| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 07/08/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 3 |
| Copyright: Other |
Retailer prepares to install company-wide intranet
Thomas Cook begins mass upgrade of PCs
Report by TANYA JEFFERIES
THOMAS Cook is installing up to 2,500 new PCs in its branches in preparation for the creation of a private on-line information and booking service for its agents.The new terminals are being placed in the 300 ex-Carlson shops the company acquired last year, because they do not have such advanced technology as Thomas Cook’s 400 core outlets.
Retail information technology director Neale Chinery said: “There is some really old, outdated equipment in the Carlson branches.
“The new PCs will allow agents to use a variety of Internet-based technologies. We are currently working through how we use the Internet in the future.”
He said the multiple was looking to create a company-only intranet that would allow agents to search for travel information and make on-line bookings, rather than allow them unfettered use of the Internet itself.
At present, no Thomas Cook branches have access to Internet or e-mail facilities. Chinery said the company aimed to have the new PCs installed by December and the private intranet rolled out early next year.
However, the project will be on-going through most of next year too.
The initiative is being undertaken with the help of its network supplier partner Energis, which has just launched a range of Internet-based travel information and booking services under the name Energis Travel Network (Travel Weekly July 24).
Meanwhile, Chinery admitted Thomas Cook was looking into the possibility of introducing Internet terminals for customers in its shops, although he stressed that a definite decision had not been taken yet.
He added that another benefit would be the ability to print off individual brochure pages, rather than hand over whole brochures to customers.
Technology boost: the retailer is aiming to have all the terminals installed in branches by December