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Waterstone's staff offer tourist advice

26.08.08

Waterstone's branches will provide tourists with local information after joining a new scheme in conjunction with national tourism agency VisitBritain.

More than 20 branches will display free leaflets on nearby places of interest and tourist attractions on a specially designed rack. Staff will be given cards to help improve their knowledge of their local area. They will also be trained about local attractions.

Travel Daily News reports that "although not experts on the whole of England, Waterstone’s staff will be able to provide visitors with basic yet essential information and point visitors to TICs [local tourist information centres] to take advantage of their more detailed knowledge".

"Waterstone’s was selected as a partner by VisitBritain because of the quality of our booksellers who are often very knowledgeable about a wide range of topics, including their local area," said business communications manager Adam Janes. "This is an ideal opportunity to attract more customers into our branches while positioning Waterstone’s at the heart of the local community."

The displays will be in store at Stratford upon Avon, Southampton West Quay, Plymouth Drake Circus, University of Essex and Reading Broad Street, three branches in Coventry, and stores in Amersham, Hereford, Hexham, London Science Museum, Lowestoft, Lincoln, Manchester, Newbury, Newton Abbot, and Norwich.

Travel Daily News

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By Clive Keeble

The first step towards Waterstone's selectively sub-letting space to local TIC's which are in many cases now endangered species due to broader public internet access ??

26 Aug 08 08:03

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By inwaiting

Well, are Waterstones passing on the extra income from VisitBritain as higher wages for the staff who are now tourist guides on top of being booksellers (what is that all about!?) How does a "knowledgeable bookseller" feel about being turned into a tourist guide? What does it say about the respect Waterstones have for the "knowledgeable booksellers" they employ? Do the shops need the subsidy to survive? Questions.

26 Aug 08 10:54

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By Clive Keeble

Perhaps I should warn "inwaiting" that some local councils give their TIC staff a job title of "community enabler", not quite sure how that will fit on the scale vis-a-vis "bookseller" !!

26 Aug 08 11:53

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By Ray Hollingsworth

This is only the beginning ( and end ).

26 Aug 08 18:51

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By Kieron S

Personally I'd like to know how Montgomery Bright might take the news.

26 Aug 08 19:26

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By The Voice of Treason

I hear that Mr Bright's opinions are now identical to those of his new employers.

27 Aug 08 22:05

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By David R N Livesley - Woodstock Vermont

Ye gods...what next....really this is clasping at straws...why not go the whole hog and do ice cream and candy floss as well.....mind you it's stolen the a lead on this 'marvelous idea' from Walmart/Tesco et al.... Amersham of course is known for it's high tourist rate...

28 Aug 08 00:39

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By Buff Orpington

In retail terms it's a good idea for adding extra sales in an increasingly tough market. However my heart goes out to the poor buggers who work in any of these branches. Booksellers have a tough enough time as it is trying to juggle the demands of customers, stock and 'compliance' with the latest brainchild from their head office. Now, in addition to being expected to deal with book enquiries, they will have to know the A-Z off by heart and the opening hours of local museums. What is Waterstone's giving back to the booksellers? The job used to have some perks, but these days staff aren't even allowed to borrow books. I expect there'll be some 'performance-related' bonus linked to a KPI, assessed by a mystery shopper (or mystery tourist) of £200 (before tax). I'd be happier if Waterstone's just treated their booksellers with a little more respect and acknowledged how many 'big pieces of work' (to use their phrase) they're burdening their staff with.

28 Aug 08 16:34

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