ADVANTAGE has
introduced a raft of incentives in an effort to lure 50 Worldchoice members by
Christmas.
Advantage claims
three Worldchoice members have defected, including former president Julian
Foster, who left in a dispute over the shareholder value scheme.
It says more
Worldchoice travel agents have contacted the 795-strong consortium following
Foster’s departure.
Now Worldchoice
chairman Colin Heal has warned he will retaliate if Advantage does not “cool
off”.
Advantage
president Roger Smith revealed new members were being offered a reduction on
next year’s subscription and financial help with changing shop signage. The
joining fee for the remaining financial year, up to March, will be waived.
Smith said: “Many
Worldchoice members are not happy with the shareholder scheme but will sit and
suffer because it would cost so much to change their signs.
“There is a chance
to get up to 50 shops to move but I am not expecting miracles.”
Smith denied a
rift with Worldchoice – which collects next year’s subscriptions on January 1 –
but said Foster’s departure could be a catalyst.
Worldchoice
insisted just two of its 720 UK and Ireland members had changed camps. Buying
arm Worldchoice Enterprises also bought two former Advantage branches recently.
Heal said: “We’re
disappointed the Advantage board has employed a former Worldchoice director to
target our members. “They can’t expect us not to react. We hope they will call
it off. I do not want to be at war with them.”
Heal would not
confirm whether he plans to write to Advantage agents to extol the virtues of
his consortium.