industry they work in, and they should have experienced the travel products. Coyle adds that this individual must be able to demonstrate some knowledge about the travel products as well, and bears long-term intentions with this opportunity and the firm. He further elaborates that to do so, it is a two-way relationship and incentives (financial, experiential, etc.) should be offered by the firm to entice, engage, and motivate Generation Y. Moreover, Gowling states that a proven sales record is another key thing one should look for – be it the sales of photocopies at a local shop or sales of Big Macs at McDonalds. Also, before hiring an individual, Gowling suggested to ask the individual to demonstrate the sales skill. She also suggests that if possible, have a 2nd person from the office involved in the recruitment process. This will help validate the recruitment approach and the 2nd person can perhaps pick up on things that the primary recruiter may have missed out on.
Further Comments: Lastly, upon asking for any further comments and valuable insight, surprisingly, both Gowling and Coyle elaborated on the power of “positivity” and “positive work environment”, and how happy people make a place both productive and enjoyable. Coyle referred to Oprah and how she always states that the secret to happiness is belief – the belief that staying optimistic and believing in oneself can accomplish anything. Coyle said that the first thing he tells his employees whenever he is requested to take over a new store is, “Treat everyone who contacts you as if they are contacting you to book. We are not an inquiry source that sends out quotes, we are the ends of the line, and the client is ready to make a booking. So believe in that belief, serve them as if they were ready to book, and go get that sale.”
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