| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 15/05/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 74 |
| Copyright: Other |
Thomson in the firing line over direct attack
THOMSON’s Preferred Agent scheme has been a public relations disaster from day one and it’s hardly surprising that the latest problems have left some retailers at the end of their tether (Travel Weekly May 1).The scheme was the cause of much derision when it was launched on a suspicious trade nearly two years ago. There were strict joining criteria, demands for customer names and addresses and totem poles to stick in windows.
Agents were also threatened with fines for wasting brochures, making unnecessary calls to Thomson’s national sales office or using its computer system inefficiently – how preferred was that?
Thomson sales director Manuel Mascarenhas, who has a more flexible approach than some of his predecessors, sensibly decided to water down many of the requirements of the scheme.
Sales targets were lowered and agents were allowed to take those funny looking totem poles down.
But his good work is under threat from a series of high-profile direct-mail blunders which beg the question ‘why can’t Thomson get it right?’.
In September last year, Thomson enraged its Preferred Agents after hundreds were left out of a direct mailing campaign designed to send business to them.
Within two months, Preferred Agents in the Midlands claimed a rerun of the mailing had again failed to include their shops.
Last week, another blunder directed customers to Lunn Poly and Thomas Cook agencies and bypassed independent retailers. In addition, a large chunk of Scottish Passenger Agents’ Association agents in the Preferred Agent scheme were missing from the operator’s Web site.
It’s not enough to say sorry – again. Thomson needs to make it a top priority to sort out the problems once and for all.
And how about directing some Lunn Poly business to independent agents in order to make up for the bookings they’ve lost?
quote of the week