How Supplier Connectivity Can Transform Your Business
The way in which wholesale tourism products are purchased is constantly evolving. Adaptability is key for Tour Operators and Destination Management Companies to remain competitive and efficient.
Traditional manual methods often entail prolonged wait times and administrative burdens, consuming valuable resources and hindering productivity. Supplier bookings can take anywhere from several minutes up to a day, depending on availability and response times.
There has to be a more efficient way to approach the booking process, right? Right. Amidst these challenges, ‘online supplier connectivity’ has become a vital solution, offering a streamlined approach to bookings and operations, saving time and reducing costs. Instead of your travel consultants spending significant amounts of their time managing supplier communications for hotels, car rentals, and other bookings, you could automate the entire purchasing, selling, and operations process.
The power of automated real-time supplier bookings
From improved time management to reducing the inefficiencies of the manual booking process, online supplier connectivity provides real-time searching, booking and cancellations, eliminating delays in the communication process.
Here’s what it means when you empower your back office with supplier connectivity…
Real-time search and booking
Your consultants and agents can instantly access suppliers dynamic rates and availability including rate of the day, special offers and last-minute rates in real-time. The result? It could take you anywhere from 10 to 60 seconds to complete a supplier booking – time saved, frustration averted! No need to worry about monitoring supplier communications manually and updating your internal database all the time.
Automated processes for swift confirmations
Say goodbye to manual confirmation processes. You’ll receive instant automated confirmations, eliminating delays, reducing inaccuracies, and paving the way for a more streamlined reservation process.
Efficiency gains and reduced processing time
When you make a booking through the platform, it’s automatically and simultaneously created in both the Tourplan system and the external supplier system. The service in your Tourplan booking will also hold all the usual operational and accounting details for onward processing, accounting, and reporting.
The reduction in manual efforts means you can focus on what matters most – delivering exceptional service to your clients.
Manual booking process:
Tourplan’s automated booking process:
Tailoring Tourplan’s connectivity to your needs
In a nutshell, Tourplan provides and manages the software and connectivity to external supplier systems in a centralised online platform, but you retain control.
You can negotiate rates or commissions directly, define which suppliers and products are included in external connectivity, and configure settings to suit your business needs – whether that’s combining dynamic rates from external systems with contracted rates in your own system for instant comparison or viewing them separately from within your Tourplan FIT booking modules. This flexibility is a key advantage.
The cherry on top is that you don’t have to invest in new hardware or software to search for, display, and book services sourced in real-time. All you need is a standard internet connection and the Enterprise edition of Tourplan. You can source accommodation, car hire, transfers, tours, and activities dynamically via our centralised online platform and growing suite of external connections.
Ready to transform your Tour Operator or DMC business?
Online supplier connectivity is designed to deliver significant efficiency gains. Real-time information empowers tour operators and DMCs to make informed quoting and purchasing decisions. Automating time-consuming manual processes minimises the burden on your team so that they’re able to allocate their time more strategically. This operational efficiency translates into a more streamlined and profitable business model.
Book a demo to discuss your unique business requirements today.