OPINION
Julia Lo Bue-Said,
commercial director,
Advantage
Black
clouds
could be
lifting
Committing to write this
column has had a bizarre
effect on my life. Aside
from the fact that people
talk to me about what
I’ve written (trust me, that’s weird),
I’ve started to notice how quickly
the world moves on between
deadlines.
Only two months ago I was
talking about the
failure of XL
Leisure Group
and the terrible
consequences it
had for
consumers and
colleagues in
the industry.
Gloom and
despondency
ruled and –
judging by the
newspapers
and TV – the
end of the world
was nigh.
Today I’m
fi lled with a new
sense of hope. Like
many people, I’ve
been captivated by
the US elections and
the success of Barack
Obama. Whatever
your political
persuasion, there can be no
doubt that the new man in the
White House is looking forward
with optimism.
“The enormous
crowds Westfi eld
has attracted prove
people are still
ready to spend”
Combine this talk of a new
world order with other nuggets of
good news and, dare I say it, the
black clouds may just be lifting.
Since I last put pen to paper, petrol
prices have come down,
supermarkets are battling for
our custom and global
fi nancial markets appear
on a slightly stronger
footing – all brilliant for
aiding consumer
confi dence.
Another big
news story that
can’t be
overlooked
(especially if you
love a bargain, like
me) has been the
opening of the Westfi eld shopping
centre in west London, the biggest
mall in Europe. The enormous
crowds it has attracted already
prove that people are still ready to
spend – especially if they are
getting good value for money.
As an industry we exist on
providing that feel-good factor to
our clients. Remaining optimistic
is a given for all travel companies,
but there can be no room for
complacency. Things are tough
but we have to maximise our
relationships and opportunities.
This is the ideal time for retailers to
give their businesses an overhaul
and ensure they approach every
potential sale in the right frame
of mind.
A simple fi ve-point plan should
do the trick:
1. Keep a close eye on your cashfl ow.
2. Support the suppliers that have
made a commitment to supporting
you.
3. Take advantage of the generous
incentives on offer from partners.
4. Upsell at every opportunity with
holiday essentials.
5. Put customer service at the heart
of everything you do.
We can be realistic and optimistic
at the same time. Things change
quickly – and they can certainly
change for the better.
To view a Ceros magazine you need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser and have the flash player 8 or higher installed. To install the latest flash player, click the icon above, install the flash plugin and then click here to refresh this page.