Optimize your tour agency's operations with back office software. Manage bookings, clients, suppliers & finances seamlessly.

 

What is Tour Operator Back Office Software?

 

A travel back-office software is a system specially built for tour operators that allows you to automate routine admin tasks and manage your travel operations from a single platform. 
It provides you with a single overview of your business, saving you the hassle of switching tabs and manually entering/updating data all the time. 

It is a suite of cutting-edge technologies that enable you to create your own travel business rules, automate your procedures, and manage your workflow. 

You will be able to operate your business more efficiently by automating all procedures inside your travel business, no matter your profile (Travel Agent, Corporate Travel, Tour Operators, DMC, Wholesalers). 

You can control your bookings in real-time, create and manage clients’ and suppliers’ profiles, define and manage mark-ups, business rules, and multiple types of payment, generate invoices, and run reports. 

A travel back office system, used by travel agents, tour operators, and OTAs, is required to hold a complete record of bookings, including costs, margins, suppliers, and financial responsibilities. 

 

How does Tour Operator Back Office Software work?

 

It is a web-based, comprehensive, and user-friendly platform that allows you to manage any booking's phases in real-time, as well as create and manage client and supplier profiles, define and manage mark-ups and business rules, manage multiple payment processes generate invoices, and run reports.

 

Why Tour Operators require Back-Office Software?

 

Back-office software is vital for tour operators who want to streamline their business processes and increase efficiency. Back-office software enables tour operators to streamline and manage their business operations. It can assist with everything from financial and inventory control to customer relationship management and communication. With the right back-office software, tour operators can increase productivity, reduce errors, and enhance every aspect of the client experience. 

Travel Cloud Mid Back Office is the ideal reporting tool for travel managers, as well as the most convenient approach for travel agents to work on daily operations. The solution maintains the customer and supplier databases and profiles. The bookings can be added when selling directly to the customer or can be received from the internet booking engine. 

When you make a new booking online, you will receive alerts along with the booking's registration in the back office. The travel agency can invoice a single booking or a series of bookings, either manually or automatically. For each invoice, you can add partial or full payments with any type of document. 

If connected to internet banking the payments will be automatically imported and distributed by invoices. Travel documents are generated based on booking details. All the documents can be printed or sent by email with just a click. 

If you're a tour operator looking for reliable and easy-to-use back-office software, look at Trawex. Trawex offers a complete back-office software solution designed exclusively for tour operators. 

 

Here are the key tour operator back-office software capabilities that enable it to do that.

 

Inventory management

 

This feature of the back-office system allows tour operators to store and manage all the content they offer to partners and clients. Using this functionality, tour operators can manage their inventory accessibility, such as the number of tickets, rooms, etc., over a time frame. 

Usually, tour operators manually input their inventory into the CMS (content management system). Another option is that the tour operators receive their inventory via connectivity with third-party APIs. The APIs from multiple travel suppliers allow tour operators to view product availability in real-time. 

If the travel suppliers don’t have an API, they can even provide their inventory via an extranet. This technique involves the supplier accessing the tour operator’s back office to share their inventory. 

 

Booking management

 

Modern tour operator back-office software includes reservation management tools to manage incoming bookings. Additionally, the incoming booking requests are assigned to the respective managers/ teams by the software for confirmation and further processing. 

 

Distribution management

 

It is worth mentioning that tour operator software takes care of distributing the inventory to travel agents under the umbrella of the tour operator, corporate customers, or even the end retail travelers. 

For corporates, tour operators can utilize their back-office systems to offer the option of creating their own unique branded booking portals and managing contracts & employee travel policies/ booking rules. 

Meanwhile, for tour operators adapting to the B2C segment, the back-office software can be integrated with their own branded and unique customer-facing website. 

 

Sales automation

 

Basic CRM functionalities are also a requirement of every good back-office software. This is because tour operators need to track all their customer interactions in one place, segment their customers based on various factors, and even automate everyday aspects of sales, such as sending welcome emails, confirmations, reminders, etc. 

 

User management 

 

For a tour operator to function effectively, a lot of people, including suppliers, managers, travel agent partners, corporate client employees, and administrators must work together. Tour operator back-office software must have strong user management features so that everyone can work together and collaborate as needed. 

This includes unique login credentials for each user, the capacity to store user information, rights for each user based on their needs, and the ability for managers to track the entire operation. 

 

Effective business rules engine 

 

This capability allows the tour operator to maximize revenue by establishing markups or commissions based on the supplier. This functionality is also useful for customizing different internal operating rules.
 
For example, the tour operator can implement a rule that allows a travel product, such as an airline ticket, to be reserved only a certain number of days before departure. They can also prioritize selling their inventory before making third-party travel products available. 

In addition, tour operators can set up specific payment rules, such as permitted modes of payment, applicable taxes, timelines for clearing the payment, reminder frequency for overdue payments, etc. 

 

Accounting 

 

What normally looks like a massive pile of out-of-control paperwork can be reduced to a few easy-to-read charts with the accounting capabilities of back-office software. Notably, the system enables tour operators to closely track the financial activity of all those involved, including suppliers, partners, and travel agencies. 

The tour operator can get an overview of their business's financial health in seconds since the back-office software consolidates information from several invoices, booking numbers from various channels, and financial reports. 

 

Actionable insights

 

Tour operators can make excellent business decisions if they have a back-office technology that provides them with real-time information about business performance. Using the right software, tour operators can generate reports on all aspects of their operation, including the number of bookings, cart abandonment rate, most booked segments, most profitable corporate customers, suppliers with the best deals, commissions earned via partners, etc. 

 

Customer Care Capabilities 

 

Comprehensive customer care through the client’s lifecycle is usually overlooked, but the right tour operator’s back-office system can make it an easy process. The customer will get a great experience throughout their interactions with you, and you don’t have to pay substantial amounts to train a huge customer support team. 

Tour operators can use software to provide live chat support, automate notifications to clients, manage incoming customer support tickets, and send out live updates on flights, deals, and other essential details. 
 

How do you choose the right Tour module? 

 

There is a diverse selection of Tour Operator Back Office Software accessible on the global market. With the right back-office software, operators can manage financials, inventory, customer connections, and other tasks all in one location. This can lead to increased profitability, better customer experiences, and overall success in the competitive travel industry. 

However, selecting the right tour booking software can be a difficult task with an array of options available in the market. 

Trawex tour booking system is an excellent choice for effectively managing a tourism business. 

Trawex provides a complete back-office software solution specifically designed for tour operators. It offers a range of features and tools to help you manage your business effectively, including financial management, inventory control, customer relationship management, and more. 

 

Top Five Advantages of a Tour Operator Back Office System 

 

A back-office system adds value to travel operations by enhancing productivity and efficiency while simultaneously enhancing customer satisfaction. Here are some benefits OTAs get from the back office system.

 

Direct Bookings

 

Provide your agents with fast access to internal booking capabilities, especially those who work directly with clients. A mid-back office system makes it easy to create custom tour packages, schedule unique events, and apply discounts. Furthermore, agents gain the flexibility to choose from a range of options, including GDS systems, enhancing their efficiency beyond standard search functionalities. This comprehensive approach allows OTAs to elevate customer satisfaction levels without the need for manual interventions or navigating through multiple channels to secure the desired bookings.

 

Tour Generation

 

An integral part of any booking and crucial importance for the traveler, exclusive and customized tour packages are the most desired by customers. Similar to a direct booking facility, the agents plan the tours, apply tailored pricing, customize various services, and generate descriptions to sell consolidated solutions using a separate module that resembles the content management system. The OTA can easily achieve this when connected to the numerous supplier inventories.

 

Centralized Information

 

Automating travel back-office provides valuable insights into a business's profitability and success. Data regarding sales, vendors, clients, marketing, and employees can be gained to identify pivotal points to enhance efficiency in operations and steer the business toward the right path. Organizations can identify trends and understand profitability while using the back-office system to simplify processes. Corporate travel operations become more profitable and responsive as OTAs focus on the mid-back office system.

 

Quicker Sales

 

In the ever-changing world of the travel sector, the key to survival lies in expediting sales processes beyond anticipated timelines. This requires the integration of an automated travel system that deals with both middle and back-office operations. This involves seamless communication with suppliers, managing complex travel packages, and optimizing reservation management. The ultimate goal is to offer customers an unparalleled booking experience through a carefully developed travel software application. By prioritizing efficiency and automation, businesses can not only adapt to the industry's dynamic nature but also ensure sustained growth in a competitive marketplace.

 

Customer Satisfaction and Retention

 

Customer satisfaction drives repeat business, and automated travel solutions simplify diverse travel management aspects. Tailored self-booking and loyalty offerings attract and satisfy clients. In corporate travel, our dedicated portal enables efficient booking, modification, and cancellation, along with cost tracking and consolidated spending data. Automatic trip management increases employee mobility, providing accessibility anytime, anywhere.

 

Last-minute Changes in the Itinerary 

 

An integrated mid-back-office system manages this task easily without compromising valuable time. Managing account relationships becomes easier when last-minute changes to schedules are executed seamlessly.

 

Why Trawex has the ideal back-office solution for your tour agency?

 

Helps you manage all your bookings in one place

 

Trawex’s back-office system makes this easier, allowing you to consolidate and manage all your bookings from one interface. It gives you the option to import bookings from third-party systems (if they provide an API) or enter the booking data in the system manually. 

In both cases, all your data will be stored securely, making it easier to track bookings and send invoices and vouchers to your clients. If you utilize Trawex's online booking engine, invoices and vouchers are generated automatically when your customers or employees book through the system, saving you a lot of time. 

All the travel documents and emails will carry your own branding and contact details, which can be configured from the back office. 

Email content can also be configured from the back-office and we provide ready templates for various purposes so you don’t have to manually type emails every time. 

You can also modify and cancel bookings through the system, assuming your XML supplier(s) support online cancellation. 

 

Offers a 360° view of your business

 

Trawex’s travel agency back office software helps you achieve this through in-depth BI reports. You can access a wide range of reports through the system that will help you track your inquiries, quotes, bookings, revenue, and profitability. Booking reports are accessible for each supplier and business category (flight, hotel, activity, etc.). The system provides all the reports in a graphical interface, in addition to the standard tabular form for easy understanding. 

 

Allows you to maximize your revenue

 

Trawex's back-office solution allows you to achieve maximum revenue.  It allows you to adjust your pricing for different channels to optimize your earning potential.

You need to define the markups once, either as a fixed amount or as a percentage, and the system will automatically apply them to every search and booking. You can create separate markups for various services like as flights, hotels, activities, and car rentals. 
 
Markups can be applied to both direct contracts and third-party feeds received from XML suppliers. Trawex's admin system is unique as it allows you to configure different markups for B2C and B2B. 

Additionally, you can categorize your B2B agents and assign unique markups to each class to reward agents who are performing well. 

Saves time in developing and arranging itineraries and proposals

Trawex’s back office will be a huge boon for you. It can let you create personalized proposals quickly and with your branding. 

If you have supplier APIs, you will be able to create proposals with live content, so when the client approves it, you can directly book the same in the system. Even if you don’t have live inventory, you can still create proposals by entering your rates and then booking through your preferred mode. 

The primary benefit of this against spreadsheets is that all your proposals are stored in one place, and you can easily track them for making bookings and sending out invoices. You can also get reports that tell you the number of inquiries received, proposals sent, proposals accepted & booked, invoices generated, payments received, etc. This allows you to track the progress of your inquiries from start to finish. 

 

It tackles numerous aspects of your business. 

 

With Trawex's travel agency back office software, you can say goodbye to switching between multiple screens. It consolidates all of your requirements, including pricing, quotes, booking, and accounting, into one location. Furthermore, it provides a unified experience for both online and mobile transactions. This saves you a lot of time, which you can use to do what you do best and increase revenue for your agency. 

 

Manages your reconciliation with suppliers and consumers

 

Trawex's travel agency back office software includes accounting reconciliation out of the box. It allows you to effectively track your accounts receivable and payable, showing you how much you owe suppliers and how much your B2C consumers and B2B agents owe you. These reports are created automatically based on data gathered by the system during booking. In the case of offline bookings, you just need to enter certain booking details in the system to get reconciliation reports for a specified period. It doesn't matter where the booking was made or how the payment was made. 

 

Allows you to operate your business from anywhere in the world. 

 

Our back-office software is web-based, which means that after you join up with us, we'll send you the credentials you'll need to access the system from anywhere in the globe and on any device. 

 

Integrates with your existing systems 

 

Our back office can work with your existing online booking tool, CRM system, or accounting system to pull and send data via APIs. Larger agencies with their databases/legacy systems can also benefit from this. This flexibility allows you to expand your technological capabilities while retaining existing IT investments. 

 

Conclusion

 

As you can see, Trawex's back-office solution has several capabilities that make it simpler to operate your business online, save unnecessary effort and costs, and increase staff productivity and efficiency. 

To get started using the Tour Operator Back Office Software, please contact Trawex for further information and support. 

Our team will guide you through the setup process and provide you with the necessary resources to integrate the Tour Operator Back Office Software into your travel services. Contact our experts at Trawex and develop robust Back Office Software today!