Travel Software Comes In Different Shapes & Sizes

Like most things, Travel Software comes in many shapes and sizes with solutions to fit just about any size travel business or budget. The key is finding the right fit for your business.

One of the areas that travel agent software can vary greatly is in what some refer to as the 'Rules Engine'. Some simply provide the ability to adjust a products selling price, while others go a step further and allow travel agents to customize and deliver a specific marketing message to both agents and customers. The typical Rules Engine used to be rigid and time-consuming to use, but this has changed as technology has evolved. Rather than a limited selection of Rule parameters, some innovative online booking engines offer 20+ filters and rule types, allowing agents selling cruises to choose from options such as on-board credits, rewards points, value adds, discounts, mark-ups, etc. They can be applied individually or combined. The same customizable approach is used with defining price adjustments, giving agents the ability to sets rates, commission levels and more.

The right travel agent software can also improve the entire business process for agents and financial staff. Providing tools to manage bookings like the ability to cross check a booking with Supplier's internal system can eliminate the need to call a Supplier to verify a booking was received and reduce the chances of any errors. Some applications can even automatically double-check bookings through every step of the process. Export of the booking information for use with other critical systems such as CRM and accounting systems can streamline the process and improve the accuracy and timeless of critical financial information.

There are so many travel options in the market today and the competition for customers is greater than ever. Access to content options can make a critical difference, so look for travel agent software that is fast and flexible enough to allow agents to search multiple content sources for the best price. And for increased speed and accuracy, look for applications that Cache data to improve response time and continuously update the cache data for the most up to date information. Quicker response times can help increase your agents productivity and earning power.

Don't miss an opportunity to maximize your sales by expanding the type of products you offer customers. Consider adding the option to include an airline reservation for your customers booking a cruise. Or a packaging engine that uses Air as the base of the transaction and then adds other travel products like hotel accommodations or activities. Travel agent software with packaging modules provide the features and capability to allow agents and/or consumers to make their own vacation package with flights, hotel accommodations, activities and more. You even have the option to create a predefined package with fix components or allow the agent and/or consumer to dynamically package it themselves.

Finding a travel software with the right combination of options for your business can be a critical decision. Finding a technology partner that will help you reach today's mobile consumer with the right content can be just as important.

Mobile Clients Require A Mobile Booking Engine

Do you remember the days before mobile phones and handheld devices became part of everyday life? One can almost wonder how anyone survived without them. But like most innovations, they quickly became part of our everyday life and eventually the innovative became the norm. Take a good look around you right now and you'll probably see someone looking at their smartphone, checking their email, social media page or sending a text. Today's mobile devices have become an integral part of our culture and the use of handheld devices is now much higher than personal computers as an increasing number of people booking travel are using a mobile booking engine. Many of us have become addicted to these devices and constantly check them for something new. Mobile devices have become the key method for people to get the latest news, shop for just about anything and even interact with each other.

As the world has become more mobile, it has also become more Global. Travel agency businesses are looking to expand into new markets more than ever. The ability for your mobile booking engine to seamlessly processes cross-border bookings in multiple currencies and languages is key for travel agencies looking to become global retailers. Access to local content can be a significantly important to your success when expanding into new markets, so make sure the technology solution you choose has the content you need to be successful. Even the best technology will be useless without the right content.

'Mobile First' should be the philosophy for all development, not just the front end of your mobile booking engine but also the administration section console. Being completely mobile friendly can be a huge differentiator by allowing Agents as well as Clients to use their tablets, iPads or even phone to book as well as manage bookings. But for those of us who still prefer to speak with a travel agent before making a purchase, don't throw out your call center application. The mobile booking engine you choose will likely still need to support traditional call center bookings (B2B) as well as directly from the consumer (B2C) as well as B2B2C to serve all potential customers.

With the all the time that people spend using their mobile devices, it's no wonder that mobile Apps for travel booking solutions have become a popular way for travel agents to interact with their customers. For example, there are airline booking engines that include an optional Air Mobile App as an optional "add-on". These state of the art mobile apps take full advantage of the powerful administrative features that the booking engine offers combined with the ease and mobility a of using a smart phone or tablet. Or for those looking to simply enhance or update their website so it is more compatible with customers using a Smart Phone or Tablet, today's innovative responsive technology can automatically adjust the layout of the online booking engine display based on the type of device being used to access the website.

Finding a mobile booking engine with the right combination of options for your business can be a critical decision. Finding a technology partner that will help you reach today's mobile consumer where and how they shop for travel can be just as important.

Today's Travel Booking Engines Offer Endless Options

The travel booking engine you choose is a key element of your online business operations and needs to support the larger overall company strategy. It is always a good idea to start by reviewing your existing customer base and determine how you might serve them better and offer them additional services. Research has shown that it is usually less expensive to sell to existing customers and avoid to additional costs and resources often required to secure a new customer. Have you considered adding a hotel option for those customers using your air booking engine? What about a packaging engine that uses Cruise as the base of the transaction and then adds other travel products like air, hotel accommodations or activities during or around the Cruise dates. Odysseus clients will now have the features and capability to offer agents and consumers to either tailor make their own cruise/holiday with flights, hotel, activities and more or from a set of predefined trip/package that is tailored by a vacation expert.

How do your end customers prefer to make their travel reservations? This can be an important question to answer to make sure the travel booking engine you choose will provide access to the distribution channels you'll need to serve your customers. Decades ago, a good retail location with plenty of foot traffic and a few Advertisements featuring special offers were enough to drive customers into your agency. The online revolution has dramatically changed the way consumers shop for everything, including travel.

Call center applications are great for providing personalized customer service and many give Agents the tools they need to research the best options and quickly assist customers on the phone or sitting at their desk. Some customers prefer to research options online and then call and speak with an agent to confirm their arrangements, while others like to research and book their travel arrangements at their convenience. It is all about consumer choice today and your business has to be ready with a travel booking engine ready to serve customers how and where they want. If your customers are like most, the application you choose will likely need to support B2B, B2C as well as B2B2C to serve your clients.

After you determine the content you'll need to include and the distribution channels you need access to, it's time to consider your technology options. Will a simple "white label" booking solution work for you or does your business need something a little more customized? Do you need to work with a host agency or an air consolidator for some or all of your products or do use plan to your own agency credentials with the Supplier? What about the ability to adjust a products selling price or include a value add offer along with a hotel reservation or cruise vacation? There are countless technology providers offering different types of solutions for your business.

Finding a travel booking engine with the right combination of options for your business can be a critical decision. Finding a technology partner that will help you reach today's mobile consumer where and how they shop for travel can be just as important.

Booking Travel Often Starts With An Airline Reservation System

A flight reservation system is core to any travel booking engine. A significant portion of trips booked today, whether for business, vacation or visiting friends and family, start with a reserving a flight itinerary. The airlines were early pioneers in the travel industry and the technology used to distribute their products as their networks and sales volume grew. The airline reservation system is an integral part of any air carrier's technology infrastructure and most of the time integrated with other internal systems used to operate the airline. Everything from corporate accounting systems that track ticket sales and usage to complex ticketing and departure control systems that require the integration of important passenger information to operate smoothly. Even your checked baggage is monitored throughout your journey by tracking systems that are tied to your airline reservation.

As technology has advanced over the years, airlines have consistently adapted and enhanced their internal systems to take advantage of improved efficiencies and the associated cost savings. This has allowed them to process more passengers quicker and easier than ever before while providing improved service to their customers. The major airlines extended the “reach” of their flight reservation system initially to Travel Agents via applications which evolved into today's Global Distribution Systems (GDSs) and eventually directly with consumers via airline company websites on the internet.

These systems can also help your travel business increase sales and provide better service to your customers. An airline reservation system can provide the most up to date flight schedules, pricing and availability which is why a “live” connection with them is so important in today's fast pace world. And with so many special deals out there, you may want your travel booking engine to simultaneously search more than one source for a specific airline itinerary to ensure you are offering your customers the best deal available.

The booking engine you use should be integrated with a flight reservation system that includes access services and amenities such as interactive seat maps for advanced seat selection as well as requesting special services or onboard meals for some passengers. It needs to be able to transmit information like customer loyalty program IDs and special service requests. The online booking engine you choose should have as many of the features and services that are offered when using an airline's website.

Today's online booking engine needs to provide the ability to easily adapt to constant changes in the marketplace. The ability to easily make price adjustments and include value add offers right in the availability display are critical for your business to remain competitive. Look for an application with a Business Rules feature that allows you to predefine price adjustments based on a wide range of criteria including the date the reservation is booked, the dates of travel, the airline flight number and even the type of airfare used. Lastly, you may want to consider an airline reservation system that includes reporting tools to track your business.

Finding an online booking engine with the right combination of options for your business can be a critical decision. Finding a technology partner that will help you reach today's mobile consumer where and how they shop for travel can be just as important.

Collaboration Creates Great Travel Technology

Experience has shown that some of the best solutions are the result of collaboration. Travel Suppliers and Travel Agents each provide valuable input to assist in the design and development of the ultimate travel booking engine. Each of these entities play an important role in the process and any solution needs to meet their unique, individual needs.

Airline reservation systems have been around for decades. They were started initially by the major airlines in order to automate reservations as their number of flights and associated bookings grew at an amazing pace. Initially these were internal reservation systems that were used by airline reservation staff to confirm bookings and check flight information. As the airlines flight networks grew, it was not long before the airlines began offering Travel Agents their own version of these systems to book that particular airline. It was not long after that when strategic marketing partnerships brought car rental companies and hotels into the airline reservation equation and started offering these services as well.

Today's travel technology solutions are a result of years of technological evolution and have helped lead the online revolution. Today's online booking engines can provide the tools for any size business to compete with even the major online players. There are a countless number of travel booking engines available in the market today and choosing the right one for your business can be critical decision. You need to identify the various travel components you'll need as well as how your clients prefer to research and book their travel arrangements. You'll also want to consider any alliances or preferred relationships you have with suppliers or other travel agents to make sure they are included. Over the years, many travel agencies have formed closer working relationships with other individual agencies or large Consortia. The ability to expand distribution of an agency's airfares to affiliated agencies quickly and easily is an important tool for many selling airline tickets today.

With so many airfares and so many agencies forming alliances, the ability for an air booking engine to simultaneously search multiple content sources for the best airfare can be a crucial advantage. Today's competitive market requires agency owners have the flexibility to easily control a product's selling price and maintain their competitive edge. Today's best travel technology solutions allow business owners to adjust prices based on a wide range of criteria including travel or booking dates, supplier or class of service.

Travel technology solutions have even kept pace with the consumer trend of using mobile devices to research and book travel. For instance, there are dedicated air mobile apps available for those travel businesses looking for an app for their individual brand. For those who are simply looking to make their online booking tools "mobile friendly", there are applications available that automatically adjust the screen size and layout based on the type of device being used. Mobile Apps and mobile responsive technology are not just for big business either. Travel software companies can now provide any size travel agency affordable solutions built with the latest technology.

Finding a technology solution with the right combination of options for your travel business can be a critical decision. Finding a technology partner with flexible solutions that will help you reach your customers when and how they shop can be just as important.