekends away and social dinners. This is where co-workers become good mates and some of our best ideas are born. 

As Stray continues to grow and evolve our permanent staff are regularly sent on Stray trips (famils) to stay in touch with our customers and what's happening on the ground, both in the countries they work in, and other places we Stray. This helps us to maintain a consistently excellent Stray Experience.  


DELIVERING ON PROMISES

Stray Australia Magnetic island

No-one validates this better than our Guides who go above and beyond to create incredible experiences for each of our passengers. Their energy, colourful stories, planning and sound advice ensure our travellers make the very most out of their time travelling with us....

"My Guide was awesome! The right balance of fun and organised, informative and entertaining! Kept us all smiling and getting involved in everything with his #sayyes motto! Also was great for getting newcomers included in the group dynamic!" Orla - United Kingdom 

Our Guides care about our travellers and are happy to teach them about local customs and culture, share their personal stories and make recommendations. 

We also collect feedback from all our passengers and use this information to further improve our services. We monitor the quality of our transport, accommodations, activity providers, guides, reservation support and environmental behaviours. If for any reason it's not going well we find out why and we fix it.


STAFF WELLBEING

Whatipu Staff Outing

To keep the adventure alive we regularly organise staff outings to explore the great outdoors. We call these events our  'Walk The Walks' which have recently taken us to Huia Regional Park, Okura Bush and the Arataki Natural Trail. This year, we switched walking for kayaking and spent the day paddling along the Puhoi River.

In early 2016 'Flexible Fridays' were introduced which enables the office crew to work from home on Fridays. This significantly reduces lost time to commuting and gives back precious daylight hours so our staff can pursue outdoor interests (especially in winter when the days are shorter).

Most of our staff are self-confessed 'Travel Addicts' so we provide advancement opportunities for staff and reward staff for their performance by offering the opportunity to travel.


SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES

Stray Asia Guide with Group

Stray strives to operate a sustainable travel network and only leave a positive impact on the places we travel. We do this by:

  • Educating our crew and travellers to respect the culture, specific customs and the environment.
  • Supporting local operators in small communities. I.e. we eat where the locals eat and shop at local markets.
  • Using local operators
  • Only operating our buses according to season and demand.
  • Conscientiously supporting and recommending partners and activities that align with our ethical guidelines.
  • Providing ongoing employment to local people first.

 


SAFE PRACTICES

Stray SJ bus

Local health and safety standards vary greatly in the regions we operate in.  In New Zealand and Australia, standards are high, but Southeast Asia standards are lacking.  However, as a Kiwi-owned and operated company, we strive to implement the same standards in Asia as we have in our other regions. 

Stray has a detailed Health and Safety plan with a clear mandate around creating a safe and happy work place for our staff and our passengers. To manage this, a dedicated H&S committee meets regularly to review best practices, assess and mitigate risks and implement improvements to our operations. Likewise, monthly customer survey reporting is used to monitor feedback, identify trends and adjust our services when needed.

Some of the initiatives Stray undertakes:

  • GPS E-Road Vehicle Monitoring to track bus locations and speeds
  • Bus Drivers are trained on SAFED (Safe and Fuel Efficient Driving) 
  • Accommodation and activity providers recommended by Stray are regularly evaluated
  • First Aid kits area available on all buses
  • First Aid trained staff members based at the Head Office
  • Fire alarms and extinguishers are fitted in all office spaces, buses and accommodations
  • Seat belts are being introduced to all new buses introduced to the fleet.

 

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