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homeworker training knowledge
homeworkers, Travel Counsellors has also Hays also encourages its homeworkers to
significantly increased the depth of content. take online training specific to their local de-
talk back
“We need to ensure our counsellors are parture airports, while Holiday Elite advises
better informed and better qualified than building a diverse year-round knowledge DAWN LEIGH
the customer that’s going online to do loads base. Managing director Yvonne Leslie says: Hays Travel personal travel consultant,
of research at the same time,” says managing “We encourage our homeworkers to think Willington, County Durham
director Steve Byrne. out of the box and learn about new areas to Has benefited from one-to-ones and
sell, and then follow this up with specific distance-training
Tech it to them advertising for this destination. It also helps “I’ve had one-to-ones with Alicia (Red-
Technology also plays a key part in home- selling seasonal destinations, for example, grave). We met to discuss new business
working companies’ interactive training. ski in winter then long-haul in summer.” ideas over a cup of coffee and she sug-
Travel Counsellors uses webcams for Suppliers are not only involved in training gested I got in touch with Nissan where my
one-to-ones and group sessions of up to 50 at conferences and online but increasingly husband works. They have an intranet with
agents, while Future Travel trains up to 20 their reps are meeting homeworkers in the promotional offers and I spoke to someone
homeworkers at a time via conference calls. kind of face-to-face sessions from which and got on there. I get quite a few enquires
Following a successful trial with its retail agents benefit. through it, that’s worked really well for me
homeworkers in the north-east, Hays Travel and it’s free.
is going UK-wide with its weekly training Face-to-face training “Because I live near head office I’m able
emails, which tackle one subject at a time. This month Hays has started regional cluster to go in for some training but it’s mainly by
Email is also used for one-to-one training by meetings, bringing niche suppliers together email and talking through things on the
Hays homeworking business development with groups of around five geographically phone. Hays also sends out packs which are
manager Alicia Redgrave, who sends agents close homeworkers at a time. very thorough. We get a commercial email
PowerPoint presentations on popular subjects Future’s Personal Travel Advisors every day about new training, websites we
then talks them through over the phone. sometimes invite suppliers to join their should be using etc. You get training when
Homeworking organisations say sales and social meets with nearby colleagues. you first start but really it’s all ongoing.”
marketing techniques are always popular Kent-based Jenny Jackson has met
training subjects while, product-wise, niche suppliers including Almond Resorts and PHILIP GROUT-SMITH
areas such as cruise, ski and up- Sandals with up to 12 fellow PTAs. Holidaysplease senior travel adviser,
and-coming destinations “Sometimes we go and do it over lunch, Weymouth
see high demand. sometimes we’ll go to somebody’s house,” Has supplier home visits
she explains. “One of our group has a lovely “I’ve seen If Only, Beachcomber and
garden with a swimming pool so we try Premier Holidays on home visits. It’s really
to plan our get-togethers for the good because not being in the high street
summer months!” we obviously miss out on usual rep visits.
Holidaysplease has even had a “Holidaysplease asked Beachcomber if
good response from suppliers it they were willing to visit each homeworker,
has requested visit homeworkers If Only rang as they were coming to the
individually. Director Charles area and Premier Holidays I’ve done
Duncombe says: “Training is a lot of business for. Because we’re an
important to us because we independent agency, I think the suppliers
specialise in long-haul high- are very happy to do it if asked. They
quality holidays and we often sell normally come in with what’s new in the
on expertise rather than price.” brochure and I might say I’m particularly
interested in something or where my
■ For the widest selection of supplier knowledge is lacking and they’ll go through
training online, visit TTG Knowledge it. It’s very directed to what you’d like.”
College at ttglive.com/ttgknowledge
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