Agents can be among the first to see new Harry Potter film

Independent travel agents are being offered the chance to see early showings of the new Harry Potter film, courtesy of the makers of Magic Desktop.

The producers of the fastest growing search and sell travel portal are staging private screenings of the much-anticipated Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets especially for independents.

They will be held at cinemas across the country in the first week of the film’s release.

The company responsible for Magic Desktop, Call-link Communications, is inviting agents to apply for a pair of tickets online at www.e-ventmanager.com/magic.

There are more than 1,200 tickets up for grabs.

All those who apply for tickets will also receive a specially developed CD-ROM which demonstrates how Magic Desktop works and how it can change the way agents do business.

Thousands of travel agents have reported improved customer service levels, greater productivity and, crucially, increased sales after installing Magic Desktop.

Magic Desktop is a great way for independents in particular to challenge multiple chain competitors.

Peter Whittle, Call-link’s head of marketing and product development, said: “We wanted to hold an event for independent travel agents to thank them for the interest they have shown in Magic Desktop and for helping Call-link to become the fastest growing extranet provider in the UK today.

“Harry Potter was, to us, an obvious link to Magic Desktop and because adults and children equally enjoy the books and films, we thought it was a great idea.

“We are also sending out a CD-ROM to every travel agent so they everyone has the opportunity to see how exactly Magic Desktop can improve their business.”

ENDS

For further press information, please contact:
Siobhan Sheils
Paver Downes PR
0151 293 0505
[email protected]

Issued:
October 2002

Notes to Editors

Magic Desktop key features

·MagicSearch – Integrated Flight, Ski & Sun holiday search

MagicSearch is a comprehensive holiday search and booking facility for both late and full season availability. Searches are made from an up-to-the-minute database of availability from all major operators. Search results can easily be sorted by criteria to aid the selection process and get you to the relevant booking page with just one click of a button. This powerful selling tool can reduce the time to search and book a holiday down to a few minutes, with search results available in seconds.

·Magic Search Pro

Magic Search Pro virtually removes the need for accessing Viewdata completely, giving travel agents a comprehensive search facility down to child prices, flight times, brochure references, hotel and resort names – providing agents with all the information they need to give the customer an informed choice.

·Magic Palette

Magic Palette gives the front office sales desktops the personal touch. Instead of displaying the branding and colour scheme of a technology supplier, travel agents can simply change the colour of the Magic Desktop portal and add their travel agency logo to give them a professional corporate image. Magic Palette can even personalise the front page to include valuable selling tools such as a ‘late deals ticker’ to give information of up-to-the-minute offers to staff.

·Magic Brochure Shelf

The Magic Brochure Shelf is the most comprehensive database of online brochures from all major operators. Never run out of a brochure again, simply enter an operator, brochure or even hotel name and the relevant pages will be on screen quicker than it takes to turn the pages.

·Magic Travel Resource Centre

The Magic Travel Resource Centre provides all the information a customer will need before they travel: from weather reports to foreign office advice,
from travel tips to visa information and much more. It offers travel agents everything they need to give professional after sales service at their finger tips. All information is intelligently linked to the holiday search, providing up-to-the-minute information on the destination and country of travel – all within an integrated sales process.

·Online Credit Card Authorisation

The Magic Desktop online credit card authorisation system makes credit card authorisation available to every sales desk, so travel agents never need to leave their customer. It removes the need to rent a PDQ machine and a separate phone line as it is fully integrated into Magic Desktop. Call-link’s solution connects with all major UK banks, accepts all main credit, debit and charge cards, prints receipts and can be used in ‘customer present’ or ‘not present’ situations. Ideal for both high street, home worker and call centre environments.

·Magic Trip Planner & Shopping Basket

Start off the sales process by capturing all the relevant customer details and holidays requirements in an easy and professional Trip Planner format. This information can be automatically fed into a Magic Holiday Search and customers’ details can be passed to an agent’s back office system for customer management. All holidays of interest can be captured in the shopping basket and details can be printed for the customer.

·Back Office Compatibility

Magic Desktop is one of the few travel portals that offers file hand off to your back office system. With a simple press of a button all holiday booking details can be processed through to your back office for simple secure management and there is no need for double entry of booking details. Call-Link recommends Tarsc, the leading supplier of Back Office travel systems in the UK.

·Multiple Tour Operator Viewdata Access

If travel agents need to access Viewdata, the Magic Desktop comes with free Viewdata emulation software that allows access to more than one operator at a time. Magic Assistant can quickly find the right access codes and get to the right operator that caters for availability requests.

·Flight Finder

Need access to consolidated fares? Magic Desktop has an arrangement with leading suppliers of consolidated fares to the UK travel industry. Access this powerful booking facility from Magic Desktop, without the need for a separate connection.

·GDS Access via WorldSpan

Magic Desktop provides access to WorldSpan Go and removes the need for a separate terminal or connection. WorldSpan is the UK’s leading GDS for the independent travel agent and Magic Desktop gives access at the click of a button.

·Magic Community Notice board

If travel agents need to share information with front office staff, the notice board gets information to them quickly. Information can only be accessed by an individual agent and is controlled by them from a simple to use self-administration facility.

·Magic Electronic Window Card

Never write a window card again! The Magic Electronic window card feeds all the best late deals straight to an electronic presentation that can be placed on the wall or within an agency’s shop window. Travel agents can be confident that all information is up-to-date and they can set the criteria of the late deals displayed.

·Magic Travel Extras

Maximise revenue opportunities by selling all those travel extras. From car rental to airport parking & hotels, Magic Desktop helps travel agents with access to web booking facilities of the leading providers.

·Magic Kiosk

Call-link’s interactive kiosk is the ideal tool to allow customers, during busy periods, to browse travel information and holiday availability as part of the sales process. The kiosk is customised to an agent’s branding requirements, with holidays of interest placed in a shopping basket, which can be printed or passed to an agent to complete the booking.

·Magic Desktop Web Services: Web Hosting – Web Design – e-mail

Magic Desktop is the only travel portal that offers an end-to-end Web Service, including hosting, Web Design and e-mail solutions. Packages include a free .co.uk domain name and e-mail address, hosting of your site, whatever its size and a selection of design options from a simple two page site to more comprehensive options.

Call-link also has a number of search engines that can be easily integrated into a travel agent’s website to maximise sales opportunities including the Virtual Brochure Shelf, Holiday Search, Ski Search and Before You Go module.

About Call-link

·Call-link, established in 1998, is a licensed network operator, registered with OFTEL and the DTI, and is part of the Vertical Systems Group of companies, which include the Tarsc brand. Call-link is majority owned by a major UK £1 billion turnover company for whom Call-link provides a range of network centric data, voice and application solutions.

·Call-link is a true ‘one-stop’ technology supplier for the Leisure Travel industry, delivering customers economies-of-scale in the provision of data, voice, call centre and home working, front and back office application, Internet and hardware solutions.

·Solutions are provided across its own secure high speed IP enabled network and is at the forefront to drive tour operator distribution away from legacy-based slow speed networks.