| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 17/07/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 74 |
| Copyright: Other |
BAmakes another PR blunder with Burris’ barking proposals
BRITISH Airways’ decision to employ Canadian consultant Nolan Burris to teach agents how to charge service fees is turning into another of the airline’s PR blunders.As if dropping commission wasn’t bad enough, bringing in someone to tell agents how to run their business took the biscuit.
No wonder retailers who have provided excellent service for years found the scheme patronising in the extreme.
BA’s motivation for bringing in Burris has never been clear – was it just trying to appease its conscience after threatening the livelihood of those who have been providing it with clients for years?
It’s interesting that now Burris is coming out with some whacky ideas – such as advising agents to walk their clients’ dogs while they are on holiday – BA seems to be quietly distancing itself from the consultant.
Aspokesman said: “He’s not a BA consultant – these were his independent views.”
If that’s true, we must be missing something. Burris was brought in and paid by BAto run the seminars.
He’s probably a decent fellow with some tried and tested ideas that work in Canada.
But it’s barking mad to think that some of these schemes are going to take off in the UK.
Travel agents didn’t take qualifications and spend years learning about selling holidays and business travel to look after someone’s dogs or plants.
If our postbag is anything to go by, agents have had enough of being told to employ off-the-wall tactics to make up for suppliers kicking them in the teeth.
BA has made the decision to axe commissions. It could now improve its image in the trade by just spending a fraction of the millions it will save in a campaign to try to convince consumers that agents provide a service that is worth paying for – selling travel, that is.
Burris: will be working like a dog to sell his bizarre ideas to agents
Burris: will be working like a dog to sell his bizarre ideas to agents