| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 21/08/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 39 |
| Copyright: Other |
Web site construction
Dive into the Internet for less than you think
Every week the travel press extol the virtues of being on-line. All too often it is names such as Thomas Cook, Virgin and First Choice that are mentioned when talking about Web innovations – so much so that smaller travel agencies could be forgiven for thinking this is the sole domain of the big companies with big budgets.So how does the small to medium-sized travel retailer compete with the multitude of high-profile professional Web sites being launched by the big players with apparently unlimited budgets?
While cost will probably be the primary concern of any travel agent, there are other questions to ask before going on-line.
New media director of Web consultancy Atolis, Dave Fifer, said: “It can cost tens of thousands of pounds to set up a Web site but it doesn’t have to. We have created a product that travel agencies can lease which we then adapt to suit their needs and image. It means they don’t have to pay start-up costs which can be the most expensive part of the process.
“Instead they pay a registration or set-up fee of under £2,500. They then pay a monthly fee to keep the Web site updated and get the technical support that we offer.”
But before you start to think about how much money you want to invest and who you want to bring on board to help there are a few important things to consider.
Here Fifer outlines the main questions that retail travel agencies need to ask themselves before they make the move into cyberspace.
n Atolis is launching its Web product called WavesTravel today.
Aimed at small to medium-sized travel agencies, it provides retailers with a ready-made Web site with facilities for holiday searches, charter flight availability, on-line reservations for airport parking, airport hotels and car hire.
The Web site is then tailored to individual agencies’ needs.
For more information, visit www.wavestravel.com
1. Do I need a Web site?
If the reported figure that 32% of the UK population – or 19 millionpeople – has Internet access, is correct, that’s 19 million potential customers with round the clock access to your Web site.
An increasing number of people are using the Internet as a one-stop-shop, so finding holidays and flights via the Web is becoming a commonplace activity.
One of the great advantages of the Internet is that the size of your shop front is irrelevant. Whether you have a thousand branches orone, in cyberspace, the playing field is level and your shop is open 24 hours a day.
7. Can I afford it?
In some ways, you can’t afford not to take the plunge. If you don’t, your customers will simply find a site that delivers what they want, and book elsewhere. Time is always a factor on the Internet.
For a fraction of the cost of installing a new reservations system and probably less than you currently spend onadvertising, promotion, and marketing, you could havea dramatic increase in your sales, reaching a target audience larger than you could hope to achieve by any other means.
Many people are initially cautious of the new technologies involved in using Web sites but a great deal of Internet software is straightforward to use and takes very little time to master.
2. What sort of site will I need?
A set of simple static Web pages will not bring you business.
The discerning consumer demands a highly interactive site that provides direct access to a range of on-line holiday and flight information.
Whether you’re a specialist agent or cater for a wide variety of clients, you need to tailor the site to suit your business. This could take the form of special deals or flagging up family products.
You may want to allow customers to make a scheduled flight booking usingthe technology of a major computer reservation system.
Most importantly, you will want the ability to make changes to your site from your own office quickly and without the need to involve a third party.
3. What equipment will I need?
If you haven’t already got access to the Internet, then that is all you will need to establish. You may also find one of the Late Search products, such as EasySell or EasySearch invaluable to sales.
Once you are equipped for the Internet, you can receive booking information via e-mail.
You will find that all otherreservation functions remain the same.
When your Internet system is up and running you will also have access to the major travel Web sites that accept agency bookings such as Holiday Autos, Gold Medal, Kuoni and so on.
4. Who will build my site?
The rapid expansion of the Web has seen the proliferation of firms offering Internet services. The sheer volume of companies, such as Web House and Internet Consultants, can make choosing one confusing. In any event you will want a company with in-depth knowledge of the travel industry.
With technology moving rapidly, only Internet developers that work at the cutting edge of on-line data distribution can provide a competitive solution for your needs.
7. Can I afford it?
In some ways, you can’t afford not to take the plunge. If you don’t, your customers will simply find a site that delivers what they want, and book elsewhere. Time is always a factor on the Internet.
For a fraction of the cost of installing a new reservations system and probably less than you currently spend onadvertising, promotion, and marketing, you could havea dramatic increase in your sales, reaching a target audience larger than you could hope to achieve by any other means.
Many people are initially cautious of the new technologies involved in using Web sites but a great deal of Internet software is straightforward to use and takes very little time to master.
6. What will a Web site do for my business?
If your site is professional and promoted to good effect, you will secure additional business over and above your regular clientele base.
You will also receive business from outside yourimmediate trading area, so you need to be able to handle that. Sales contingencies are an important consideration.
We know of one independent travel agent based in the Scottish Highlands that saw an immediate increase in business of 10%, selling consolidated flights to anyone north of Manchester.
A Midlands-based telesales agency has reportedin excess of 51,000 individual visitors to its site injust over three months – imagine the impact on your business if this number of people walked through your shop door.
These examples give you some idea of the potential merits of the Web.
5. What will I need to do?
5. What will I need to do?Decide on the right Internet company and very quickly you can have a Web site that will have a major impact on your business. It is very important to look at what you competitors are doing – you can gain a lot just by spending some time, surfing for good ideas. Talk to your customers, and ask what they want from a travel Web site. Choose the area of your business that you wish to promote on your pages. What you are likely to need help with is planning the content and structure of your new site.
Loadsamoney: setting up a Web site doesn’t have to break the bank
Surf’s up: a site can substantially boost your potential clients