Flexible hours essential for agents, agency boss claims
Flexible working hours are a major aspect of the travel industry, and are particularly important for travel agents to create a work/life balance, according to Travel Counsellors Managing Director, Fred van Eijk.
He believes flexible working can really give agents with a passion for travel more enthusiasm and zest for what they do, as well as shaving the related stresses that come with commuting.
Because really, the trend is not just impacting the industry, but the workforce as a whole, he claimed. And given how darn hard travel agents work, this could be really good for the industry.
A recent report stated that the number of people working from home has dramatically risen from 20 per cent of the entire labour force to 30 per cent in 15 years. Now, nearly 17 per cent of the 3.5 million Australian who often work from home in their primary employment say they do so for the “Flexible work arrangements” and “childcare/ family considerations”.
According to van Eijk, this model of home working applies itself particularly well to the travel sector as many agents make themselves available for customers beyond the traditional hours of a retail shop or even that of a call centre with extended hours.
“For us, working from home has been the foundation for many of our franchisees’ customer relationships and enabled them to provide a better level of customer service and care,” van Eijk said.
“However, it isn’t for everyone, and we are seeing an increasing trend for people for a variety of reasons setting up a shared office with other Travel Counsellors, away from their home environment. But fundamentally, they work the hours to suit the needs of their business, family and customers.
“So, the bigger opportunity for us as employers and those that care about building relationships with customers and enabling people to have a better quality of life is to encourage flexible working.”
van Eijk also emphasised that “equality of opportunity” should be a given, regardless of gender, and that an “increasing focus on mental health and wellbeing” could also help create a supportive environment that encourages flexible working down to an individual level.
If we deliver personalised, tailored travel planning and advice to customers and the quality of that information is driven by people (and technology) then we should enable personalised working arrangements that meet the needs of the people delivering the service, so they are fulfilled.
“All businesses and people are imperfect, and we are no different, and we have some work still to do in our support offices to be even better in this regard, but it must be done as this is fundamental to the ability for businesses to drive growth.
“Disruptive, technology-based companies such as ours understand that our future is entirely dependent on our ability to search, find, attract, retain and develop talent. So, we are in a competition to attract and retain the very best talent globally.”
Travel agents are already coming up against tech giants like Google, which is increasingly entering the travel space, but thankfully industry leaders still vouch for agents, citing the human touch and personalised experiences as essential to creating great travel moments.
“The old mentality of offices being a place to check whether someone is in work and working is overtaken by those disruptive businesses that see offices as a space to encourage collaboration and sharing.
“Similarly, disruptive companies use technology to empower customers and people to connect be that face to face, over the phone or via digital channels and enable people to work flexibly, remotely and stay connected.
van Eijk feels that the competition for talent – and that includes attracting and keeping the very travel advisers – is not about whether you work from an office or home, or whether you are salaried or self-employed.
“It is and will be about to what degree you have a culture that enables and encourages you to be trusted and that includes the ability to flex your hours on a personal level and basis so you can have a career, respect your responsibilities to your colleagues and customers and be a decent parent and partner,” he said.
“Fundamental is having access to the technology to enable you to work, connect and deliver regardless of the hour in the day and where you are in the world what makes this possible.
“So, an unerring commitment to do the right thing by the customer, genuine individual flexible working and continuous investment in technology will go hand in hand in those disruptive travel businesses that value the benefit of the independent personal travel adviser and those that support them.”
Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au
-
Latest comments
Latest News
Collette goes off the beaten track with Canyon Country tour
To be clear TW is not advocating actually walking off the beaten track. Avoid the coyotes. Stay on the beaten track.
Intrepid & Korean Tourism Organisation team up to give agents a cooking masterclass
These guys learnt that Korean cooking is more than just putting kimchi on 2-minute noodles (as we once thought).
Winner, winner! Intrepid reveals the 9 lucky agents that won $2k
Who won the incentive? Which Intrepid trip will they spend it on? What day of the week is it again? Where am I? Huh?
Corporate Traveller reports 42% increase in Easter traffic this year
Business travellers just love Easter! Expect plenty of chocolate stained documents returning to the office on Tuesday.
Turbulent year wiped $384m off Qantas brand value: Report
Meanwhile, eating tuna at your desk can damage your own personal office brand value by several thousand dollars.
FAMIL: Room-Res & Singapore Tourism Board shows agents the Lion City’s roar
Click this article to see a man very impressed by a 20-layer chocolate cake. We're not kidding, he loved it!
Oceania Cruises offers sailors free pre-cruise hotel stay
Looking for ways to make your holidays as long as possible? Look no further.
Bonza launches new website to compliment app, agent portal
Does news about an airline's website fill you with ecstasy, glee and joy? Get your hit of the good stuff here.
MTA agents attends ‘Lunch ‘n’ Learn’ with AMA Waterways
When organising the event, Lunch 'n' Learn beat out Dinner 'n' Divulge and Breakfast 'n' Banter. Understandably so.
Travelmarvel reveals 2025 South America tours
If you spot any typos in the newsletter today it is because TW became distracted Googling images of Machu Picchu.
Tourists from 5 countries could be BANNED from visiting Australia
Anthony Albanese's immigration laws could impact tourism from certain countries.
Just how many passengers will Qantas & Jetstar hop around this Easter?
Airline workers are ready for gleeful Easter travellers! Also prepared for sticky children with chocolate on their face.
Air New Zealand gets ready for bumper Easter weekend
Air NZ gears up for travelling passengers this Easter, while TW looks to beat our egg eating record. 117 here we come!
Four Seasons Yachts reveals first itineraries to the Caribbean & Mediterranean
These trips look so good we wish there were five seasons! Alright, we'll see ourselves out...
FAMIL: Travellers Choice treats top agents to the wonders of Rotorua
This one's got plenty of famil pics and no one looks shockingly hungover in them! Clearly no TW staffers were there.
European Waterways celebrates 50th anniversary with week-long founders cruise
Plan on celebrating your 50th anniversary with a bottle of Moët and fairy bread? European Waterways has better ideas.
100th route! Jetstar celebrates the launch of Brisbane-Avalon with 12 hour sale
Jetstar knocks a ton and celebrates with a sale while TW once scored a ton and celebrated with about 17 beers.
Record-breaking year for NSW as visitor expenditure soars past $50 billion
Enjoy running round the Opera House? Be prepared to elbow even more tourists out the way.
Norwegian Cruise Line makes play for solo travellers
NCL ensuring you don't have to go trawling Tinder to find a cruise partner. Thank goodness, we were sick of catfishing.
Entire Travel Group’s Canada and Europe 2024/25 brochures are out now
Entire's new brochure is bittersweet; it both informs your clients and makes you envious of the holiday they'll take.
Malaysia Airlines adds 3 new destinations & A330neo seats
More seats means cheaper airfares and more money to spend on overpriced airport sandwiches. Woohoo!
Two divine days onboard Crystal Serenity
It's only pure serenity onboard this ship. Anxiety, agitation and anguish have been rejected by the bouncer.
How the Globus Family of Brands elevates coach touring: Travel Weekly TV with Chris Fundell
Chris' here so you don't think coaches mean peeling your thighs off a sticky leather seat every time you stand up!
The Flight Centre Foundation gears up for massive 2024 with 3 new board members
The foundation looks to invest $200k this year, spurring the TW journos to figure out how to qualify as a charity.
Barking Owl Communications to head up Anantara & Avani in ANZ
Fellow PR competitors had been barking up the wrong tree even thinking of bidding for this job!
Amex GBT to purchase CWT for $871m
It's big deals like this that get a firm handshake - hence the sore hands over at the CWT and Amex GBT offices.
1000MTG’s second global conference reminds agents to ‘strive and thrive’
Alongside messages to 'strive' and 'thrive' were those to 'survive', 'drive', 'arrive' and 'jive' (when appropriate).
Qantas A330 makes “loud bang”, pilots forced to shut down one engine
Qantas refusing to let Boeing have all the headlines in aviation world today!
GX Community Tourism Summit 2024 location revealed!
The new location has arrived and it'll blow your socks off! Time for another trip to Target for more socks then.
Visiting the destination my Mum didn’t want me to
Yet again, this journo has been a stress to his mother. Discover how this trip spurred his mother's anxiety here.
Agents come out of their shells at P&O’s turtle hatchery event
For some, it's a few glasses of bubbles to lure them out of their shell. For these agents, it was a bit more literal.
Boeing cleanout: CEO, chair to go as safety crisis plagues the manufacturer
CEOs are falling thick and fast these days. We should have started up a bingo game with their headshots in the office.
Virgin looks to swap MAX 10 order for MAX 8s amid Boeing delays: Reports
Virgin has changed its order for something smaller. Much like we have to at Maccas following a worrying doctor's visit.
Club Med unveils newest luxury yacht for 2024/25 early bird sale
This yacht is preserved for the early birds! Night Owls may also get onboard depending how late they stay up.
Abercrombie & Kent 2024 Asia Portfolio is here
Round up the family and get planning an Asia jaunt. Or, if they're hard to handle, brush them all and go it alone!
Elevate your earnings: Final days to secure double commission with Inspiring Vacations’ March offer
What could inspire you to sell more Inspiring Vacations? Double commission of course! That's all the inspiration needed.
many of our direct clients are lawyers, doctors & accountants & other professionals, who you can’t even get on the phone during the day. We talk to most of them in the evenings, when they aren’t in a hurry & they can also have their spouse present to discuss & make decisions on the spot. Works for us.