An innovative cost saving training solution, to train 3000 Travelodge staff within the UK, whilst saving Travelodge over £100,000.
Travelodge, the UK's leading budget hotel brand, has introduced an innovative training concept - The BOSS BUS (Boss - Back Office Systems Solution). A bespoke mobile training vehicle, which will travel throughout the UK, training Travelodge hotel staff on the new back office purchasing system - SAP. The bus has been customised internally into a state of the art training facility with the latest technology to train twelve staff at one time. The exterior of the bus is branded in the new Travelodge brand identity.
The bus will travel to individual Travelodge hotels within the UK to train Cluster and Hotel Managers within a specified area. The bus will be parked in the hotel car park for two days while the training takes place. Hotel facilities will be used for breaks throughout the day.
Harry Turner, Travelodge Chief Operating Officer said, "Travelodge is a budget operation and we have to constantly seek new initiatives and challenge existing procedures in order to save money and provide the best level of service to our customers and staff. The BOSS BUS demonstrates such an example. We have introduced a new purchasing software (SAP) and we had the task of training 3000 of our staff that are located throughout the UK. The standard format would have been to hire venues and hold individual training sessions throughout the UK. Staff would have had to travel to the training venue and stay overnight, which would have added to the initial training budget and resulted in a total cost of £150,000 to the company. Instead we came up with the novel idea of taking the training to our staff at a cost of £1,850 per region saving the company over £100,000."
Barbara Gelling, Liverpool Travelodge hotel manager, said "The BOSS BUS is a fantastic idea. Bringing the bus to the hotels saves a considerable amount of time and money, as well as offering staff flexibility, as they do not have to worry about travel arrangements or family commitments. The training is very comprehensive and, due to the training module and layout of the bus, it feels like a one to one training program which makes it easier to learn how the new system will work".
The BOSS BUS training programme will reach all corners of the UK and will be completed in September 2005. There are plans to continue with the Bus for other training initiatives from September onwards.
Images of the inside and outside of the bus are available.
For further information please contact:
Shakila Ahmed
PR & Communications Manager
Direct Line: 0121 521 6638
Mobile: 07802 702 499
Email: Shakila.ahmed@Travelodge.co.uk
Note to Editor:
* Travelodge has 269 hotels throughout the UK and employs 4500 staff
* Room rates start from £26 (£46 in Central London)
* Travelodge has launched a revolutionary search tool facility on its website, www.travelodge.co.uk, which provides clarity on identifying all available rooms within the UK at the low-cost rate of £26 and £46*(* Central London).