Thalys
Service providers

Thalys Booking Competition 2008




Background:
At the end of 2008, the European high-speed train, Thalys, is nearing completion of the refitting of its rolling stock and further improvement of its journey times. However, due to the existence of different flight connections and the extension of various international high-speed train networks, it faces a highly competitive market.

Target Group:
The focus rests on the Travel Centers of Deutsche Bundesbahn. It is planned to reach 30-35 of the top-selling sales partners of recent quarters. In the first instance, the emphasis lies on the key market North Rhine-Westphalia.


Task:
Short-term objective: The sale of Comfort 1 tickets is to be promoted with the aid of a sales competition for the duration of one month, in order to once more achieve the highest possible sales potential during the last quarter of the year.

Long-term objective: Sales personnel of the Travel Centers will receive detailed information about the additional benefits of the Comfort 1 class, which is geared to make Thalys stand out from other train-service operators. The implementation and structure of the competition helps to actively train employees during the sales talk with the customer, allowing the sales arguments to be internalised continually.

Solution:
At the heart of the advertising measure is an elaborate and substantial action calendar, supported by a teaser at the start of the competition. The calendar resembles a Thalys train; it is divided into separate compartments and – with reference to the location of Thalys’ head office – contains the finest Belgian chocolates as a reward for every action day used productively. By putting up the calendar we aim to keep the competition alive in people’s minds and remind them of the advantages of Thalys for the duration of the competition. As the prize should benefit all members of the team, a total of 50 i-pod Shuffles will be given away. Like Thalys, these stand for innovation, user-friendliness and clear design. Moreover, they are likely to be used long after the booking competition has closed, thus creating a positive and durable image transfer for Thalys.




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