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.
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