TravelMole Interview: Keith Webber, head of sales and marketing, Telewest business, travel sector
Telewest is urging agents to save time and money by adopting broadband links in their agencies.
The communications giant is arguing that broadband is not only cheaper than traditional dial-up services, but is also much speedier and more efficient.
It claims that a typical travel agency employing four staff, each accessing viewdata for an hour and a half and the internet for half an hour each day, will currently be paying around £300 a month on a pay-as-you-go dial up connection. Broadband costs a flat fee of £119 per month.
“The figures are realistic and demonstrate what a saving can be made by switching to broadband,” said Keith Webber (pictured), head of sales and marketing, Telewest business, travel sector.
“There are no installation charges and the service is also blisteringly fast – with up to half a megabyte band width it’s ten times as fast as other lines. That means you can service customers better.”
Agents signing up to broadband can access viewdata, the Internet and emails.
“Going forward, there are increasing requirements on agencies to provide data for their customers,” said Webber.
“They need things like weather, information, content from hotels. You can only distribute a lot of data if you have the infrastructure to be able to download it and you can do that with broadband.”
Webber said Telewest had around 1,500 agents signed up to its Endeavour portal and more of them are switching from ISDN lines to broadband.
“I think we will have around 60% of our connected community on broadband by the end of the year and we also want to attract more agents,” he said.
“I expect the travel sector to embrace broadband quicker than other industries because of the dynamics of the sector.
“Travel is very competitive and low margin. If you can save costs and get an edge over your competitor, you can’t afford to turn down that opportunity.”
Webber added that in the first quarter of last year 15% of its new connections were for broadband, with the majority choosing ISDN or dial up facilities. In the first quarter of this year, 90% of new connections were for broadband.
Read our previous interviews:
09-May-2003 TravelMole Interview: Simon Powell, chief executive, Comtec
09-May-2003 TravelMole
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Higher departure tax and visa cost, e-arrival card: Japan unleashes the fiscal weapon against tourists
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports
Singapore to forbid entry to undesirable travelers with new no-boarding directive
Euromonitor International unveils world’s top 100 city destinations for 2025