Stop Wasting Time On Custom Builds: This Tour Company Found a Smarter Way

Running a travel business that’s fun, fast-paced, and fully booked is not easy, especially when you’re juggling spreadsheets, customer questions, and trip logistics all at once. 

Just ask former flight attendant Rob Hearn, founder of You Can’t Steal My Happy.  

He started planning multi-day tours as a passion project to explore the world with fellow airline employees, but it quickly grew into a full-fledged adventure travel business with dozens of trips and a loyal following of customers who tend to book several trips a year with his multi-day tour company. 

But as this vibrant, small group travel business took off, the back-end systems didn’t.  

When Bailey Marquis came on board as the operations manager for You Can’t Steal My Happy, she noticed everything was being done manually. 

 “We were inputting traveler info in spreadsheets by hand,” Bailey says.
“And it only takes one zero in the wrong spot to cause a huge mistake!” 

She knew they had to get some sort of system in place—they needed software that was intuitive, cost-effective, and practically “out of the box.” 

That’s when they found YouLi. 

Why They Chose YouLi 

After testing out several software platforms, Bailey says three things about YouLi sealed the deal: 

1. Exceptional customer service
   
   

   • “From the beginning, YouLi took the time to understand our needs,” Bailey shares.
     “They didn’t have all these features we didn’t need. We felt heard and supported.” 

      

2. A fast, easy onboarding process
   
   With a few spreadsheets and a short series of training calls, Bailey and Rob were up and running in under a month. (And that was while they were leading trips abroad!) 

   • “The transition from unloading our old system into YouLi’s system was very easy. Plus, the wonderful humans at YouLi explained it in a way that made sense!” Bailey says. 

      

3. A better traveler experience

   • The YouLi platform made their website look “the best,” in Bailey’s words. “Our trips update dynamically on the site, travelers can filter by region or activity level, and everything is mobile friendly.” 

      

[insert a clip of Bailey and Nick talking from the interview at around the 8:26 mark] 

A Better Customer Experience 

With YouLi, Bailey now automates flight info collection, passport submissions, room limits, and payment reminders, all customized by trip. That means fewer headaches and more time to focus on what really matters: trip quality and customer care. 

 “It’s been great because YouLi automatically does all of this for me, so I don’t have to remember all these different things across all these different trips to do and collect! So now I have more free time to answer customer service questions, talk with suppliers, and not feel so stressed out.” 

Their travelers notice the difference, too. 

 With YouLi’s mobile optimized web app and native mobile app for offline itineraries, customers of You Can’t Steal My Happy can easily track their payments across multiple trips, view live checklists, and show off their bookings to friends and family.  

 “Our travelers absolutely love having the YouLi app on their phone so they can easily show their friends and family trip details. It's intuitive, keeps everything handy, and gives them peace of mind while traveling."   

A Cost Effective Solution for Multi-Day Tour Operators 

 Since switching to YouLi, You Can’t Steal My Happy has seen: 

• A 25% increase in business year after year 
• More trips launched and sold out in record time 
• Higher customer satisfaction thanks to clearer communication and a smoother booking experience. 

With automated reminders and centralized traveler data, Bailey and Rob spend less time chasing paperwork and more time growing the business. 

“I can’t imagine building a custom solution when one already exists. Cost-wise, it doesn’t make sense.” Bailey says.  

She goes on to say, “Why would you not just use YouLi?! First of all, it’s priced very well—for the bang and buck that we get, it’s been fantastic.  

Secondly, [YouLi] is so kind and [great listeners]... we get check-ins from [YouLi], where they’re always asking, ‘Hey, what’s something we can do better?’” 

If you’re standing at the crossroads of “build it ourselves” or “find something that works,” know this: you don’t have to do it alone, and you don’t have to wait for the perfect moment or perfect tool to get started. 

At YouLi, we’re here to guide you through the twists and turns of group travel planning. And you’re not just investing in a platform—you’re choosing a partner that’s with you for the long haul. 

So before you commit to a custom build, ask yourself: “What if the solution I need already exists, and it’s ready to go?” 

We’ll be right here when you’re ready to make your next move. 

And if you’re ready now, book a demo with us to meet the humans behind the tech and answer more of your questions!