Call-link’s magic desktop leaves customers spellbound

Left: Call-link Communications has enjoyed several contract wins this month including Ilkeston Co-op Travel, which has 40 outlets. Pictured at the signing of the contract are, from left, Wayne Green, Head of IT at Ilkeston Co-op Travel, David Myers, Managing Director of Call-link Communications, Chris Smith, Head of Travel at Ilkeston Co-op Travel and Stuart Bishop, Call-link’s Major Account Handler.

Call-link Communications has confirmed its reputation as the fastest growing extranet provider in the UK.

In the past month alone, the total technology provider has signed deals to provide an additional 500 desktops with its unique portal and selling system, Magic Desktop.

Those joining the Call-link revolution and rolling out Magic Desktop include multi-site travel agents Ilkeston Co-op Travel (40 sites), King World Travel (six sites) and Classic Travel (three sites) and single-site independents Brunlea Travel, Go Smoothly Travel, Barnes Travel, Wigan.

Every one of the 60 outlets is looking forward to improved customer service levels, greater productivity and increased sales, all thanks to Call-link’s revolutionary technology.

The news illustrates how Call-link is increasing the choice of viewdata and extranet suppliers for travel agents and in the process creating a valuable, new, cost-effective distribution channel for tour operators over and above the old legacy players.

Peter Whittle, Call-link Communication’s Head of Marketing and Product Development, said: “We are delighted that another 60 outlets are now onboard with us. They join the ever-increasing number of travel agents enjoying the benefits our total technology solutions provide.

“It is very pleasing that we should now be recognised as the fastest growing extranet provider in the UK.

“Competition is great news for us all. It encourages the leading extranet providers to develop new and innovative ideas and, as a result, the customer benefits from more choice and value as market forces drive down prices.”

ENDS

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 page.

 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.

ENDS

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

Issued: 23 July 2002