Navigate the digital landscape
Whether you are investing in a significant digital transformation or looking to upgrade your current travel technology solution that you’ve outgrown, there are many factors to consider. This article will explore the vital aspects to examine during this technology journey.
In today’s travel landscape, digital, contactless, and accepting advanced bookings have become imperative for travel businesses to remain competitive and relevant in each destination. Acquiring the right sales, distribution, and ticketing solution to support your evolving needs requires research, individual departmental considerations, and a grasp of your growth plan. Aiming to streamline processes, improve customer experiences, and enhance data analytics is just the start to significantly impact your success.
Together, let’s explore 10 key considerations to keep in mind when choosing your travel tech supplier:
- Alignment with business objectives: Ensure that the software aligns with your organisation’s strategic goals and digital transformation roadmap. It should address specific pain points and drive desired outcomes. We will continue to discuss this idea throughout the article, but have each department’s needs been mapped and considered?
- Integration capabilities: Compatibility with existing systems and the ability to integrate seamlessly with other tools and platforms is crucial to avoid data silos and streamline processes. You will want a holistic view of your business, promoting collaboration, savvy decision-making, and overall efficiency.
- APIs and connectivity: The OTAs and resellers that you list with and that are paramount to your sales efforts, do they recommend working with specific tech suppliers? Working with vendors that your OTAs respect and work well with suggests their confidence and strength as valuable providers. Ask for references for connectivity reliability.
- Scalability: Choose technology that can scale your business as it grows. Does the solution already have the structure to support where your business is headed? Scalability ensures that your travel tech investments remain relevant in the long term and that you are not waiting for development in order to progress.
- Dynamic pricing and complex pricing models: How advanced and customisable are you able to get with your pricing models with a new res-tech vendor? Do they offer the option to create dynamic pricing? As expectations evolve and we mirror other more advanced industries, the ability to price your products based on perceived value, date, and demand will keep you one step ahead.
- Intuitive interface: A user-friendly interface improves user adoption and reduces the learning curve, enhancing overall productivity. Booking system adoption is key; evaluate the availability of training resources and the software’s user-friendliness to facilitate smooth adoption among your team.
- Vendor reputation and references: Research the vendor’s track record, read customer testimonials, and ask for references to assess their reliability and commitment to customer satisfaction. Prioritise data security and compliance to ensure the tech supplier meets industry standards and offers rigorous security features to protect your business.
- Mobile and rugged devices: Meeting demand with reliable devices enables on-street sales agents to access live availability—what is the battery life, speed of printing, and need for wi-fi connection out in the field?
- Data and CRM analytics: Look for a travel tech supplier with robust analytics capabilities to gain insights from your data and make informed decisions. A CRM can give you information on your distribution channels, such as OTAs, agents and your website. An integrated CRM will also be able to gather information from handheld or installed devices and report on-street/ kiosk sales, showing you how each of these channels is performing so that you can devote your resources strategically to maximise your sales revenue.
- ROI potential: Calculate the expected return on investment (ROI) and consider the software’s potential to deliver value over time. Evaluate how much automation an updated booking software and ticketing solution can bring to your team and eliminate manual work for individuals, streamlining workflows.
Booking system implementation costs: buy vs. build
After reading this booking system vendor checklist, let’s move over to a few more complex items to assess. We didn’t include cost in the list above, but of course, this is a major factor in finding the right fit. Consider both upfront and ongoing costs, including licensing, implementation, training, maintenance, and potential hidden fees/ additional development costs.
With some of our larger customers, our solution was being compared to a buy vs. build scenario. In building your own custom solution, you take on the burden of hiring the proper developers, hoping they stick with you for the entire process and then supporting what was built, staying up-to-date on data security, and financing the entire project with expected delays and hiccups.
Travel tech that supports scaling tour operators
We mentioned scalability in our list, and it’s important that your tour operations will not outgrow the overall res-tech package quickly. Fulfilling future updates, development, and support are fantastic questions to ask tour operators currently using the system. Ensure that the booking system vendor offers regular updates, and is responsive to customer support, addressing issues promptly.
The integration capabilities of your chosen travel tech supplier are the linchpin of your upgrade or digital transformation efforts. They ensure that your various technology tools work in harmony, maximising the collective potential. This future-proofs your technology investments by allowing you to adapt to changing business needs and integrate new tools as your team matures. Giving the utmost attention to compatibility and integration will lay a strong foundation for your organisation’s ongoing growth and success and will support all your departments appropriately.
Remember that choosing the right software is not a one-size-fits-all endeavour. Each organisation has unique needs and priorities. Conducting a thorough assessment, involving key stakeholders, and considering these ten factors will help you make an informed decision that aligns with your digitalisation goals. Keep in mind that digital transformation is an ongoing process, and your software choices should support your organisation’s growth and evolution.