Pros and cons
PROS
Reduced training time: booking on the Internet is self-explanatory and takes less time than viewdata.
Faster: agents can access more than one operators’ system at a time and can take more bookings.
More information: operators can provide agents with pictures of hotels and resorts, and virtual tours of hotel rooms
Personalised service: agents can search for specific holidays for clients whose personal details can be kept on the system.
Greater flexibility: operators can programme an Internet-based system to track such things as agency conversion rates.
CONS
Additional hardware costs: agents still using viewdata terminals will have to invest in new multi-media PCs.
Familiarisation: agents already using viewdata will have to adapt to using an entirely new system.