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Travelmole Secret Agent: Christmas and credit crunch – a deadly combination
“Bored, bored, bored. It happens every year but seems to have happened earlier this year. I sit here all day, all night and wait for calls. But they never materialise. Where has everyone gone?
The odd call that filters through is either somebody with a completely unrealistic budget, ie. Christmas week, Canaries, self catering for £250/300 per person! If l could find something that cheap l would be going myself.
If it is not the dreamer, it is the 2009 summer bookings. They are generally pretty good, but you know they are trawling the high street and the internet, and if you are not their last call then you are unlikely to get the booking. The last one they call usually undercuts all the previous quotes and nabs the booking. Even my good old repeat customers have dried up. Christmas and credit crunch – it’s a deadly combination.
Seems like the boredom and frustration have filtered through to higher levels. The company l work for is having a ‘restructure’. I Think that is another way of saying let’s just upset the peasants working for us. By all means, go ahead and change things for the better, but think about it first before you enforce it.
All the talk of a shake-up and uncertainty is not good for the staff at the moment. Some will worry and jump ship. Great for the dead wood that we want rid of anyway, but not for the good loyal hard-working ones.
Maybe the powers that be should be working at keeping moral high amongst its workforce, not crushing it. Where should they start? Well, looking at their advertising would be a good place , because what they are doing at the moment is not working.
Also, it would be nice if everyone was informed of the ‘ restructure’ at the same time, instead of people having to hear it through Chinese whispers. Very unprofessional. As yet l have still not been officially told.
Do not get me wrong, l am all for change when it benefits all involved. And if l cannot see how it will benefit, then explain it to me! Dictating never works. Discussion and listening always wins with staff. Even if you listen and do not take on board what your staff are saying, and least you can say you listened!
So let’s see how the next few weeks go for me. Will l stay or will l jump ship? Watch this space….”
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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