TravelManagers has unveiled a revolutionary new agency app that is set to enhance its consultants’ relationships with their clients before, during and after they travel.
Unveiled at the 2015 TravelManagers Conference held in Adelaide this weekend, the TravelManagers app is designed to bring Personal Travel Managers (PTM) closer to their customers by making them a continuous presence through their phones.
What does this mean?
Well, the TravelManagers app takes live feeds from two back-end programs to provide users with targeted information.
The first is Sales Force – the app drags all the PTM’s details such as contact number and email, their ‘about me’ story and location. This information places the consultants front and centre of the app and right in front of users.
It also makes the PTM one click away for when clients want to book their next trip or get a quote.
The other live feed comes from Tramada Next Gen. It drags all of the PTM’s client’s details into the app and populates it with information the suites them.
Information includes all past, current and future bookings. Once the app has all of the customer’s knowledge, it then automatically updates the device and uses the information to offer users a history of their travels and a source for keeping track of future trips.
Additionally, it updates the app with destination information so clients can use the device before their trip, during their trip and after their trip.
For example, I book a trip to Hawaii with a PTM. The app updates my flight and booking details. Under separate tabs I can also look at photos of the destination, check out upcoming weather, maps, arrival guides and money conversion.
There’s also a ‘My Locker’ section, which allows me to take pictures of my passport or license or any other important travel information and store it in the device. According to Bill Lawler, House of Travel Group Commercial Director, this gives users access to secure information anytime.
Plus it has a ‘Things to See’ section, which is connected to Viator, so when I arrive in Hawaii I can use the app t0 search, book and pay for tours. But the best part for PTMs is, the commission goes back to the agent that booked my trip.
“It’s working for PTMs everyday from the moment the customer has it on their phone.”
Bill Lawler, House of Travel Group Commercial Director
Bill Lawler unveiling the app at this year’s conference.
“It’s interactive and live in real-time plus it works to keep agents connected to their clients at all times.”
The TravelManagers app is currently being trialed by 10 PTMs, however, Lawler expects it will be available on the Apple market late September and in the Android market a month after.
PTMs Brett Ray and Kim Mason, who are among the agents testing the product on their clients, say they’re already seeing benefits from the new app.
Kim explained that it’s like a new marketing channel that customers are touching base with daily.
Using the example of one of her younger customers, she said the client was flipping through and showing pictures of the destination to her friends through the app. This person’s friends were so fascinated by the app that they were keen on downloading it themselves. This in-turn leads to potential new clients for Kim.
“It’s like a business card that links me to my client from her phone and in one touch she or her friends can call me or email me.”
Kim Mason, PTM
To have a page on the app, TravelManagers will be required to may a $100 fee covering two years of usage.
According to Lawler, the payment isn’t cost recovery but a way to ensure that PTMs signing up to use it see its value and are committed to utilising it.