Visibility is key in Edinburgh’s competitive market for day trips and tours by coach, and The Hairy Coo, based in the Scottish capital, achieves that in two ways: firstly by its not-the-norm name, and secondly through the number of orange coaches that sit within its modern fleet.
The Hairy Coo delivers single-day outings and longer trips that major on Scotland, with Alnwick Castle in Northumberland also on the agenda. It has a year-round programme; some days, the operator takes 250 people to Loch Ness alone.
Such success drove a move into larger coaches from the smaller front-engined models that launched the business, although certain trips mandate compact vehicles for the roads they serve.
Like much with The Hairy Coo, its origin is unusual. The operator was formed in 2010 by two experienced tour guides. “They wanted to show Scotland to visitors and how we are more than tartan and shortbread,” explains Operations and Fleet Manager Mark Rodger. “That is how our first free tour of the Highlands originated.”
Donations and tips were not refused on that opening venture, which worked well until paid tours commenced. An initial small coach became five, and now under ownership of Andy Barton and Lisa Kwiecinska, fleet strength is 19.
The most recent arrivals are Yutong products, including among the first latest-generation TC9 models in Scotland. All carry individual names, and most are orange; fitting with the operator’s brand, images of Highland cows are prominent.
Astute customer base observed by The Hairy Coo
Beyond tour work, a small amount of private hire is handled. Contracts are not part of The Hairy Coo’s workload. In addition to the advertised tour programme, private trips are delivered, although an element of tempering expectations about what is achievable within a defined period can be necessary.
Around 15 publicly bookable day tour itineraries run, with longer trips reaching five days. One of the most popular of those is a three-day visit to Skye. It departs up to six times per week and keeps the TC9 fleet busy. In an indicator of the value of coach tourism to Scotland’s economy, the Skye itinerary runs three times weekly in winter.
Mark and the owners subscribe to a quality over quantity ethos. But the tour market is in constant change, driven by the digital age and social media. “Incoming customers now know exactly what they want before they get here,” he explains. For private tours, it can be the case that hirers’ briefs are written by artificial intelligence as an indicator of where inspiration comes from.
At the same time, visitors with a more flexible approach still do a lot of planning and booking in advance. Some may buy tickets the day before travelling, but a move towards longer-horizon sales is beneficial for business. An active presence on multiple social media channels is important, Mark continues.
He adds that while the operator sees customers from all parts of the world, domestic-based travellers have noticeably increased. Nevertheless, the Edinburgh tour market is dynamic. Price is a consideration for many buyers, but increasingly, so are reviews.
“When you go for a meal, you look at the price, but you also look at the reviews. They are what stand out. We are fortunate that the team we have are fantastic. Our Tripadvisor reviews speak for themselves; we have thousands of five-star ratings. That is based on what our people do every day.”
Drivers’ contributions are vital to overall offering
The driver’s critical part in delivering The Hairy Coo experience is clear. “We are not just looking for someone who can drive a coach,” Mark explains. “We are seeking a driver, an actor, and a guide. That is difficult, but our team deliver it each day.” Training is part of that, but some of it is a natural have or have not.
“We pay very fairly. Some candidates see the figure and think the job is easy; sometimes when we interview, it is clear that they are not the right fit. But we can teach a lot of what we need, such as the guiding aspect. If a driver is willing to learn, we will work with them,” he continues.
An example of that is a staff member who joined The Hairy Coo after many years in the bus industry behind an anti-assault screen. “I could see that he would be fine despite some nervousness and I urged him to trust the process,” Mark recalls. “He has turned out to be a fantastic asset. Sometimes I remind him how uncertain he was at the start, but he came onboard and has never looked back.”
Retaining drivers is an imperative for The Hairy Coo. Every effort goes into training and developing them, and the business wants to keep them. Year-round work helps; Mark observes that household bills do not disappear between October and March.
Empowering drivers’ decision-making is another part of the operation. Highway closures in rural Scotland may have no easy alternative route. They adapt and overcome, even if that means taking customers to an alternative attraction should the planned one be inaccessible. “Our guys will make the best of that situation,” he continues.
“They know the roads and where they can take a coach, and they understand that we must give the best customer experience regardless of challenges.”
Controlled approach to growth by The Hairy Coo
Customers’ expectations have risen in parallel with their greater knowledge in advance of what they want to see. Arguably, that is beneficial when the focus is on quality over quantity. “Growth for us has always been about doing things better, rather than just doing more,” Mark explains.
Nevertheless, the business now does much more than before and has more people. He sees potential to continue that in a controlled manner while not diluting the culture and strengths of The Hairy Coo. How well the name would travel beyond Scotland is open to discussion, however. Some minor involvement in the Inverness market has already taken place, and other expansion is not ruled out.
Modern coach fleet brings business benefits
Much of The Hairy Coo’s growth came over the past three years, creating a need for more vehicles. At the smallest end of the scale, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter conversions supplied by nearby dealership Coachtraders are favoured.
The MOBIpeople Midi Explorer on front-engined MAN chassis has performed well, while a Neoplan Tourliner pair followed the hiring of large coaches during the strong period of expansion.
Yutong now accounts for rear-engined purchases. The TC9 and GT12 fit well, but Mark cites backup from dealership Pelican Bus and Coach as a primary driver of that choice.
“In any industry, it is your suppliers that make or break you,” he continues. That extends to planned maintenance. The Hairy Coo does not employ its own engineers but uses the services of a local specialist coupled to vehicles spending a significant portion of their lives with the business under warranty.
Maintaining a modern fleet ticks the environmental box, although the Edinburgh Low Emission Zone mandates all-Euro VI compliance in any case. “That helps the business’s sustainability commitment,” Mark adds. Such a position influenced a move towards bigger coaches in the first place; sending one larger vehicle instead of two smaller examples has multiple benefits.
Chicken-and-egg conundrum on zero-emission
Having sustainability goals means looking at zero-emission. As with many operators, the insurmountable point for The Hairy Coo thus far is charging infrastructure beyond its depot. While installing that equipment at attractions has been mooted, he cautions that some of those visited by the orange coaches are constrained for parking as is, and that adding chargers could further compromise coach access.
Nevertheless, placing units in some locations that see heavy tourist coach traffic – Glenfinnan, Loch Ness, and such – could be a catalyst for uptake of zero-emission.
The business case for electric coaches is becoming clearer, Mark believes. Several operators in Scotland already run them. But he notes the chicken-and-egg situation for vehicles and chargers. Scottish Government action may be needed to seize the opportunity; the success of Ember’s scheduled network serves as an indicator of the possible when will is there.
And what of the hairy coos that gave the business its name? They are often viewed by travellers, but not always. “We don’t promise them on every tour, but we do our best to make sure customers see them,” Mark concludes. “Because it would not really be a tour with The Hairy Coo without seeing some form of coo.”
