Got Technophobia?

Part 2

By Peter Coloyan

With the realization (and revelation for some of us older travel stalwarts) that technology is necessary to conduct our travel businesses these days, we must now determine what we need and where we can get it.

What We Need
Simply put, we need technology that will allow us to run our business more efficiently and effectively. Technology equals time savings, allowing us to do more business in the same, or less time, as we have in the past, resulting in more profit in our pockets.

Depending on your type of business — full service, cruise-only, air-only, etc. — your travel technology needs will differ from others. For the purposes of this article, we will examine the travel technology needs of cruise-oriented agents and of full service, home based, independent contractors.
A modern home based travel agent’s technology-related needs, at a minimum, include:
For your home office:
• State-of-the-art desktop or laptop (preferred, with wireless card) computer.
• High speed Internet connection (cable or DSL).
• Dedicated phone line (two preferred).
• Fax/copier or fax modem/software with scanner for computer.
For your sales efforts:
• Booking engine(s) for air, cruise, hotel, car, etc.
• Database management software.
• Itinerary/invoicing software.
Additionally, the following will greatly enhance the prominence of any individual agent:
• Personal Web site.
• Search engine optimization software.
• Customizable marketing services/software.
• Lead generating software.

Where We Can Get It
As mentioned in Part 1, the most logical choice for the “technology challenged” is to get all (or, as much as possible) of their technology — hardware, software and support — in one place.

For the office, you should try to get hardware and software that integrates seamlessly with each other. You can get all the technology (hardware and software) necessary for your home office from any major computer retailer, such as CompUSA, Best Buy, Office Depot, etc.

The phone/fax line(s) and high speed Internet access will depend on the availability in your area. High speed cable access is faster than DSL, but not a good choice if you live in a congested area where the main cable “pipe” may be shared by many users, slowing down your speed to a crawl during peak times. DSL is (usually unnoticeably) slower than cable, but more consistent, and a DSL line is yours and yours alone.

For your sales efforts, the technology choices are infinitely diverse, but with the idea in mind of getting as much as you can in one place, you should first look at the major host agencies and what technologies they bring to the table.
An affiliation with one of these host agencies will bring to you not only state-of-the-art technology that you could never afford on your own, but also higher commissions on your existing business, additional commission opportunities, marketing assistance and customer support.

One would never presume to know which host agency is best for YOU, but I have compiled a list of some of the top host agencies based on their available technology — for sales, marketing and support. If you are seeking to make the most out of being a home based travel agent, please visit the Web sites of the companies listed to help you decide! A more complete list of host agencies can be found at the NACTA Web site at www.nacta.org, or you can visit the home based travel agents portal site for links to host agencies and a la carte agent services at www.hbta.net

For full service agents, looking to sell all travel products and services:
Nexion (Owned by Sabre Holdings) — www.nexion.com
Advanced booking technology options and customer support. Uses all four GDSs and interfaces with consolidator air, group cruise space, etc.

Uniglobe InHouse Travel — www.uniglobetravelusa.com

Uniglobe ProCentral — www.procentral.net
Complete booking capabilities and support including a Web Site Builder program, 3 GDS links, marketing assistance, quality control and Teleprospecting for lead generation.

Montrose Travel — www.montrosetravel.com
Strong commissions, no minimums, agent only Web site, marketing support including a private labeled Web site for you, excellent technology, full accounting support.

GTM Travel Group — www.gtmtravelgroup.com
Technology includes ITCnet — a proprietary, secure intranet system — increases productivity, contains special deals and access to a national support network.

For agents specializing in cruise sales, some of the top host agencies include:
Cruise Planners — www.cruiseagents.com
Large group space inventory, marketing, advertising assistance and support desk. Personalized Web sites with extensive content. Sales reports and data management.

CruiseShoppes — www.cruiseshoppes.com
Marketing and advertising support, free weekly consumer E-newsletter, group space, preferred supplier offers. Customizable Web site with online cruise booking capability.

Cruise Value Center — www.cruisevalue.com
A top cruise agency. Exclusive software for booking into group space inventory. Help desk support, marketing and advertising assistance.

Smart Traveler — www.homebasedcruiseagents.com
Over 1,000 travel Web sites generating sales leads. Agent only Web site and weekly consumer newsletter. Advertising and marketing assistance, back office support.

Peter Coloyan has been in the travel industry for over 20 years. He embraced the Internet at its beginning and has flourished with it. He currently writes on, as well as edits, over 100 travel-related Web sites.