| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 15/05/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 3 |
| Copyright: Other |
Setbacks hit TV Travel Shop
Travel channel affected by commercial director quitting and end of call-centre night shift
Report by STEVEJONES
TV TRAVEL Shop has suffered a double blow with the acrimonious departure of commercial director Carol Smallman and the axing of its call-centre night shift.Smallman left the company following a dispute over her contract and is now seeking legal advice.
She is believed to have fallen out with joint managing director Harry Goodman over the size of her stake in the company.
An inside source said her share allocation in TVTravel Shop had been reduced following the introduction of new investors.
Smallman refused to discuss the matter in detail. Her only comment was:”Ican confirm I no longer work for TVTravel Shop. The matter is now in the hands of my lawyers.”
Smallman joined Goodman’s outfit from Lunn Poly two-and-a-half years ago and has been responsible for setting up agreements with several operators.
Meanwhile, in an unrelated development, TV Travel Shop bosses have decided to drop its call-centre night shift, ending its 24hr operation.
It is believed that night-shift staff were only taking 20 calls a night and Goodman considered it a poor use of resources to keep open.
Sources added that staff working on the graveyard shift had also complained about receiving abusive phone calls from late-night revellers.
The Bromley-based centre will now be open between 7.30am and 10.30pm, although the show will still be broadcast 24hrs a day.
A spokesman said all 18 call-centre staff have been given jobs on other shifts.
“The problem we found was that no tour operator’s systems accept bookings during the night,” he said. “Staff were consequently only able to deal with enquiries and had to ask callers to ring back in the morning.”
TV Travel Shop was launched in April 1998, initially on air for 5hrs a day. Within months, its popularity ensured air time rose to 11hrs and a 24hr service was launched on digital television in October that year.
Goodman and fellow managing director Dennis Strauss declined to comment on Smallman’s move or the scaling back of the call centres.
Time limit: Goodman’s channel has ceased night-time bookings after a lack of enquiries