Products to purchase before returning to work in a travel agency
Travel agents preparing for a return to the office environment will need to ensure they’re able to operate under social distancing regulations – here we take a look at some of the products that could help them do just that
Since the government’s announcement on 13 May encouraging people to return to the workplace if they’re not able to fulfil their role from home, the UK has begun to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Since then, there’s been a further announcement that all non-essential retailers will be able to open in England from 15 June.
This means travel agents in the UK and Ireland are able to look ahead to and start preparing for a return to the office environment, and once again dealing with customers face to face. But with social distancing measures remaining in place – and showing no sign of relinquishing soon – many agents will need to re-evaluate the way they do business.
This may require implementing appointments systems, removing brochures and considering how or if tea and coffee is served. Yet even before this is tackled it’s important to ensure your agency is purchasing the necessary products to keep both staff and customers safe.
Cathy Jackson-Spence of Wetherby Travel in Yorkshire has already started to make the required purchases.
“We’ve had moveable plastic screens put in so if social distancing stops we haven’t ruined the landscape of our shop forever – they can just be moved away,” she says, adding that installing protective screens is “something that the public almost expects now” from high-street retailers. Cathy has also purchased disposable cups for tea and coffee, bought paper towels for the bathroom, added hand sanitizers to all desks and installed a foot-operated hand sanitizer unit for customers.
Hygiene matters
Sam Dayeh co-manages SaniScreen, a company that has delivered hand-sanitizer dispensers to the likes of the BBC and is currently in talks with some travel agent giants.
“There are still a lot of worried people out there that might be unsettled at the thought of going back to the office, so staff and customers are going to want to know they’re entering a safe environment,” he says. “Having hand-sanitizer dispensers in stores will help create this safe environment.”
Staff wearing masks can also put customers' minds at ease when visiting the store, says Eddie Robb, managing director of Funky Face Mask: “We believe that masks are of huge importance to the fight against a second spike – not only do they reduce the rate of infection but they also build confidence in the customer that [the agent] is following the correct protocol and not spreading the virus.”
In a recent interview with TTG, Michael Weedon, chair of the Federation of Small Businesses, Retail, High Street And Policy Unit also cited signage as “absolutely vital”, explaining that “people coming into a shop need to know what to do, what not to do, where to go, where not to go – there can be no ambiguity about this; your customers need to know you’re trustworthy.”
Rebuilding customer confidence while protecting both customers and staff from transmission of the virus seems to be the goal – and main challenge – of returning travel agents to the office environment, whether it’s a city-centre store or rural agency. But in doing so, it’s important that agencies strive to keep their shops’ character and maintain a space that’s as friendly as possible.
Cathy advises: “Make your shops still as exciting and inviting as they were pre-lockdown, and be optimistic, because there is hope.”
The following products can be added to your shopping list for virus protection.
EcoShield
The EcoShield from Bureau is one of many protective products in the supplier’s Bringing Business Back brochure. It’s made from cardboard rather than plastic because, according to research, coronavirus can last three to seven days on plastic and only one day on cardboard. The desk shields are manufactured in Britain, 100% recyclable and easily secured with Velcro, plus 10% of the sale price of each EcoShield will be donated to NHS Charities Together. Bureau does also sell plastic screens, if preferred.
Cost: £8.95-10.45 per shield
SaniScreen
This alcohol-free hand sanitizer dispenser has a dual purpose: to keep employees’ and customers’ hands clean and promote your agency’s messaging. The digital screen’s connection to Wi-Fi allows any head office to deploy a message to all stores in 20 minutes, while it can also be used by independent stores to display partner deals or the latest offers – images, videos and social media feeds are all displayable, and there’s the option to display content from a USB. SaniScreen can either be wall-mounted or purchased with a floor stand.
Cost: £10-15 per week for a three-year lease
Funky Face Mask
Co-founded by Steve Endacott, chairman for Teletext and Rock Insurance, Funky Face Mask gives buyers a choice between three products. The polyester fabric face mask is suitable for wearing for five to seven days, while the nano zinc fabric mask and premium nano zinc fabric mask are wearable for 20-30 days. All three are hand-washable for daily reuse and recyclable, but the nano zinc options are fitted with an anti-bacterial layer designed to increase breathability and improve effectiveness. The masks can be customised to feature agency branding or travel-themed designs and have a minimum order of 250. You could even order a batch and gift masks to customers visiting your store.
Cost: 90p-£2.95 per mask, depending on order size
Signage
Insite Graphics’ signage collection comes in all shapes and sizes, but its Aframes would be ideal for placing outside stores to give staff and customers instructions on how to behave once they step inside. Lollipop signs are also an option and could be used to implement one-way systems in agencies.
Cost: Price on request
Body temperature scanner
With a high temperature being one of the coronavirus symptoms, a body temperature scanner would be a wise investment. Promising an accurate measurement of ±0.2°C, the Betvis scanner is contactless, requiring users to simply present their wrist or forehead for a reading. It displays temperature in Celsius or Fahrenheit and offers the option for readings to be spoken aloud.
Cost: $98-180, depending on order size (excluding delivery)
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