In a time when the travel industry’s return continues to be both a challenge and an opportunity, 30-year travel industry legend Penny Spencer is advising against the natural urge to panic, and instead tap into the power of long-term collaboration, technology solutions and training from within.
One of the questions I keep asking myself over the past few months is “Could we have been better prepared for the restart of travel?”
We knew it was coming but I don’t think any of us thought it would be this out of control.
With a lack of staff globally – not just in the travel industry – plus new clients or orphaned clients wanting to book through a travel agent, schedule changes, delayed flights, cancelled flights, no availability and not enough hours in the day for the amount of work involved, means everyone is at capacity.
What we need is productivity gains, technology to help make the processes quicker and, of course, more staff. Nothing you don’t already know.
Let’s start with staffing.
It is time to grow your own. The blood bath of poaching staff, offering ridiculous money and taking on anyone you can find is not helping our industry to revive.
We need to be training young staff, bringing people in from other industries, or if people want to work remotely why not look to hire in other states?
I feel like the industry is panicking and not taking the time to think long-term.
Productivity gain comes from better systems and procedures as well as technology that can speed the workflow of consultants.
Link Travel Group will have access to Helio for consultants along with TP Connects, which allows us to buy globally and have better access to NDC products.
These are the tools we need moving forward to increase productivity and ultimately improve the client experience.
Decision making at the moment is on the fly, we don’t have time to think through, we are out of the practice of making informed decisions and mostly just ticking boxes.
Surround yourself with like-minded people and leaders in the industry that will support you through this crazy time and take us into the future of a secure, efficient, well respected, professional travel industry.
Penny Spencer is the Managing Director of The Spencer Group of Companies, and leads a portfolio of successful travel businesses, having launched her first one in 1998.
In 2017, I was named in SmartCompany’s list of Australia’s Top 30 female entrepreneurs, and Travel Weekly’s Women in Travel Power List 2016.
A passionate advocate for mentoring, Penny founded the not-for-profit Travel Industry Mentoring Experience (TIME) in 2009 to accelerate the careers of the next generation of travel industry leaders.
Head to www.travelindustrymentor.com.au for more.