Thomas Cook details marketing-led turnaround plans
Thomas Cook is to put marketing at the centre of its turnaround strategy after announcing a raft of brand-led measures aimed at driving sales growth of 3.5 per cent by 2015.
The group’s chief executive Harriet Green , who took over from the long-serving Manny Fontenla-Novoa in May 2012, says the company is adopting a “ high tech, high touch approach” that aims to “delights customers with trusted, personalised holiday experiences”.
Measures include:
- Product and service innovation. Increasing the volume of winter sun and packaged city break holidays as well as the number of design-led budget hotels and expanding room and flight only booking opportunities.
- Introduction of a “single customer gateway” Fewer sites, online brands and websites will reduce to just three in the UK and one in Germany, in a bid todeliver a “consistent, personalised customer experience”.
- Increased marketing spend. Investment in offline advertising and search optimisation will rise as will spend on “customer engagement tools”.
- A greater focus on the Thomas Cook brand. The company claims the 171-year-old brand “engenders trust” and demonstrates a “commitment to quality”. Citing its own survey, the company says trust in the brand is 9 per cent higher than the market average.
The marketing initiatives will be led by marketing chief Mike Hoban, who joined from Confused.com last year.
The company is also looking to boost profitability through cost-cutting. Last week, it announced it was axing 2,500 jobs and closing 195 shops to save money.
Thomas Cook has endured a turbulent couple of years that has seen profit slump and emergency debt refinancing.
