The Unconventional Guide to Travel Agency Software Share: Adamo Software Date Published 9 July 2020 Categories Blog Reading Time 5-Minute Read The travel agency software market has been flourishing for the last five years, thanks to the rise of online travel agencies (OTA). Let’s take a look at this market. Although the tourism industry is suffering from massive losses recently, it is predicted to sharply rise again with the support of governments across the globe. To recover after the COVID-19, travel agencies also need to focus on streamlining and optimizing their operations, especially using technology. Travel Agency Workflow In a travel agency, multiple processes are executed throughout the company. Regularly, here is how the client booking process is simplified into seven key steps: Request submission (from clients or service people on the tour booking platform) Request pre-approval (the information of the request is directly sent to the appropriate staff to handle) Booking processing (the client would continue negotiating or asking for more details) Booking payment (the deal is sealed, transactions happen) Booking placement (the request is transferred to a completed booking and handed to the tour operators so that they can go on the travel ticketing system to officially book tours) Service providing (the travel tours are delivered as requested) After-service (clients create feedbacks and reviews about the travel agency) From step to step, there are many interactions between the travel agency and the client. They continuously interact and exchange information. As a result, without the help of suitable travel agency software development, it is difficult for these companies to achieve desirable efficiency in executing their business. Since the manual process also enclose with the high possibility of occurring mistakes in some steps, Besides client-facing tasks, they are just like other companies with administration, sales, marketing, logistics, and further activities. These tasks can be intense because they have to deal with a prominent number of vendors and partners and clients. Management Software for Travel Agency Tasks Before jumping right into the SaaS market, a travel agency should organize an audit to evaluate the company’s situation. That would help the owner to have a bigger and more precise picture of his/her company before choosing software to support the company’s tasks. After that, requesting a demo is the right choice to see if the software is a fit with your staff and yourself. The easiest way to try is to test the demo of travel agency management. This type of software supports almost every aspect of the company that saves time for travel agencies when looking into ways of improving their work. Here are features that many travel agency management solutions should be considered: Central Reservation System The wide range of software development services makes it harder for travel agencies to handle all of them without proper arrangements. Thus, it is required the software has adequate capacity to support. From flights, cars, hotel reservations to travel insurance, all these need to be integrated on to one platform. The central reservation system also provides users with the inventory of diversity suppliers around that they can consider before booking. Online Booking Feature Another common feature is online booking software that you may see this feature in any hotel reservation software. It is for the convenience of the clients themselves to customize their own tour. But this can also apply to planners who are hired to plan for the clients. This widget is usually installed on the company’s website or within the online workspace of the responsible staff. Quotation Management A quotation or proposal is a crucial part of dealing with clients. This feature supports agencies with accurate and a variety of booking combinations (based on the specific requests from clients). The software allows agencies to apply flexible pricing without overcomplicating the quotation or confusing the clients. Some software products also provide a critical comparison between packages. So, clients can thoroughly view what options are available for them to choose from. Customer Relationship Management Like any business, travel agencies have to take care of their clients carefully from the potential stage to the loyalty stage. With CRM running along with booking platforms, it is easier to gather and process insights to generate reports for the sales & marketing department. In the travel industry, CRM can be considered as gold storing and mining. Companies can accurately identify their most lucrative segment of clients to serve as well as drawing accurate customer persona to customize the experiences for them. Marketing Management Knowing insights refer to the concept of taking action to acquire or maintain clients is another thing. The marketing management system provides smooth data analysis and data report generation to help marketers to have clarity in what they do. Moreover, they must manage their budget in proportion to the current revenue stream. Payment Tools Making the payment is the last step of the purchase. It should be happening quickly and effortlessly so that no client stops at the CTA button! The online payment service should accept all credit cards from major providers. It should also automatically provide receipts, invoices and even streams at the moment. Selection Tips for Travel Agencies Managing a travel agency requires a lot of effort and thinking. Despite various features to be selected, the decision should be made based on your operation situation. It necessarily requests a demo for every vendor you encounter.