A DESIRE for increased
training is constantly
expressed by the retail
trade but suppliers looking to
fulfil the need often find that
travel consultant participation
in workshops and seminars is
wanting.
Suppliers are turning to
custom-made, in-store training
and e-learning programmes as
alternatives.
According to Thaybz Khan,
brand manager, Contemporary
Portfolio at Cruises
International, the company
understands that consultants
cannot always take up training
opportunities – she cites time
of day and venue as the main
reasons given.
Training programmes are one
of the elements contained on
Cruises International’s online
trade portal, Shipmates. The
proposed programme for 2017
includes possible participation
on a fam trip for successful
graduates, a ‘double your
business’ incentive campaign
and certification as a cruise
specialist.
“We are working on various
offline platforms, as well as
introducing webinars and
podcasts to our module, to
accommodate agents who
either cannot make the
training or live in an outlying
area, so they can train at their
own pace,” she says.
This year, Cruises
International is offering travel
consortiums an intensive
10-week training module
with both online and offline
elements. Agencies or
individual agents can also
approach the company for
one-on-one training sessions.
In addition, the company will
continue to invite the trade to
scheduled training sessions.
Beachcomber Tours has
found a solution to poor
trade attendance through
customised training by prearrangement.
Sales and marketing
manager, Joanne Visagie,
says the tour operator trains
extensively, almost on a daily
basis. The training is usually
done in-store, although a
nearby venue is sometimes
preferred. ITCs may be hosted
at a central location and
use is also made of video
conferencing or webcam
sessions.
Training is tailored to
answer a need, such as how
to close a deal, how to do
online quotes and booking,
destination training, fivestar
resort training, training
on specials or on utilising
Beachcomber sales tools.
Avis Budget too has gone
the route of training with
individual travel groups or
agencies. The car-hire group
provides agents not only with
product training but how to
book its services via GDSs,
says Lance Smith, executive
sales at Avis Rent a Car
Southern Africa.
The guided holiday operator,
Trafalgar, has just launched
the Trafalgar Academy,
an on-demand, e-learning
programme that provides
interactive guidance on how
to sell, as opposed to what
to sell. The first modules
are now available, with
additional ones forthcoming.
Md, Theresa Szejwallo, says
participants can expect
conversion, commission and
retention rates to rise.
Trafalgar will, however,
continue to offer its
Wanderlust Training this
year, in which all The Travel
Corporation (TTC) brands
participate.
Half-day sessions are held at
TTC’s Rosebank head office in
Johannesburg.
