Training will be a vital consideration as TUI Travel adopts a multi-channel approach for its shop staff.
Training investment often suffers in times of economic decline, but companies adopting this view are taking a short-sighted view, according to Institute of Travel and Tourism education and training committee chairwoman Claire Steiner.
“I think it’s great that TUI Travel is taking a long-term view,” she said.
The advantage of using the economic climate as a time to train staff on new ways of working means agents will be ready to hit the ground running when bookings pick up, she added.
“When trade slows and you invest in training it’s the right thing to do. It’s a fantastic opportunity to look at staff and where the company’s weaknesses are,” she said.
The agent’s job on the high street has also changed, Steiner said, to a more consultative role.
“It’s not just about selling the product, but about consulting with the public,” she said.