The TTG Interview: Thomas Cook's Joanna Wild

Wild, Cook’s retail director, beams constantly as she talks me through the new features inside. Previously there had been two branches within the centre, but the number was halved and the agency eventually moved to a new location.

Now shoppers are greeted by 1,754 sq ft of grey and gold.

The openness strikes you almost immediately - along with the smell of freshly painted walls.

There are fewer barriers and it is designed to cater for the different ways people buy holidays. Or as Lucy Green, head of retail strategic development, puts it: “Letting the customers choose how they want to interact with us.”

“The stores will be incentivised for the online side as well, so we don’t have that conflict between the different channels”

There are tablets at the front for people who are happy browsing on their own. On either side of these sit members of staff, who are able to help those who need more advice.

As you move further back into the belly of the store there are more traditional desk areas and right at the back alongside the bureau de change is a pair of enclosed rooms designed to cater for large groups and VIP clients. The brochures are still there but there are fewer of them and they are neatly packed away at the sides.

Relevant retail
This change is not something that was thought up overnight. The plan was hatched more than a year ago, just after Peter Fankhauser, the now former UK chief executive, was brought in.

“We had an open and frank discussion about the change programme and resetting the footprint, as well as the changes taking place in the UK organisation,” says Wild.

“The second major part was how do we transform this retail network to make it relevant again - not only on the high street but in the shopping malls as well.”

”I’m delighted that our staff, even with those distractions, never lost focus on their customers”

Wild is alluding to the large-scale store closure and job-cut programme, which the company announced in March.

The retail network has been cut by more than 20% in less than a year with the company also aiming to reduce the headcount by 2,500 to a target of about 13,000 full-time employees.

The business has come a long way since then. The share price is the highest it has been for more than two and a half years and it has cut its losses. The new concept stores have been accompanied by a refresh of the rest of the network. About 100 stores will have Wi-Fi fitted and the same amount will also have access to tablets.

I ask Wild what she makes of Harriet Green’s comments on the desire to increase Cook’s web bookings; surely this must have had an effect on the physical shops?

“It’s very well documented that the online share will be at 57% in the UK market by 2015. One of the reasons we reduced our footprint was because of that - to make sure we’ve got the right balance between offline and online.

“The stores will be incentivised for the online side as well. So we don’t have that conflict between the different channels. We just want people to book with Cook, and they will drive our decision whether we have x amount of stores or a different number.”

Earlier this year at The Travel Convention, John Straw, Thomas Cook’s digital advisory board chairman, said agents would get paid for web bookings that they initiate, under its DreamCapture programme. In store, staff will also experience the benefits of Cook’s “one web” initiative, a programme being introduced to put all product in one place.

Staff praise
Wild is keen to stress the vital role played by the company’s employees in a difficult 12 months.

“I’m delighted that staff, even with those distractions, never lost focus on their customers,” she says.

“I’ve delivered change programmes before, but never on this scale. This is big and very complex. It wasn’t just taking heads out. We introduced a new management structure, we closed stores, we had unions involved.

”I’ve delivered change programmes before, but never on this scale… It wasn’t just taking heads out, we introduced a new management structure”

“I’m really proud of those guys, that they didn’t get distracted and didn’t let their customers down. I couldn’t have asked for any more.”

Wild, as it happens, almost didn’t get a chance to oversee this new-look company. In July 2012 it was announced that she would be leaving the business but less than six-months later, went back on this decision.

So what changed?

“Harriet and Peter,” she says. “It was too good [an opportunity] to say no to and I’m delighted that I made that decision because I’ve loved every minute - loved working for Peter and admire Harriet beyond belief. I’m a big fan.”

Next year she will get the chance to add at least a further five concept stores, possibly up to 10, but she concedes she has no set target for the final number.

Intriguingly, Cook managed to steel a march on rival Tui Travel in the launch of its next-generation stores. Thomson’s first concept store opened in the summer.

“I’m flattered Tui followed my lead first of all,” she says half-jokingly.

“On a serious note… this is really positive. That both of us are demonstrating we are investing in our stores again, whether it’s high street or shopping malls, can only be a good thing for the travel sector.

“On my local high street, probably a third of the outlets are empty, but we seem to be bucking that trend, which is great. It’s quite interesting because selling holidays is a virtual product.

“That’s why it’s important the training of our people is at the level our customers expect, because our customers can’t touch and feel. It’s not like going into Apple and you can physically feel that product. That’s where their expertise comes into play, especially when you’re spending thousands of pounds with us.”