Staff working in DFS stores at Singapore Changi Airport are the first travel retail professionals to embark on the new Responsible Retail Training Programme (RRTP) devised by the Asia Pacific Travel Retail Association (APTRA).

 

APTRA first launched the training initiative in March this year; the web-based training package was created for staff at all levels of seniority working on the front line in airports, ferries and downtown duty free stores, says APTRA.

 

The RRTP collaboration is part of Changi Airport Group’s Quality Service Management Framework for concessionaires that ‘supports all its airport retailers in their pursuit to deliver a high quality service experience to the travelling passengers’.

 

Two back office and 16 front line sales staff have started the web-based modules and the remaining 14 sales staff will commence training when shift patterns and workload permit.

 

 

BESPOKE TRAINING PACKAGE

The RRTP is a bespoke training package for customer service staff in airports, ferries and downtown duty free stores which is designed to implement the principles of the Self-regulatory Code of Conduct for Alcohol Sales which APTRA introduced in 2012.

 

“The objective is to ensure that staff members respect local and international sales regulations when selling alcohol in duty free and travel retail stores and refrain from selling to passengers whose purchases may be seized by customs authorities on their onward journey,” says APTRA.

 

“This responsible approach to liquor retailing is set to underline the integrity of the duty free and travel retail industry which has been accused in the past, often unjustly, of selling alcohol to minors, of encouraging passengers to buy although their onward journey precluded such a purchase, and of failing to respect legislation relevant to the sale of alcoholic drinks.”

 

Parker Gundersen, General Manager of DFS Venture Singapore Pte Ltd, commented, “DFS is proud to have been chosen to launch this training initiative with APTRA. The RRTP is a useful accessory to our sales training programme which is easy to use and communicates rather complicated material in a way which is easy to digest. Thanks to its module format sales staff can do a little at a time so it fits neatly into their working day.”

 

In summary, Jaya Singh, President APTRA, said, “Overall the response from the DFS staff who have undergone training has been very positive and we have been complimented on the accessibility and relevance of the Responsible Retail Training Programme. We are grateful to DFS and Changi Airport for agreeing to be the pilot site and for giving us the opportunity to correct a few glitches in the programme.

 

“I urge all those travel retailers who are engaged in liquor sales to contact us and arrange to take part in this training programme. The more members of the industry who embrace the fine principles outlined in our Code of Conduct, and are seen to do so, the better our reputation as an industry will become and the more our views will be embraced in advocacy issues in the future.”