Computer programs for tourism: how it all began


At the dawn of the tourism business, office staff for working with clients had in their handles only, notepads, papers for contracts and a bright head so as not to forget anything.
With the development of progress, computers with simple spreadsheet editors appeared in offices. But deal with large volume documentation was difficult. The developers have expanded the field of activity and created EDMS - computer programs capable systematize electronic document management. Work has become easier and faster, but with the growth of customer bases and this software became insufficient.
The population of the country fell in love with traveling, travel agencies began to grow like mushrooms. Survive in the conditions serious those companies that picked up the innovative idea of ​​stand-alone CRM systems were able to compete. First tourism software for management relationship system performed only a few functions with clients:
—  maintenance and archiving of the client base
—  systematization of document flow and accounting
—  reporting and sales analytics
The inconvenience was that the operators had to make regular backups in case of a failure in work of computers.
However, this is history. Today, cloud-based CRM systems are being actively developed and implemented.
What are CRM systems for
It is not enough to create a travel agency, it is necessary to maintain and expand it. To run a successful business in realities existing competition, the struggle is fought for each potential and existing client every day. Tour operators give preference to trusted companies, and tourists are looking for the most advantageous offers.
Here are some reasons why a travel agency should use a CRM provider systems and connect the suggested software for travel agencies:
1. Savings:
—  accounting funds
—  time for calls and mailings
—  office supplies
2. Amenities:
—  fully automated workflow
—  the ability to solve all financial transactions online
—  interchangeability of company employees
—  monitoring the activities of each agent
—  sales analysis and forward planning
—  proper maintenance of the customer base
3. Prestige:
—  tour operators prefer "advanced" business newcomers
—  customers happy with service
—  competitors are perplexed and jealous of successful growth
The choice of business strategy always remains with its founder, but modern computer cloud CRM systems are able to turn a small travel agency into a real giant of the tourism business.
How CRM helps you find and keep a tourist
Nothing raises the image of a company like numerous testimonials from grateful customers.
A person turned to a travel company, chose a tour, flew off, had a rest, liked it, and then what?
Further, the agency staff must “guide” the client: offer last-minute tours, cumulative discounts, etc. And it seems to be how the system works, people buy tickets for their next vacation, but not always in the same company.
And it's all about the human factor. Somewhere, a travel agent made a mistake in the preferences of the client and offered the wrong thing. and somewhere called at the wrong time. The result is a drop in sales.
Travel Programs exclude this possibility. CRM system will remember all the necessary information about the tourist. The program will independently do the following work for the agent:
—  wish each client a happy birthday
—  helpfully remind you of the need to renew your passport, unobtrusively send advertising to Email
—  send an SMS with a profitable offer, which the client will read at a convenient time
—  will generate and distribute a system of bonuses and discounts
—  each user who accidentally visits the travel agency's website will be added to the database of potential customers
For recipients of agency services, these are pleasant little things, but it is precisely these little things that make up a positive agency image.
Who does the travel agency bookkeeping
The work of a travel company is not only to find operators of exclusive and popular tours and communication with buyers. The lion's share of the entire work of the company is accounting. And this is painstaking and far from fun work.
Financial issues in travel agencies are usually dealt with by:
—  personally supervising
—  staff accountant
—  outsourcing specialist
The choice of solution depends on the size of the company. In travel agencies with a small turnover, bookkeeping will do just fine director or an outsourced accountant. In companies with branches for financial accounting, they use a whole accounting state.
Whoever is engaged in accounting in the company, it will become much easier to work if you automate the financial accounting for a travel agency.
Modern CRM systems are equipped with a wide range of functions that allow you to manage the finances of a travel agency even leader without economic education. And this means that the item of expenditure "for outsourcing" is crossed out.
The automated system will remind you of the time of submission of reports, calculate the wages of agents, will accrue bonuses for diligence, transfer funds to the operator and much, much more.