When Benjamin Franklin coined the phrase “Time is money” he was essentially explaining the modern concept of opportunity cost. Time is a finite resource just like land or money which can be put to a range of alternative uses. Every action or decision that involves time comes at the expense of the opportunity to do something else, perhaps something more efficient and therefore more valuable in terms of savings, earnings or both.
The tramada® solution has been designed with this concept, and the benefits it brings, at its very heart. Here are three great examples:
- Offline Automation. There are huge time savings for corporate agencies to be had by automating bookings managed by agents. Whether it’s creating those bookings, applying service fees, managing hotel charge-backs, or issuing and sending documentation such as itineraries and invoices, automating these manual processes by feeding PNR information from GDS data directly into tramada boosts business performance in several ways:
- The number of “touch points” by consultants is reduced, freeing them up to invest more time in building the business. For example, if a manual task takes five or six minutes to complete, and it can be automated to require only one or two minutes, how many more bookings can be processed by consultants? Answer: plenty.
- Accuracy is increased because automation is precise (eliminating human error), repeatable and consistent.
- Money is saved because more of these tasks can be completed without increasing overheads.
- Customer satisfaction is improved, and along with it your business’ unique competitive advantage.
- Segments on Hold. Tramada Systems’ recent integration with Magnatech’s unused ticket management system adds a whole new layer of efficiency and savings to corporate travel operations. That’s because a not-insignificant percentage of airline tickets for corporate travellers goes unused, but can be redeemed if used before they expire. By finding and using these unused credits, tramada clients can deliver improved savings to their customers. The module automates the process of (1) capturing unused tickets from the GDS and (2) placing the matching ticket records within tramada on hold. This eliminates the need for consultants to manually track unused segments, while at the same time improving reporting. Plus, unused tickets are automatically released in the system once an exchange of the original ticket occurs. The ROI of this optional tramada module is significant: maximised value of unused tickets during the booking process, reduced agency cost, improved consultant productivity, and increased customer service and savings – all leading to better business performance.
- Onyx Integration is another great example of how investing in tramada drives even larger efficiency gains. By providing a seamless flow of hotel segment data to Onyx for commission recovery, and automating data reconciliation against reported commissionable amounts, consultants are free from these mundane-yet-essential processes. No more chasing or issuing receipts, just more opportunity to work faster and smarter.
In a travel agency as in every organization, it’s best to do things right the first time and as quickly as possible. That’s what efficiency is all about. When it comes to improving efficiency, nothing succeeds like tramada modules such as Offline Automation, Segments on Hold and Onyx Integration that drive real value to the bottom line by securely and cost-effectively replacing human processing. If you’d like more information about these modules, or other time- and cost-saving benefits of tramada, please contact your friendly Tramada Account Manager or visit us at www.tramada.us.
