HAL expands Training for TA's

[Krazy Kruizers]

Holland America Line Expands Training: Launches New Signature Webinar Series for Travel Agent Learning

 

 

 

Seattle, March 20, 2009 — Holland America Line is launching a new online Signature Webinar Series March 27 for travel sellers, a convenient method for office and home-based travel agents to learn more about selling Holland America Line cruises and cruisetours. The webinar series is in addition to the premium cruise line’s HAL Academy sales curriculum already available online.

One webinar will be scheduled each month through November with topics ranging from Holland America Line’s Signature of Excellence programs to group booking strategies and learning how to quickly utilize sales tools such as Travel Agent Headquarters (TAHQ) and POLAR Online. Leading webinars will be a variety of sales staff including Paul Allen, vice president, sales. The first webinar on March 27 will be “Signature Sales with Holland America Line” and begins at 10 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time.

“The Signature Webinar Series is an exciting step forward for Holland America Line as we expand our training opportunities,” said Richard D. Meadows, CTC, executive vice president, marketing, sales, and guest programs. “Offering this information through interactive online portals is now the most efficient and effective way for Holland America Line to provide travel sellers with the latest information, how-to strategies and proven sales tools.

“When combined with our award-winning HAL Academy, we will be reaching several thousand travel sellers a year with a curriculum that can help them capitalize on more business opportunities,” added Meadows.

Travel sellers must pre-register for each webinar at least 48 hours prior to the presentation. They then receive a special website to access and listen to the webinar. They listen to the audio portion on the phone while watching the presentation on their computer screen. The webinars enable as many travel sellers to sign up as wish to with no limits by agency or IATA number.

Signing up and viewing the webinars gives travel sellers credit towards the Holland America Line Academy agent training program. Each webinar session will later be viewable at TAHQ (www.travelagentheadquarters.com) for those who could not make the live broadcast.

For a complete schedule of the Signature Webinar Series and to register, visit www.travelagentheadquarters.com. The attendee’s name, name of travel agency, e-mail and business phone number are required to register.

[bepsf]

Good for them.

Let's hope that they start putting their folks in the call centers through similar programs too.

[DutchByAssociation]

Good for them.

Let's hope that they start putting their folks in the call centers through similar programs too.

 

Just for reference, call center personnel go through 4 weeks of training, with very stringent attendence and grading requirements. Grading is based seperately on both computer system knowledge and product knowledge (ships, destinations, etc) and an absolute minimum of 85% is required at all times for both sections to continue through training.

 

Over time they have made the policies a little more strict and the amount of information in these classes is increased, but the above is exactly what I went through just a few years ago when I started with the company.

 

While HAL hopes they can keep each person that makes it through the screening process long term, we all know that occasionally there are folks that just don't catch on, and any that fell into that category when I went through training did not pass the class and were not asked to continue on with HAL, at least from a Reservations standpoint.

[CowPrincess]

Let's hope that they start putting their folks in the call centers through similar programs too.

 

With only one exception, I've always had great service from the people in the call centers -- one of the reasons I hesitated to try my PCC. The exception was SO BAD I finally said, "Oh, something's burning on the stove, I have to hang up". And hung up and called back and got the USUAL great service!

 

I really think HAL would be doing all their customers a great service if they did "fam trips" for the call center personnel, though -- so all the reps had experienced at least something of being on a cruise. With so many ships stationed in Seattle for the summer, I think it would be VERY worthwhile to try to organize something like that -- even if it was only 100 reps who got the experience. Turn it into a "learning at sea" event -- each gets to try AYWD, fixed dining, Pinnacle, a taste of the thermal suites, a few different cabins, trivia -- make the reps try the daily activities, use the internet, job shadow some of the onboard staff. Daily debriefs, discussions, tours.

 

It would be tough to get organized (the first time) but would likely pay off with the knowledge the reps would gain, AND what they'd be able to discuss with customers on the phones.