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Self booking tools ‘not a threat’ to agents
Business travel agents can boost business by working with corporate self booking tools, according to an Amadeus executive.
“Self booking tools provide travel arrangers and travel managers with more information so reduce the tedious calls made to travel consultants on issues like scheduling.
“It makes the consultants job more fulfilling and means each consultants can work with more companies. They can build their business on the back of self bookings tools.”
This is according to Klaus Goddard, recently appointed head of e-Travel UK business unit, part of Amadeus.
E-Travel offers a corporate self booking tool called e-Travel Aergo, which works with multiple GDSs – a key point for the UK market. It allows corporate customers to compare the fares of traditional and low-cost airlines on one screen as well as featuring hotels, car hire and service tools like destination and visa information.
Mr Goddard told TravelMole that the key to the success of self-booking tools is content and support. Aergo has achieved 90% adoption (it is used for 90% of travel bookings) in many of the corporations that use it according to Mr Goddard.
Part of this is due to support. “The battle is going towards the issue of what it is like to actually use the tool. Our wizards help customers to set up and use the system – as much of what sells the system is support”, said Mr Goddard.
The new version of Aergo (6.1) was launched in July. Currently there are three global corporations using Aergo for their UK divisions as well as customers using the old version, who will transfer to the updated version later this year. Mr Goddard says e-Travel is talking to as many as 24 global corporations about the product and hope many will start using it before the end of the year.
Aergo costs from £12,000 for an initial outlay plus about £4 per transaction, but there are cost savings to be made says Mr Goddard.
“It saves corporate customers money through streamlining the booking process by channelling people towards preferred carriers as well as cutting down on paperwork, phone calls and admin”, he said.
Mr Goddard said e-Travel was working with large travel management companies in reseller partnerships. Amex and TQ3 customise and manage the product for smaller corporate customers. “Watch this space for more deals like that”, added Mr Goddard.
Report by Ginny McGrath
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