CONSORTIA
agents have been told to shake up sales performances in the first public
wake-up call from a major operator.
Both
Thomson and Thomas Cook are understood to privately believe Midconsort,
Worldchoice and Advantage are failing to meet sales targets.
But
for the first time, agents at the Midconsort conference in Marrakesh, Morocco,
were told publicly by TUI UK to raise sales to justify current commissions.
Head
of sales Jeanne Lally said: “You are picking your preferred suppliers but my
only concern is what the numbers are going to look like at the end of next
summer.
“We
want to work with you but we need to see these incremental sales. We cannot pay
higher levels of commission for lower volumes of sales.”
Other
operators admitted these messages were usually delivered “behind closed doors”.
But
one agreed: “The message we’re giving is they have to pull their socks up.
Unless they deliver they cannot expect the rewards they already enjoy.”
Another
added: “The first quarter of next year is critical. They need to convince us
they’re taking a step in the
right
direction.”
Consortia
could see their central deals downgraded if sales do not meet targets.