Milford Haven-headquartered hospitality network NetLet UK has a new managing director. Emma Taylor, who joined the company three and a half years ago, has stepped into the role while the company’s founders Penny and Paul Hows stay on as active members of the board.
NetLet provides fully managed holiday accommodation and laundry and housekeeping facilities for the hospitality sector across Pembrokeshire. The company saw 47% growth last year and is currently seeking to recruit two managers, three housekeepers and 10-20 seasonal staff to support further growth.
Emma Taylor grew up in Pembrokeshire and gained a degree in equine studies from Aberystwyth University before travelling the world working in equine reproduction. She went on to work as a product manager for a biotech company, travelling internationally to build the company’s supply chain. After returning to Wales, she completed a diploma in procurement and supply chain and starting work at NetLet, where she has helped to drive the company’s growth.
“I love anything analytical and anything strategic,” she says. “I'm very grateful for the opportunity the other directors have given me and that all the hard work is now paying off and we are seeing the rewards. We’ve built an infrastructure over the last three years that means we’re ready to take on this growth. We've invested a lot into systems software and hardware facilities. Everything is in place now and we're ready to ready to go.”
The company’s recent successes include the launch of four new websites each tailored to each of the company’s main departments: Holiday Home Owners, Self-Catering Holidays in Pembrokeshire, Laundry Services and Housekeeping Services. Significant investments into the laundry operation have included the purchase of new machines, all of which are HACCP (Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Point) accredited, which is a guarantee of high hygiene standards. The new purchases have also helped to increase the company’s green credentials – a commitment that runs through the whole operation.
Last year NetLet won best holiday home rental company in the SME awards 2021, and its strong focus on client satisfaction has been reflected in its online reviews.
“We know how much customer service matters and we plan to maintain our brand continuity and high standards,” says Emma. “We like to have a really good relationship with our property owners and we have the facilities to control all aspects of their holiday homes.
“We also have the facilities and capacity to take on larger clients. Because we manage properties ourselves, we understand how the housekeeping and laundry should run in holiday homes, B&Bs and hotels. That means we can make everything work well – for example, making sure we have an excellent response rate, and that laundry is delivered in bed packs so that changeovers and services times are optimised.”
The company also has a strong focus on staff satisfaction and career progression: it is raising wages for many roles and introducing new bonus and reward schemes. As a member of The British Institute of Clean Science (BICS), it is also supporting some of its mangers to gain qualifications that will enable them to train housekeepers under the BICS (British Institute of Cleaning Science) standards and provide this as a service to outside clients. The business is keenly aware of its place in the local community and aims to have a positive impact on Pembrokeshire as a whole.
“We want a steady 30% growth this year and towards the end of next year I want to work closely with local businesses and give them opportunities to showcase products and become a local driver to support other businesses,” says Emma.
