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Sanjeev Lalwani.

Travel Management Companies (TMCs) require the right tools to deliver services efficiently and effectively to the busy corporate traveller, who is seeking value for money.

Lack of information and operational insights for analysis result in revenue leakages at a TMC. The disparate/localised nature of business processes leads to high amount of ADMs and inability in collating traveller information quickly, all of which results in loss of time.

End-to-end
Ideally, TMCs should work with a complete travel platform with multi-channel architecture that has in-house, B2B and B2C enablement. TMCs require a system which allows multi-sourcing of content (from GDS, LCC, non-GDS, direct, private) with an option to use both a centralised and distributed deployment technology. This allows a customised approach to enable need-based travel management for the increasingly value-conscious traveller community.

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A travel platform should help TMCs operate and distribute multi-product inventory, automate and streamline operations based on industry’s best practices. It should cater to various business models of corporate and leisure travel.
 

It should provide multiple distribution interfaces for direct customers (B2C or corporate), business partners (B2B) and in-house travel consultants.

Flexibility
Deployed as a complete solution or module-wise, as per end user needs, the ideal software should optimise all front- and mid-office functions for travel companies – multiple sales channels, fare search across multiple varied platforms (GDS, non-GDS and private databases).

Software can track corporate policy compliance enabling TMCs to scale to market needs with new channels of distribution. It should offer a single window to sell via multiple product sources.

Time is money
A good software platform allows a TMC to aid with itinerary management of travellers. It enables them to buy/ sell last-minute inventory.

A web-based POS solution can improve customer loyalty. It allows you to improve control on approval process with corporate self-service. It helps you reduce time to rollout new customers.

Add services
An ideal platform should add to what you can offer and help customise solutions by traveller profile management. Self-service channels allow room for personalisation. A TMC can do private airfare management, non-air inventory management and open multiple sales channels with multi-supplier connectivity.