ITALY. Travel retail boutique agency 2.0 & Partners has partnered with SEA Group to deliver its Chinese Excellence Academy workshop to Milan Airports’ frontline staff.
On 21 November, an in-person workshop was led by 2.0 & Partners Head of Customer eXperience Management – Italy Erika Gianni, alongside Content Developer Simin Liu and Customer eXperience Management Project Manager Roberta Coletta.
The Chinese Excellence Academy offers both online and offline workshops – specially designed by industry experts for the travel retail sector – to help employees enhance services for Chinese consumers.
Outbound travel from China is poised to reach 80% of pre-COVID levels in 2024 (source: Economist Intelligence). According to 2.0 & Partners, evolving and higher expectations for in-store service and staff interaction have resulted in a decreased willingness to spend among this once key shopper demographic.
As Chinese consumers return to the travel retail market, it’s important that in-store experiences feel tailored to their needs.
The Chinese Excellence Academy provides training focused on cultural understanding, helping participants grasp the norms and purchasing behaviour of Chinese shoppers.
The course covers effective communication, including Mandarin and non-verbal cues, along with tailored sales techniques. The content is presented in an interactive format to help participants quickly absorb new information and skills.
“We are delighted to bring this tailormade and vital training programme to frontline staff at SEA Milano,” said Gianni.
“The return of Chinese travellers is an exciting opportunity for the travel retail sector, but these shoppers’ demands, expectations and willingness to spend has changed. Frontline staff must be fully equipped with the insights, techniques and understandings to deliver exactly the service their consumers demand.
“This course has been crafted by experts to enhance the offer of travel retail staff, and we are excited to further our partnership with SEA Milano with this workshop.” ✈
