THOMSON Travel Group has started building new offices in Glasgow which will house the tour operator’s call centre and its retail chain’s direct operation.
The development, at Cardonald Park, will replace the current temporary offices in the city and within five years will employ 1,000 people.
Lunn Poly Direct opened last August after the multiple’s managing director Nigel David, who was promoted last week to head Thomson’s entire UK distribution, identified the need to move into direct-retail business.
Thomson Holidays will also relocate to the offices after the closures of Portland Direct in Manchester and Thomson Direct in Birmingham.
“This call centre is a critical part of our armoury going forward,” he said. “It’s all about giving customers choice.”
Lunn Poly claimed staff have taken more than 50,000 calls since it opened last August with 3000 applications for jobs.
It has also sent staff on educational trips to the Canaries, Malta, the Costa del Sol, Tunisia and Florida.
The multiple is experimenting with a skills-based routing system with callers directed to a team with specialised knowledge of holidays.
Lunn Poly head of call centres Vicky Brook said the offices will have relaxation areas, food courts and a hair and beauty salon.