When we think about the travel management system, we can compare it to the globally connected wide internet network. Each and everything which comes under the travel management system is important, connected to each other and very well organized.

What is a travel management system?

Travel Management System (TMS) is an end to end complete software solution which helps the end-users or travel agents to manage service providers, bookings, pricing, tracking, analyzing the inventory, etc.
This travel management solution may include all the travel branches like Hotel, Car, Bus, Rail, Air, individual, or group tourist package.

Key features of TMS

It is very important to understand effectively the features of TMS as we are traveling internationally or domestically. Below are some safe and economically affordable features which need to be implemented by those who are developing these software solutions.

1.User-friendly booking options

Every business is dependent on its user experience. As far as the travel industry is concerned,  if a user faces any difficulties in booking their rides, accommodation, etc they will approach other TMS. To avoid losing business or customers, building a user-friendly booking tool is most important. 

2.Tracking of users’ trips, bills

Booked a ticket for your next trip? There is still some more work to be done by the agency. This is the time where the work of a travel agency starts, providing feasible services like booking, billing, check-in, check out,  tracking of their customers is also equally important.

3.Transportation matters

Any user who is availing the air, hotel services, may expect the transportation should be available on a single platform on which they can book their pre-post air transportation like car, bus, or train.  Many TMS can think of extending their services in cars, buses, rail.

4.Customized policies

The policy is the most important feature in the travel management system not only for end-users but also for agents and agencies. Policies may differ for each and every service.

• Different pricing policy for normal citizens and senior citizens
• Global Policies for domestic and international travel may vary
• Advance booking policies may vary to each agency 

5.Customizable workflows

What if any user has a different situation than you listed in your policies? Then every TMS system should have the ability to adapt to change and act on new workflows to tackle that situation. 

6.Easy Payment options

We can expect easy and upgraded  payment options other than cash from TMS while traveling like QR codes, UPI IDs, online banking, debit or credit cards  

7.Wide inventory

Maintaining a large inventory(large number of hotel/car/ bus vendors, agents) in travel management systems are most beneficial. If you don’t have enough availability of low-cost accommodation, it may tend towards loss of great market exposure eventually resulting in loss of business.

8.Mobile app to broadcast necessary information

According to a survey, more than 3 billion people use smartphones nowadays, so it will be easy for Travel management systems to start sending updates on a mobile app for all the users

9.Store user profile’s data

To avoid repetitive approaches to fill forms or user information, it is important to have a feature of auto-saving user’s data such as personal information, PNR details, travel history, etc.

10.Clear Out of policy information

If any Air/Hotel/Car service is not operational due to any reason, the user expects from travel management to send a clear message that this Service is Out of Policy.

11.Being in touch with the traveler during the entire journey

Giving comfortable service can be achieved by being in touch with a customer every now and then. Also being in touch will be beneficial for marketing future packages.

12.Frequent Traveler policies

Every company has a different policy for its frequent travelers. Some provide points that can be redeemed in the next journey or they provide a card to swipe and avail discounts. Either way the travel management system should have an option to save travelers points for their loyal customers.

13.Consolidate invoicing options

In every billing system, prices are divided into different categories. The pricing breakup should be in a consolidated manner which makes a customer aware of all the prices he is paying for.

14.No redirects

There are many companies that don’t have their own service providers, so they internally have a contract with other providers and sell on their own sites or companies. It’s the travel management system that end-users should see any redirect while availing services from particular companies

15.Reporting features for Admin

By default Admin users of any system have more responsibilities than other users, the admin has to generate different kinds of reports related to existing /spent inventories. Arrival and departure history reports, out of policy providers reports, etc.

16.Classified management for different agents, agencies

The TMS can be used by different agents and agencies and it may not require the same kind of user interface/management for all the agents as they are nor serving the same types of services. So it will be easy for agents and agencies if TMS provides classified storage and operational options for all.

17.Advertising/ Marketing of affordable packages

Any user who wishes to travel somewhere or buy something, he needs a pocket-friendly available package. To attract customers, different travel agencies offer an attractive package with a lot of discounts. But marking of that packages is important and that must reach to maximum people and for that agencies should plan the best broadcasting strategies. 

18.Robust software solution

The business of the travel industry totally depends on festivals, holidays, and different packages. There are a few days where these travel solutions may face huge traffic, so every travel agency should have a robust system to handle the traffic. 

19.Strong Customer Care Support

If a customer has any issues related to any bookings or reservations or during travel or after travel, customer care support comes in the picture here. The travel companies or agencies should provide strong, polite, and supportive services to their customers so that the customers are satisfied with the services provided and the company is happy with the customers’ feedback in order to grow their business.

20.User Manuals

There are different kind of users who are using the software solutions, not necessarily all users are technically sound or aware of the system, so most of the Travel companies should provide user guides to the customers which would help them to understand and use their solutions comfortably and they can experience better service.

Conclusion
If any Travel organization implements all the features listed above in their software solutions, it can help end-users to experience a better travel management system. There is always a scope of improvement, so we can make changes to our traditional way of managing travel services and give users a user-friendly solution