FRONTLINE
skills for retail colleagues plus support for tour operator partners, and taking on apprentices. We have an inhouse talent programme and I work closely with learning and development colleagues across the wider Co-op society.
Q. How did you cope with the pandemic? More than 90% of training used to be face-to-face, by going into branches and with tour operators. From March 2020, colleagues had to support customers from home. My role changed very quickly, making sure colleagues had the knowledge and skills to deal with the pandemic. We developed e-learning and did a lot on Teams. It was a challenge – some face-to-face training would last a full day but had to be shorter for online, so we needed to be creative. Our colleagues were resilient and adapted well – they really engaged online.
DAVID WATTS-DAVIES
Midcounties Co-operative Travel’s learning and development manager tells Samantha Mayling about his 20-year career and winning the Agency Support award at the AAAs
Q. How did you start in travel? As a kid, Mum and Dad took me to travel agencies to book our holidays. I was fascinated – I always wanted that role. I joined Lunn Poly as an apprentice, aged 16. Within three years, I was assistant manager and, by 2004, I was working for Holiday Hypermarket. I became European manager, looking after the team that sold European holidays. They became Tui superstores and I was a superstore manager. I loved being part of a big team and working with customers. I was mostly in the West Midlands – Wolverhampton and Telford. Then I returned to the high street as a retail branch manager with Tui in places like Walsall.
Q. How did you get into your current learning and development role? I loved supporting new colleagues and starters with no travel experience. That showed my passion for training. In 2016, I got a Co-op Travel job as a knowledge and skills officer. Later, I was promoted to my learning and development role, based at Midcounties Co-operative Travel’s offices in Walsall. I’m in charge of developing
travelweekly.co.uk
Q. Is your role getting back to normal? I hope to be on the road again to support the branches soon. Next year, we’ll hold more face-to-face training and events. I get a buzz being in the room and we are a sociable industry. As a trainer, it is the best experience to be together, getting that high-level engagement. It’s easier to create a fun environment. Icebreakers at the start help nervous colleagues to talk about their experiences. We have trained on Teams about online sales, including the dos and don’ts of that medium. Customers like face- to-face contact on Teams and can book through email and social media too – we’ve done training about that.
Q. How did you help staff on furlough? We updated furloughed colleagues about new training and worked with operators on webinars and resources. Before staff returned to their branches, we gave lots of support. We helped with health and safety protocols and worked with our charity partner, Mind, to support colleagues with their feelings about the changes.
Q. Why do you think you won the Agency Support Team Member of the Year award at the AAAs? I was put forward by my line manager. Like anyone in travel over the past 18 months, I have adapted and supported other roles. For example, I was involved in trials of new systems. I supported the central learning and development team – which includes food, childcare and others – and helped travel’s central operations team. We’ve had acquisitions, such as Central England Co-op and Carrick Travel, so I helped embed those colleagues.
Q. What’s next for you and Midcounties? We’re looking at different ways of training – there is value in online and digital but we also want face-to-face. We want events with operators and consumers too. I can’t wait to sort fam trips; it is a fantastic way to learn first-hand. We do sustainability training with operators and our inhouse Co-operative Holidays. Fair trade is also a key part of the Co-operative ethos and is one of our values.
11 NOVEMBER 2021 19
HOW HAVE YOU
FELT SINCE WINNING THE AAAs AWARD?
I haven’t stopped smiling since I found out. I’m so pleased to have been recognised within this amazing industry. During the pandemic, I continued to develop our colleagues and provide them with the knowledge and skills to deliver the high level of
service that our customers and members expect. I have taken on additional roles to support Your Co-op Travel and also the wider Co-op society. Everybody in travel has done long hours; we’ve all pulled together. We want to see everyone succeeding but we’re wary of burnout too, so we offer amazing support for wellbeing and
work-life balance. I love this industry and I have the best gig in the world,working with retail colleagues who are so eager. I was not able to be at the awards, though – I
was gutted. My line manager collected it for me. The Agent Achievement Awards is an event that everyone in travel respects. Even being
shortlisted was incredible. This year is my 20th working in this industry and winning this award is the icing on the cake.
David with his AAAs award
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 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84
