Travel agents are being mystery shopped by a convenience store guru who will speak at next month’s Triton Conference.
Building on the success of last year’s Travel Weekly session featuring convenience store owner Jonathan James, Triton has opted to hear more from the grocery sector.
At the superconsortium’s 2007 conference in Portugal retail consulting firm HIM chief executive and Association of Convenience Stores board member Mike Greene will be a keynote speaker – but only after he has put the trade to the test.
He is currently visiting as many agencies as possible requesting information on two breaks – a family villa holiday including flights and a winter trip to Lapland.
He admitted when he first agreed to speak at the conference, he was fairly pessimistic about the travel trade but his views have changed.
“When you look at the average agent outlet they’re not visibly different from how they were 10 years ago, but look how much consumers’ lives have changed,” he said.
“Traditionally I’ve booked direct but I’ve realised you get so much more from the broader approach of agents. Their knowledge and understanding has changed the way I think about what they offer; that’s what I want to get across.”
Greene is compiling a number of tips on how travel agents can improve their businesses.
He will suggest they integrate themselves more in their local communities and set up advertising deals with nearby convenience shops and garages where footfall is high.