p22 columnist oct3 9/30/08 4:18 PM Page 22
ttglive.com
commentnews
Derek Jones ex-Tui Travel
“Imagine high street agents
providing great advice but
no pressure to book. I call it
Retail 2.0 – social retailing”
I
s the retail travel industry about to be But instead of pressuring you to make your
sucked into the perfect storm: a triple booking there and then, they make informed
whammy of economic downturn, declining recommendations and hold options for you,
consumer confidence and the seemingly options which you can confirm later at home on
unstoppable migration of shoppers and their cash the web. Sounds ridiculous? Maybe, but you
away from the high street to the worldwide web? need look no further than an Apple Store to
A survey released last week seemed to see how it works: a great retail environment,
contradict the industry mantra that the overseas friendly, knowledgeable staff and good advice.
holiday is the last thing to be sacrificed in hard And if you tell them you want to buy on the web
times. Far from it. A staggering 53% of people they’ll be only too happy to leave you to it.
surveyed said that they were less likely to take a I call it “Retail 2.0”, or social retailing. This is
trip abroad next year. Only the purchase of a not selling in any sense that we would recognise
house or a new car was less likely. Another new it now. The customer wants convenience, to
survey forecast that the value of online retail book in a way and at a time that suits them. But
sales would grow from £20 billion this year the customer also wants great advice and a
to £50 billion by 2012 – nearly 15% of the booking experience to match the significance of
total retail market. the spend. Think of it as the opposite of “click
High street travel retailing is at the and collect”. Reserve in store and confirm at
tipping point. It’s time to radically home. “We help you pick, then you click”.
rethink the role of the travel agent. Retail 2.0 is about creating better-informed
Terence Conran believes that high customers, using high street presence to
street stores will become showrooms build loyalty and to drive revenue online.
and that all transactions will be The current downturn will only
done over the web. He’s talking accelerate the growth of the web as
about clothing and furniture and more people seek out the best
electrical goods, but his vision deals, but a series of high-profile
presents a frightening prospect failures will leave customers
for the traditional agent. nervous about full self-service.
For years I’ve been arguing The key question for agents is
that travel retailing is heading “Who do you serve?” Are you
in the same direction. Suspend loyal to your customers or to
your disbelief for a moment your suppliers? Only by being
and imagine a world where the genuine customer champions
travel agent on the high street will travel agents prosper.
is there to provide great advice,
to share their detailed knowledge Derek Jones is a former distribution
of destinations, suppliers and extras. director at Tui Travel
22 03.10.2008
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