Don’t forget to take the P

It was billed as a session on taking the p – ‘partnership, performance and profit’ – or rather the chance for some suppliers to get on stage, face the music and tell Triton members to back them or else.

After a spectacular first day with relevant sessions, including a corker about how an independent grocer had taken on the big boys, the second conference day was a bit of a let-down, with many speakers using the platform to give a dull plug for their companies. However, could the morning be saved by the session on the Ps?

On the panel were the immaculately-dressed Giles Hawke from Complete Cruise Solution, the equally alert Jane Atkins from Airtours and Andy Washington from Cosmos. Ian Coyle was suited and booted but slightly hungover (according to his boss Ian McCaig at lastminute.com) and was joined by the more casually-attired Paul Riches from Libra.

Providing the comedy was an open-necked Marc Bennett, from Thomas Cook, who freely admitted to knowing little about the use of premium rate phone lines and finding out about the company’s strategy from reports on Travelmole (thanks for the plug).

Moderator John Stapleton asked each panelist what they thought of Triton and there were plenty of platitudes about it being impressive, and the start of a journey, and how support was important. Rough translation = get your act together or we’ll do a Thomson.

In fact, no rough translation was needed from Riches, who stated with admirable candour, “the percentage of sales going through non-preferred suppliers is unacceptable”.

Meanwhile, Washington revealed that business was down 40% through Triton members, despite the company paying higher commissions. That’s the power of disciplined selling, I hear you say. No wonder Avro has quietly chopped commissions from 14% to 10%.

What did Thomas Cook think of Triton’s new tour operation?, one agent wanted to know.

“We’re a retailer and would be delighted to sell it,” replied Bennett. A nice touch, although his comments could be interpreted as being slightly at odds with those of his boss, Manny Fontenla-Novoa, who has stated on several occasions that he will remove stock from independent retailers who dynamically package when they should be selling his holidays.

Flexibletrips is the answer for your customers who don’t want to go on traditional packages and want, well, flexible trips, added Bennett.

Yeah, great, said one Global agent. The only problem is that we’re not allowed to sell it. Cue the acceptable face of the monster, as Andrew Botterill, Global’s chief executive, jumped up to say that flexibletrips was a direct competitor to something they were putting into the market, and then waffled on about not wanting to be prohibitive but needing discipline. Rough translation = shut up and do as you’re told.

Washington gave an impressive performance but blotted his copy book somewhat with his flippant remark about telephone numbers.

One retailer wanted to know why he was kept hanging on the phone, on an expensive premium rate 0870 number, when these tour operators on the panel were supposed to be partners.

Washington then drew huge applause from the audience by saying that he could guarantee that 0870 numbers would be taken out of all brochures within two months. When the room went quiet, he then explained that this was because 0870 numbers were being phased out anyway and replaced with something else.

It was quite funny, but probably a little unwise to take the mickey out of people who sell your holidays, particularly where money is involved. Still, at 29, Washington is too young to remember Gerald Ratner.

Another retailer wanted to know why Triton wouldn’t expel poor-performing retailers. Director John McEwan said it was very easy to kick people out but, sounding uncannily like evangelist Billy Graham, the real win was when you converted people. Rough translation = we’re a bit worried that if we throw out any agents they might form a rival consortium. At the moment, we can at least tell suppliers we’ve got 2,000 on board, even if a lot of them are rubbish.

At the end of a lively session, it was left to Bennett to try to defend the decision to cut payments to retailers.

“Reducing commission isn’t just about making more money, although that might be the upshot,” he said. Rough translation = I wish I had gone to bed before 5am.

Report by Jeremy Skidmore (www.jeremyskidmore.com)