Some agents do indeed check availability for customers and will ring them back if they see some pop up. With one exception I don't think it adds anything to the usual self-check process, which you should do every UK morning, I am under the impression that only Newcastle and Manchester staff will do this, I doubt it happens in New Delhi, but it's in the context of developing relationship with a customer. I presume they also gave you a direct extension number and perhaps asked whether you wanted (e.g.) a hotel booked. Clearly if it's a busy day and both customer and agent want to keep it brief, this isn't going to happen. The exception referenced above is that sometimes the same agent is aware of someone else holding availability, or a cancellation in the offing, maybe they're aware of a colleague doing something in this area. Or perhaps a changed schedule. This is one of the rare times that availability shows up in the middle of the day and so the agent will be one step ahead of self checking.

I don't think it's new, but sometimes the message from management is "upsell, upsell, upsell"!