FRONTLINE
colin burns branch manager, Hays Travel, Gateshead
Are there any aspiring DJs out there
looking for an idea for the next chart-topping mix? Well here’s a suggestion: why not mash Pilot’s 1975 hit January into that Ronan Keating classic Life is a Rollercoaster? Hey presto, you have my post-Christmas peaks summed up in one track. ‘Twixmas’ got us off to a great
start, but the first week of January was a bit disappointing. By the end of the second week we were back on track, only to fall off again in week three. Then, thanks to an amazing final week, we pulled it right back to the point where we only just missed out on target. Speaking to friends and colleagues
around the country and visiting sales reps, it sounds like many of you experienced a similar ride, with highs and lows and joy and tears. Social media was one area of
real success for us, especially when Storm Éowyn was causing havoc across the UK and customers who did not want to venture outdoors messaged us with their enquiries. It was a great boost to get things moving when footfall was slower.
FOCUS ON INCLUSIVITY Another common theme I have found when speaking with other agents is the dramatic increase in the number of customers requesting assistance at airports and special facilities at hotels. It is amazing how well airlines, hoteliers and suppliers
28 6 FEBRUARY 2025 AGENT
Here’s hoping for a steadier month of bookings after the rollercoaster ride of January
can help in this regard and we all deserve credit for the work we do to keep our products inclusive to all. Obviously, this adds another layer to the service we need to be providing as we strive to ensure the holidays we are booking are going to be suitable for customers’ individual requirements. This has ranged from quite simple needs like making sure the accommodation is not on a hill and is easily accessible, to more complex situations where customers need fully adapted rooms with wheelchair access. We have experienced some
frustrations when requesting an adapted room. These have included
travelweekly.co.uk
receiving a reply saying the request has been noted but cannot be guaranteed prior to arrival. I struggle to see the point of this, because if that customer arrives and they are not allocated the room type, their holiday will be a disaster.
NO MINOR MATTER Errata notes from suppliers, advising us of ‘changes’, have also caused some issues in peaks. We had one where a customer had booked an all-singing-and-dancing all-inclusive family hotel, only to be advised there would no longer be any daytime activities and only “occasional” evening entertainment. The supplier said this was a “minor change” and therefore normal T&Cs applied. Minor change? To me that is like
ordering a steak with chunky chips, peppercorn sauce and onion rings, only to be served the meat on its own and being told, ‘Well, it’s just the same really, so like it or lump it.’ So, as we say goodbye to
January and the sounds of Ronan and Pilot fade away, we take a breath and welcome in February. Let’s hope for more sounds like Kool & the Gang’s Celebration or Bruce Springsteen’s Glory Days. But whatever the month brings, always remember, in the words of Bobby McFerrin, Don’t Worry Be Happy.
SHOULD HAVE GONE TO...
Because we are located on a high street, it is not unusual for people to pop in only to find they are in the wrong shop. A gentleman rattled on our door just before we were due to open this morning, before squinting and leaning in to read the opening hours. I went and opened the door for him and he said: “I have an appointment at 9.15.” I asked him who his appointment was with and
he replied, “I don’t know, it’s just to collect my new specs.” I politely informed him that Specsavers is a few shops down from us and offered to take him there. Fortunately, he found it as funny as I did!
‘Is that clearer?’
SharonAndreaJenniferHelenClare diary diary
SharonAndreaJenniferHelenClare
Colin
Colin
PICTURE: Shutterstock/Inside Creative House
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