What do today’s travel agents need to excel in an ever-changing market?

It’s vital that agents equip themselves with the correct booking tools to tackle fluctuations in the market, anticipated or otherwise. Remaining aware of changing travel habits is a fundamental part of succeeding in the industry; similarly, reacting to external influences could be what separates good agents from the very best - and Bedsonline is here to support the latter.

Bedsonline – part of Hotelbeds – has form when it comes to helping their partners to flourish: currently, we support the growth of some 60,000+ travel agencies worldwide. But what is the formula behind our success?

AN UNRIVALED TRAVEL BOOKING PLATFORM

As a powerhouse of the travel-tech world, Bedsonline understands that ‘to excel in the ever-changing travel landscape, you need a partner that understands your needs and gives you a competitive edge’.

Our travel booking platform speaks to our understanding of market requirements, as well as our command of technology: powered by a proprietary algorithm, the booking engine seamlessly pairs the best hotels from an expansive global portfolio to an agent's unique query, considering the criteria that matches the right experience to the end client.

Content, Tripadvisor reviews, value competitiveness and ‘top seller’ status are just a handful of criteria upon which hotel ranking is determined, offering the top picks for agents to share at the point of consultation.

While the Booking Engine’s data intelligence supports the consultation process, the best travel agents know that human touch is what sets them apart from their competitors. A wide variety of filters – ranging from board basis to sustainability credentials - enables agents to engage in a meaningful dialogue by putting the client’s preferences at the centre of every consultation, while further options (such as free cancellation, partial cancellation, non-refundable bookings and current promotions) offer reassurance and satisfy a desire for greater flexibility.

With travel products in mind, Bedsonline makes it easy for agents to add relevant items onto their client’s bookings via an integrated cross-selling tool in our travel booking platform.

From car hire to private transfers, theme park tickets and activities (ranging from cooking classes through to walking tours), the cross-selling tool allows advisors to leverage Bedsonline’s expansive global travel portfolio by adding them to the same quote or booking, with an ability to present all items at one final cost.

LET INSIGHTS LEAD THE WAY

Before any consultation can begin, it would be advantageous for agents to familiarise themselves with what’s happening in their market.

Insights - Bedsonline's powerful search and recommenation tool – offers such market-specific destination and experience recommendations based on those which offer the most growth opportunity. Ranked by their relevance to your specific market, Insights offers opportunities influenced by real-time global data revealing emerging trends which are then tailored to its user, based on what it can learn about their typical booking habits.

These opportunities take demand percentage, price and competitor behaviours into account, with users then being encouraged to capitalise on the hotels and experiences that they’re not currently booking. By presenting this information in a clear, digestible way, Insights makes it easier than ever for agents to identify the right destinations to offer to their clients at the best possible time.

Indeed, the Flyer Creator tool, available to use from within Insights and on other landing pages across the Bedsonline website – is an effective way for agents to promote their product with minimal effort and at zero cost.

In a matter of minutes, agents can craft attractive travel marketing materials complete with their own branding, unique disclaimers and up to eight hotels (with or without the nightly cost on display) before saving the flyer, attaching it to an email, or even sending to their clients via WhatsApp from within the tool itself – perfect for keeping up with those on-the-go clients and aiding the agent's own efficiency.

SWIFT SOLUTIONS WITH OUR SELF-SERVICE TOOLS

As well as helping advisors to remain agile in a fast-moving market, Bedsonline has simplified the way in which travel professionals can troubleshoot issues through the introduction of self-service tools.

Accessible via the Bedsonline website, Bedsonline’s suite of self-service tools saves agents time by allowing them to manage and modify bookings at their own convenience.

From adding special requests at any time (not just at the time of booking) to adding or removing room nights, agents can make changes in three easy steps. Other features include a flexible cancellation tool (in which advisors can perform all cancellations in one go), simple relocation of hotel reconfirmation numbers, and easy access to the Reservations Help Desk.

Designed to help advisors work with ease, the Help Desk offers the fastest resolution to pre-arrival questions in one place. Agents can browse the FAQ section for answers to common pre-departure questions, while other queries can be raised in a ticket. Queries raised via the Help Desk are given priority over emails or phone calls, which in turn saves the advisor time – and allows them to focus on offering the best possible experience to their clients.

Discover more about our self-service tools with our helpful guide.

BEDSONLINE: THE TRAVEL PARTNER OF CHOICE

To keep up with the ever-changing travel industry, travel agents must align themselves with the best booking partner.

A wealth of accommodation options (sourced by a team of local contracting experts) and a catalogue of knowledge-building resources are reasons worthy enough to appeal to today’s travel professionals but, above all else, it’s a simplicity of use which keeps agents working with Bedsonline.