"The season I spent as a site manager is definitely one of the most memorable of all, I got out there as early on in the season as I could, I attended a training course at Berny Riviere (our site near Paris) for 3 days where I met some of the Canvas operations team who I then spoke to regularly on the phone for advice throughout the season, and a lot of other couriers and site managers, some of which I would be working closely with for the rest of the summer as well as a few I have subsequently met again and again in the camping world.

From training, a team of 6 of us travelled to the first campsite with our Area manager to start montage: Setting up the tents, unpacking all the equipment from the store where it is kept throughout the winter, unloading the new equipment that comes from our warehouses. It can be hard work and the weather not always great but it is a real advantage for a successful season to get a feel for the sites and especially your site, giving you the opportunity to really get involved in setting your own site up to the highest standards.

Also, the majority of people who get involved in montage rate it as being one of the highlights of the season.

When your Area manager drops you off on your site with your team, (they will be back! Very soon and you’ll be working closely with them all season) you will then take on the responsibility of training, motivating and setting the standards for a number of different kinds of staff for the whole summer! Your team will include Campsite couriers who are responsible for the preparation of accommodation, greeting new arrivals, visiting customers and providing service to customers ever changing needs. Children’s couriers who will be planning, advertising and delivering clubs to 4 – 11 year olds twice a day, 6 days a week.

There’s a lot going on and all these members of your team will need your time to deliver their working requirements as well as being that shoulder to cry on at times throughout the season. This is before we even mention the customers. As a site manager you need to be really on the ball with regards to customer service and delivering the high expectations they have

It’s certainly a challenge but an extremely enjoyable one, you’ll have a great summer as I and many others have. If you’re looking to progress the site managers are potentially area managers of the future……"