SFH 7 Mar6 3/3/09 18:09 Page 2
knowledge selling from home
ttglive.com
Supplier Q&A
water
/
Clear
sburg
V
isit St Peter
Why we hit home runs
Home-based agents are a key sales As previously mentioned, we don’t have
channel for Thomas Cook-owned
direct access to the homeworkers so can’t
Hotels4U.com, according to sales and
provide dedicated phone lines or training
unfortunately; however, we instead work
marketing director John Harding closely with their head office to ensure
support is always at hand.
Is the homeworking sector growing in made package that they are confident will fit
importance for Hotels4U.com? the bill. In-store agents on the other hand What should agents expect from
The homeworker sector is really important often have less to go on, and are reliant on Hotels4U?
to Hotels4U, as it is for the dynamic the customer telling them what they are One of the benefits of bringing Medhotels
packaging market in general. In my looking for. As with everything, there are of into Hotels4U’s product range (following
experience, homeworkers tend to be more course exceptions to these. Thomas Cook’s acquisition of Medhotels)
finely tuned to selling dynamic packaging is improved product descriptions for our
than selling package holidays. This is be- What are you doing to drive business all-inclusive properties.
cause of the close relationship homeworkers through homeworkers? This now makes it easier for homeworkers
build up with their clients, where their Homeworkers don’t work in isolation and to recommend the right property for their
insider knowledge makes them more likely at Hotels4U we work alongside all of the client – something which will prove
to look for – and be successful in finding – major homeworking groups, such as invaluable in today’s market.
a tailor-made holiday which fits their Travel Counsellors, Holiday Experts, Hays In 2009, we will also be looking to launch
customers’ particular requirements. Homeworkers and Future Travel Group. a dedicated ski product for winter 2009-10 as
As is the same across the travel business, well as expanding our long-haul portfolio,
Do home-based agents tend to sell we don’t have direct access to the in particular for Florida (pictured, top).
a slightly different product to their homeworkers themselves – they are far too
high street counterparts? valuable an asset! Instead, we send details
On the whole, the type of client who books of the week’s best deals to the marketing
through a homeworker tends to be looking departments of the homeworking groups,
at the quality end of the market. For this which are then passed on to the individual
reason, four and five-star properties prove homeworkers and used to tailor products to
popular with homeworkers’ customers, as customers’ needs.
do all-inclusive properties – though that is
something that is mirrored across the travel What do you do to support
industry at the moment with holidaymakers homeworkers?
looking for ways of budgeting for their Whenever we conduct fam trips or host
holiday. industry events, we always invite at least one
By the very nature of how they work, or two homeworkers as we know that not
homeworkers tend to have a more personal only do they use the information when
connection with their customers. They can suggesting trips for their clients but they also
use knowledge of a longstanding client’s tend to pass information to a wider circle of
habits and preferences to suggest a tailor- people via websites and their own blogs. Hotels4U aims to start a ski programme for next winter
50 06.03.2009
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