We spoke to three agencies who had completed the Association of Travel Insurance Intermediaries’ training manual and asked them for their verdict. The course was launched a year ago as a joint initiative between the ATII and ABTA, aimed at improving standards of knowledge of travel insurance among retail staff.
Before: I would like to think all our agents know about insurance as we sell a lot. But while they understand it, I don’t think they have been confident about explaining details to clients, such as what personal liability is. We want everyone to have training as selling insurance is important to us but it is becoming more difficult. The only way is to be confident.
After: I worked through the manual, which taught me a lot, and then split the staff into two and gave each group two days’ training away from the office. It threw up a lot we didn’t know – for instance that a camcorder is not covered, and that standard policies do not cover overseas visitors. There was a classroom-style exam at the end. Of the 32 staff from our eight branches, four just missed the 70% passmark. They are resitting the test.
Gerry McPhillips, General Manager, Steptek Travel, Hamilton, Scotland
Before: I am doing a Guild of Business Travel Agents City and Guilds course in Travel Management and have to pass an insurance exam for that. Hogg Robinson does annual and single-trip schemes, but I didn’t know much about them. If a client asked a question, I would refer to the guide, which doesn’t leave a great impression on the customer.
After: I’m halfway through the training manual and I know the subject a lot better. It is good as you are tested as you go through it and you never go too far without being refreshed on what you have learned. I could now explain things such as what an underwriter is and what an excess waiver is. I would have had to look that up before.
Andy McLundie, Manager, BTI Hogg Robinson, East Kilbride
Before: We don’t do insurance training in our agency as I only take qualified agents so they already know the subject. I also teach at Bournemouth University and Buckingham Chilterns University College in High Wycombe. Before this manual was launched I used information from my own book, Mind Your Own Travel Business.
After: This is a great publication, outstanding for junior staff. I know a lot of agencies that use it to train their agents. I use it for teaching instead of my book as it is a proper training manual and it gives students who know nothing a basic grounding in the subject. The exercises are very good.
Allan Beaver, Owner, Beaver Travel, Radlett, Hertfordshire