p9 news Sept4 2/9/09 22:03 Page 9
ttglive.com
tui survey news
Tui Travel sees encouraging signs for next year in its annual trends report, but also finds there is
room for improvement when it comes to engaging with customers. Martin Ferguson reports
CUSTOMER SERVICE.
Brits will spend
Companies slated
if price is right
for not listening
AN OVERWHELMING majority of consumers
believe companies don’t listen to them enough.
The First Choice/Thomson survey found that
MORE THAN 80% of Britons intend to take a only 3% thought organisations listened enough,
holiday in summer 2010, according to a survey with 61% feeling they were listened to only on
for Tui Travel. occasions and 36% believing their needs were
The Thomson and First Choice Trends Report never considered.
2009 polled more than 1,000 people, 40% of Operators and airlines came in the lower half
whom were former Tui customers. Only 4% said of a league table rating companies for listening,
they would not take a holiday next year. coming seventh and 10th respectively out of 12.
Almost a quarter of respondents (24%) said Supermarkets and restaurants were regarded
they expected to increase this year’s travel as the most considerate listeners, with banks and
budget and spend more on their holiday in 2010 political parties the worst.
– an increase on the 18% who said they were The survey also revealed that fed-up people
spending more this year. The proportion of were not shouting loud enough about their
customers saying they expected to tighten their grievances.
belts fell, with 11% saying they would spend less It was found that only six in 10 people had
next year, compared with 27% this year. “People will continue to look for value for written a complaint letter in the past, and one in
The research, commissioned by First Choice money. But you get what you pay for, and I think 10 said they had never given any feedback.
and Thomson’s parent company Tui Travel UK, there were some holidaymakers who spent less Dermot Blastland, Tui UK’s managing director,
was welcomed by independent travel agent and did not receive the standard of holiday they said more people had to provide feedback if they
Gemma Antrobus, managing director of Surrey- were used to,” she said. wanted things to change.
based Haslemere Travel, who said the figures The survey found Brits were looking for “We want to encourage more people to give
were credible. better deals and to get more for their money feedback on their experiences, whether it is good
“I think it’s quite bullish to predict that 80% of throughout the remainder of the downturn. or bad, a small or a major point,” he said.
Brits are going to take a holiday next year,” she Some 46% of respondents were looking to More than half the survey respondents said
said. “But I’d expect more than 24% of bookers use the recession as a way to book five-star they read online forums to research holidays,
to spend more next year.” hotels at three or four-star prices. but only a quarter of people said they had
Antrobus said some consumers had been overly More than 23% said they would fly longer-haul, completed a review.
cautious with travel budgets this year and in some while 18% said they would snap up deals to More than 1,000 adults across the UK took
cases holidays had not matched expectations. upgrade to premium class. part in the independent online survey, which
polled opinions across several sectors.
ONLINE INITIATIVES.
Tui clients to
listing the company’s latest ideas on improving All-inclusive on up: The proportion of holiday-
holidays and has also set up a research panel of makers searching for all-inclusive holidays
800 people to provide regular feedback. has risen from 10% this year to 16% for 2010,
blog feedback
Meanwhile, MyThomson, a personalised according to the Thomson/First Choice survey.
pre-departure website for online bookers, will The operators said several hotels and cruise
be available later this month. lines had already changed their board basis to
TUI TRAVEL UK is stepping up efforts to engage Customers will be able to talk to their travel meet growing demand.
with consumers by pushing social media and adviser before departure via a new email The survey also found that
independent reviews as a way for customers address and phone number. A UK call centre has despite the financial pinch, six in
to provide feedback. also been set up to support customer queries. 10 respondents would be more
Later this year Thomson will add reviews from Branch staff now have access to blogs written likely to book with an agency
Holidays Uncovered to its website, giving by resort reps, and customers are being encour- with a strong green policy.
customers access to 150,000 more independent aged to blog: next year Thomson Cruises will But six in 10 consumers
opinions. It introduced TripAdvisor in 2007. offer a free internet service onboard for guests claimed their holiday plans
First Choice will launch customer reviews on who want to blog about their experiences. would remain unchanged in the
its website next year. event of a swine flu pandemic.
Thomson this week launched a web page n Social media round-table: In-depth, p10
04.09.2009 09
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