p52-54 ttg_lux_how_to_training Wint09 27/11/09 14:59 Page 54
supplement their skills via Sarah Vince from Travelux felt the
supplier or association events and cruise course offered good basic
specific training courses. knowledge, particularly useful in
advance of a ship visit or fam trip.
ONLINE ADVANTAGE Qantas Holidays says online
Samantha Marsden, customer training, via TTG Knowledge or
service manager at The Cooperative WebEx webinars, has been
Travel in Crosspool, Sheffield, says popular among homeworkers
she has trained with a range of such as travel counsellor Gillian
luxury operators and cruise lines Murnin, who finds it tricky to
including Silversea Cruises, Regent attend industry events as she is
CONTACTS
Seven Seas Cruises and Holland based in County Down. “Online is
America, but does so mainly online not so time-consuming and you
Accredited Travel Professional
because it’s easily accessible. get instant feedback. It is vital for
Tel: 020 3117 0549
Caribtours sees value in training me,” she says.
travelprofessional.co.uk
events and boosted its calendar this Members of Advantage’s
Association of Cruise Experts
year to promote sister brand The Private Travel Company, Luxury specialist group, such as Haslemere Travel and Air
Tel: 020 7436 2449
plus its Caribbean programme. Each month it invites Viceroy, recommend their consortium’s training, but also
cruiseexperts.org
around 100 agents to a champagne training evening to advise to pick and mix from other sources including TFT,
meet hoteliers and tourist boards. It also holds training OTT, Equator Learning, usiness Link, Train to Gain and Aito.
Businesslink (free support)
days at Caribtours’ offices.
Tel: 0845 600 9006
The Association of Cruise Experts delivers face-to-face THE KNOWLEDGE STRATEGY
businesslink.gov.uk
training with its Luxury Expos, while its online Luxury Worldchoice commercial director Helen Dooley is about to
Capela Travel Training
Cruise courses cover sales techniques, consumer types and announce a manager for the consortia’s new Luxury Focus
Tel: 01223 208629
products. Ace director Flo Powell says: “The module on Group, which will create a training programme on selected
marketingfortravel.com
‘Understanding the nine justifiers’ is particularly useful. It operators. Dooley says: “We will provide fortnightly confer-
identifies nine ways in which the customer justifies buying ence calls to ensure product knowledge is coupled with
City & Guilds
the cruise and enables the agent to focus on how the cruise up-to-date commercial detail. We also feel it is especially
Tel: 020 7294 2800
being offered meets all of these needs.” important to have first-hand knowledge of the destination
cityandguilds.com
Agents collect points for modules and events – 150 and product – how can you sell the subtle differences
Consortia support
points gains “Cruise Expert” status, and Powell is keen to when you’re unfamiliar with them yourself?
Advantage, tel: 020 7324 3930
increase the number of agents reaching “Ambassador” “To underpin our strategy we will have as criteria for our
advantagetravelcentres.com
level with 600 points. luxury specialist group, participation in training and at least Aito, tel: 020 8744 9271
Ace training is also recognised under Abta’s Accredited one educational visit per year.”
aitoagents.co.uk
Travel Professional scheme. Created by Abta with People For Kuoni, agent training has to encompass third-party
Worldchoice, tel: 01733 390900
1st and ITT, ATP has three levels: bronze, silver and gold, partners as well as inhouse agents. Training manager
worldchoice.co.uk
depending on experience and qualifications. Dawn Butcher says she offers her staff a wide variety of
Equator Learning
Agents seeking courses for qualifications such as NVQs courses and workshops tailored to individual needs. Kuoni
Tel: 020 8891 6824
and Btecs can be trained for free by Training for Travel, boasts training suites, a virtual training team and on-site
equatorlearning.com
thanks to government funding. TFT marketing manager training in its stores, plus webinars for homeworkers.
Jordan Makin says: “During a recession, the word ‘free’ is But whether you work for a multinational travel group
Hoda Lacey Consulting
even more appealing than usual.” or small independent, regular training is vital for luxury
Tel: 01923 828085
TFT offers webinars, sessions with suppliers and specialists to stay one step ahead of rivals – and clients.
hodalacey.co.uk
one-to-one business development training. Makin adds: Julie Baker, manager at Kent agency Air Viceroy, sees
Investors in People
“Webinars have proved really successful. It’s been a fun training as a “very important part of being a travel agent”.
Tel: 020 7467 1946
environment and we have seen success in terms of product She adds: “Any form of training is a good idea: sales driven
investorsinpeople.co.uk
sales as a direct result of the training.” or destination specific, you always learn something new.”
While not a substitute for personal experience, online
Institute for Travel and Tourism
courses can offer cost-effective alternatives, and are
Tel: 0844 4995 653
especially valued by homeworkers and agents who find it Up close
itt.co.uk
hard to attend events in major cities.
James Beagrie, Online Travel Training
Bruce Martin, Online Travel Training operations director,
says luxury clients such as Etihad Airways and Mauritius
managing director,
Tel: 0845 643 2533
onlinetraveltraining.co.uk
Tourism Promotion Authority have seen how online Meon Valley Travel
courses can complement face-to-face training.
People 1st
OTT recently launched a luxury training section and This Hampshire agency has thrown its weight behind a
Tel: 01895 817000
plans to develop this in 2010. “We are talking to several dozen preferred suppliers and doubled revenues with
people1st.co.uk
luxury agencies and organisations which we hope will them, thanks to training.
Tourism Society
result in a luxury-only e-learning website,” adds Martin. Every Wednesday, staff arrive at 8.30am for an
Tel: 020 8661 4636
“There is a huge market for luxury agent training, with hour’s training with a preferred supplier and the
tourismsociety.org
companies such as Etihad embracing the many benefits sessions also allow staff to share knowledge gleaned
of e-learning, resulting in nearly 900 training course from other courses, with what Beagrie calls the Cash
Training for Travel
completions. We firmly believe e-learning in this sector will mantra (Copy and steal shamelessly).
Tel: 0161 764 7523
see a huge leap in 2010.” The agency undertakes mystery shopping exercises
trainingfortravel.com
TTG Knowledge College, powered by OTT, also plans and operates job swaps internally to boost skills. Staff
Train to Gain
to extend its luxury syllabus. TTG training reporter attend Advantage workshops each month and find the
Tel: 845 600 9006
Katherine Lawrey says: “Modules can be completed in consortium’s specialist groups for luxury, ski and
traintogain.gov.uk
coffee breaks and between customers. We will welcome cruise offer a “wealth of benefits”.
some new luxury partners to Meon Valley also runs a Millionaires Club as part of
ttgluxury Experiences
the site soon.” its staff incentive programme. It is designed for those
Tel: 020 7921 8440
Nikita Folly of Qwerty Travel who reach certain margins on a sales turnover of more
ttgluxury.com
says she found TTG Knowl- than £1 million a year. Benefits for successful agents
WebEx (webinar technology)
edge’s course on Sun Resorts include the chance to travel to Tiffany’s in New York
Tel: 0161 250 0706
helpful to understand what dif- to select a diamond.
54
webex.co.uk
ferent properties offered, while
how to...
winter 09
ttgluxury.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68