A Cafe del Mar soundtrack of acid jazz is faintly audible and a white pergola stands to my right, next to images of palm trees.

All that’s missing is a mojito in my hand.

What might surprise you about this scenario is that I’m not in fact on a beach in the tropics, but in 2,000 square feet of prime retail estate in Bluewater shopping centre.

Here at Thomson’s new flagship store the holiday essence has been brought to the consumer, lilo seating included.

“We want to inject a bit of fun,” says Kathryn Ward, director of retail for Tui UK & Ireland at the store’s opening.

“Putting the customer in control opens up so many different doors - it’s easier to sell to them [if they’re leading the sale]”

Doug Glenwright, Tui UK & Ireland

“There is no one else who has this experience,” adds Doug Glenwright, general manager of retail transfor-mation distribution at Tui UK & Ireland.

The vertically integrated operator has taken design inspiration from retail giants Apple and Nike and it shows in the sleek new interior.

Giant screens abound while fittings and furniture are minimalist.

The next generation store is divided into several different zones, including booth areas for customers to talk with agents; an informal “pool area” for customers to lounge in; and an Advice Bar modelled on Apple’s Genius Bar.

Retail revolution

Technology is the key focus at the new store, and Ward signalled that the approach is more revolution than revamp.

“This is not about gimmicks,” she says. “It’s about integrating technology into the experience. Technology will assist people in making their choices when they’re deciding which holidays to buy.”

Outside, shoppers are greeted with an immersive video wall “shop window” that showcases Thomson’s products through bespoke videos.

The entrance is punctuated with a freestanding interactive table and an 84 inch wall-mounted touch screen.

Here customers can swipe and tap the interactive maps (pictured below) to view all of the operator’s 18,000 products, as well as videos of the resorts and cruise liners, TripAdvisor reviews and briefings on flight times and average weather conditions.

Any products that pique customer’s interest can then be sent via email to be viewed at a later date.

“This is not about gimmicks. It’s about integrating technology into the experience.”

Kathryn Ward, Tui UK & Ireland

Customers at the new store are encouraged to pilot the sales process and use the technology available in a way that suits their needs, whether that involves sitting at a desk to use PCs, lounging in the “pool area” withThomson’s laptops or using the free Wi-Fi on their own mobile devices.

“They [agents] will showcase the technology and let the customer lead it [the interaction],” says Douglas Nye, divisional sales manager at Tui UK.

“They [agents] are there to provide assistance,” adds Glenwright. “We’re validating choices and decisions they [customers] have made. Putting the customer in control opens up so many different doors - it’s easier to sell to them [if they’re leading the sale].”

Another dramatic change has been to all but remove the ubiquitous brochure from the shop floor. Instead Thomson is peddling postcards, featuring bite-sized pieces of information about resorts and destinations, though brochures still feature, encased behind the Advice Bar and available on request.

The hope is that these small memos will serve as reminders and inspiration for the customer’s next holiday.

Altering perceptions

For Ward the redesign is also a means to help alter the perception and definition of travel agencies.

Rather than viewing stores as small spaces where interactions are long and tedious, Ward hopes that customers will feel they can just pop in for a quick browse or to make a quick enquiry.

“Not everybody who walks past is thinking about booking a holiday, but we want to grab people’s attention,” she said. “Even if it’s just to come in and browse.”

With all this technology going on, what about the human element?

In line with the change in aesthetics and sales process, staff training has featured on Thomson’s agenda.

The store’s 25 staff received special training to prepare for the different ways in which they are expected to interact with customers.

Training encompassed ways in which to engineer a “seamless journey” for the customer; all consultants, for example, trained in how to operate the foreign exchange counter, thus being able to lead the customer from an initial enquiry through to making a booking and then providing foreign currency.

Despite the switch to a tech-focused store, Glenwright explains that this has not rendered personnel redundant.

“We’re not trying to replace staff here,” he says. “We highlight that if you can’t find what you’re looking for the staff are here to help.”

Aside from helping during the decision-making process, the need for agents to be on-hand has been further validated by the removal of all pricing from the shop floor.

High street vision

Thomson’s investment in its new retail concept sends the industry a clear message: there’s still profit to be made on the high street.

“There’s lots of coverage in the media about the demise of retail,” Ward said.

“We don’t think it’s about the demise of retail, it’s about the role of retail in future.”

At present the new concept has only been launched in one store, so is the retailer confident enough in the next generation store to roll the model out to more Thomson agencies in the near future?

“We have a vision and aspiration that the top 100 footfall shops will look something like this in the future,” Ward says.

However, she remained tight-lipped on exact details, stating that much will depend on customer reaction to the pilot store.

And rather than refitting entire shops, Ward is anticipating taking key components to existing stores.