Thomas Cook to add 200 extra call centre staff

Thomas Cook is to hire extra call centre staff in Scotland the day after the shock news that British Airways was to cut 400 jobs. The travel group is looking for more than 200 new sales consultants for its call centre in Larbert near Falkirk. The recruitment drive for Thomas Cook UK and Ireland’s largest UK call centre is the second in six months, following the addition of 85 staff in October. The new recruits will bring staff numbers at the site up to 500, with induction courses planned for 24 new employees every two weeks until the end of June. The company, which employs a total of 11,000 staff, mainly wants to recruit sales staff to take bookings from customers nationwide. It is looking for people with keyboard skills and demonstrable sales ability. Thomas Cook claims to be offering “competitive pay” and staff travel concessions such as holidays for £75. Call centre head Sean Ablett said: “We are growing rapidly as customers become more confident in booking their holidays by phone.” A spokeswoman denied that this could have a detrimental knock-on effect on the group’s 616 high street travel agency branches. “We have not noticed any downward trend,” she said. “Instead we are seeing a cross-channel effect between the call centre and the branches as people pick up brochures and then use the telephone or use the phone to check prices and then go to book in the agency.” Report by Phil Davies