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THOMAS Cook’s new managing director sales Steve Finlan has pledged to increase customer loyalty on the high street after claiming the brand is failing to leverage its full potential.

Finlan, who started in May and previously worked at clothes retailers Gap and Marks & Spencer, is reviewing all Thomas Cook’s distribution - shops, web, TV, text, direct - to assess their viability.

Claiming sales are up 18% in the first fortnight of Thomas Cook’s 1970s retail campaign, Finlan said more could be done to improve loyalty to the Thomas Cook brand.

“At the moment we’re not being paid for having the best brand out there,” he said.

“It’s a question of how you unlock what is a phenomenal brand. We’re not telling people about the services we want to be famous for.”

He argued agents were not highlighting services that distinguish them from rivals.

“The travel high street is too vanilla from a customer perspective. We have the best service but we have to find a better way of showing what this brand stands for.”

Finlan said multiples were often guilty of copying each other’s tactics rather than considering customers’ needs.

He added: “While we huddle together we can be guilty of not keeping an eye on what customers want.”

Although distribution is under review, no decisions have been made, said Finlan.

“I have to get my head around whether we’re right to pursue a multi-channel proposition and which is the most viable option.

“I will not hurry into a decision. I’ve no particular plans to close or open channels.”

Most sales still come through shops but the TV station and website are the fastest-growing sales channels.

Finlan also hopes to make Thomas Cook agencies work together more consistently and improve the shop environment.