Traveling is a luxury especially when it involves planes, hotels, and tourist spots. In every business travel, visiting a country during vacations, or even just for commercial traveling, tourists have to spend a great deal of money for booking flights, hotel, train tickets, car rentals, cruise lines, travel packages, etc. And of course, someone should be tasked to do all the reservations. That is where the travel agency’s job comes in. They are the ones who are responsible in making those phone calls for reservations. There is no need to have a secretary or assistant to contact those who will provide services when you travel. Travel agencies are the one-stop shop for all your booking needs in your adventure.
Travel agency industry is a booming business back in the days. It is one of the fastest growing businesses around the world. This is why many have engaged in this opportunity and many have been competing to be the best. Unfortunately, in the beginning of 21st century, a significant number of travel agencies have begun to fall. Because of the widespread use of the Internet, travel agencies have been replaced by OTA or online travel agency. And just like before, it had been a total sold out. In fact, according to an article from Forbes.com, the bookings made in 2013 have exceeded $150 billion in profit. That is 38% of all the online market in the world and 13% of the global travel market. Plus, there is that statistical data that estimate a 12% growth of online travel market every year. Now, how is that for an online ticket sale?
However, while all of these numbers can be fascinating for some, it had actually caused some problems for many online traveling agencies. Just like before, competition has become a prominent game in this business. Because of the high demand for this industry, many online traveling agencies have continuously sprouted in the Internet. That is why everyone is struggling to gain the momentum to be in the lead. Everyone is fighting a constant battle in the online travel market arena. If you are one of the players in this game, surely, you have already heard about the weapon called travel agency software.
That is where every online travel agency starts. They have to have a web platform where tourists can access. This is exactly the purpose of the travel agency software. Basically, it is the system integrated in the website of the traveling agency. It is where every online travel agency differs. They have different features, integrations, and capabilities. This software is their weapon in this game. Now, every travel agency system has its own capabilities that can bring the agency at the top of the food chain. So, it is fair to say that whoever wields the fiercest weapon gains the biggest profit.
So, this leads to one thing – choosing the right travel agency software. How can you do that? It all depends on your hands. If you are just a beginner with this kind of stuff, you should know that there are literally hundreds of software solutions that you can choose from. It would be very overwhelming if you don’t know what you are looking for. On the good side, this stuff could be learned. There are few things that you can do in order to make the right decision, but you have to spend a lot of time and effort first. Of course, you have to make your research first before the selection process. In this phase, you have to read a lot of sources including the reviews about travel agency software. You must also read blogs and articles that are relevant in this matter. The tips and advices from blogs can be very useful in guiding you in the selection process. This is also one of those types of blogs. So, before we could wander into other realm or arenas with imaginary weaponry, let’s just get on with it, shall we?
Here is the list of things that you can consider when looking for the best travel agency software:
Consider the Features That You Need
There is no software solution that contains all the features in the world. This is not a solution to be the best in this field. However, the most important thing that you can do when choosing a travel agency system is to enumerate the features that you need.
If you have already experienced the job in the travel agency, you can use that to determine the features that will help you in that job. On the other hand, if you don’t know what features to look for, here are some examples that you might want to consider:
- Booking management
- Payment methods and postings in the web
- Communication methods
- Integration with third-party suppliers
- Document management and reporting
- Online booking (B2C), integration with website
- Customizable template and user interface
- Integration with your local payment providers
- Tracking accounts (receivable/payable)
- Sub-agent booking (B2B)
- API (or some other type of extensibility)
- Product types (cruise tickets, accommodation, car rentals, transfers, air-tickets, etc.)
- Invoicing, quoting, CRM
- Integration with accounting software
Never Buy a System Without Demo
Don’t be satisfied with online presentations. You should always look for a demo or free trial. Many online travel agencies had been complaining about this gimmick of software vendors. At first, the presentation looks good, but when they actually implement the software, they later found out that it doesn’t solve their problems or needs in their job.
So, you should really be careful about this.
One way to prevent this from happening is if you talk to the salesman. Because the salesmen are trained and knowledgeable about that software, you can ask some questions pertaining to your needs and the features that the software can offer. There should be an ample understanding in the other end. They should understand the situation of your business so that they can offer some useful capabilities of the software. If you are satisfied with their answers because it fits all the needs in your business, then it is a good choice. Otherwise, you should start looking for another vendor.
You can also find some providers that offer a free trial of their software. In this case, you really don’t need to ask a lot of questions. You can try the software yourself and if you found some problems, consult it to the provider. Then, after testing the software, you can make your verdict. If it provides the features that solve majority of your needs, then it is the one for your agency. If not, then you can always look for another software solution.
Services Offered by the Vendor
There is no software that can satisfy all the needs in your business. So, when you are looking for the best travel agency system, never expect that it has all the features that you need. However, if you really want to get some additional features, you can ask some software providers to that for you. Some vendors are offering a customizable solution to their client. This means that they can customize or adjust the software based on your business needs. On the other hand, this service is not free. So, you have to be willing to pay additional charges if you want this kind of software solution.
Also, never forget to check the customer support service of your provider. It would be frustrating if something happens to the server in a busy working day but you cannot do anything to solve it. So, you can ask the vendor about their customer support service. What are the hours they are available? What is the response time after they receive your ticket? Those sorts of questions will give you an idea on how they can help whenever a problem in the software arises.
Consider It as a Long-Term Investment
No matter how less expensive the software that you will buy, it is still not advisable to change it every year or every six months. Always remember that the transition will be a hassle for your business. Plus, it is expensive to do so. Therefore, you should consider that the software that you will purchase will be your long-time partner in the business.
You should set your mind on this perspective when you choose your travel agency software. Never do a mediocre selection because you are thinking to just switch in other software after some month. Instead, you must choose a software solution that can grow along with your travel agency business. It should be capable of upgrades and constantly improving so that it could keep up with the latest technology.
It is indeed a tough job to choose the best travel agency software for your business. On the other hand, all those time and efforts that you have spent in the selection process will soon pay off. You just need to do enough research and follow the tips in the selection process, just like those things that you’ve read earlier. You can utilize them when you are already looking for the ideal travel agency software for your business.
You can also visit CrowdReviews.com and check out the reviews and rankings of the best travel agency software in the market today. There, you can find blogs and honest reviews from actual clients of the software vendors. These sources can help you in your research so don’t forget to check this site. And… where did we stop about those battle, weapon, and arena thing?
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