Before choosing a tour operator software, there are a few things that can help you make the decision.
1. How long have you been developing the software solution?
Companies that have been developing a tour operator software solution for many years already have a reputation, their solution is consistent and trusted by many others. Also, young companies often don’t have enough knowledge in the travel business.
2. How many references do you have?
The number of customers is also an indicator if the vendor is serious about doing business. Professionalism is rare and the more customers a vendor has– the more people you can ask about their opinion!
3. When was the last upgrade released?
The regularity of available upgrades says a lot about being in touch with the latest trends and customer requirements. It’s important that the software follows and covers your new business changes. Last but not least, you should be notified about the changes, so ask your vendor if they provide some manuals, notifications, announcements or something similar.
4. Where is the product heading? What are your plans for the upcoming year?
Every tour operator software company should have a “product road map”. If the tour operator software doesn’t have some option that is at the moment not crucial for you, it is good to know whether or not it is on their road map. So, if a vendor doesn’t have a product road map, he doesn’t know where the whole thing is going, what it needs to fulfill, when to deliver etc.
5. Do you have a project manager responsible for implementing the software?
A project manager is needed as a bridge between you and the tech support team. So, without the implementation team, you won’t be informed of any changes that are affecting your company, and the progress of the trainings and integrations will be slow.
6. What do the trainings look like and are they personalized or generic?
The most important goal of trainings is to map your business processes to the software. If the vendor provides an individual approach, it means he understands that your travel business is unique!
7. Do you have a help center available for all of our questions?
Assistance to software users is crucial. You will have a lot of questions and doubts, and the tour operator software vendor must help you solve your specific issues with the system.
8. Are manuals and documentation available for the software?
A user manual helps you easily upload travel products into the software. It’s important that you know all features and upgrades. Every new functionality, option or logic should be explained. This way, you can use the system to the fullest and get the most out of it!
9. Will I be able to integrate my existing system with yours?
Working with 3 systems at a time is not so effective. It would be great to integrate e.g. your accounting software with your tour operator software. This way, you save your time and have everything centralized!
10. What advantages do you have that set you apart from other travel software vendors?
How to decide what is the best solution for you? Every tour operator software on the market has something that makes it unique, but the important thing is – what is important for you? Your travel business also has some unique details, so ask for benefits and see what will add the most value for you.
11. Is your software available for customizations?
It’s not easy to find a tour operator software vendor that will be available for your custom modifications and customizations. Still, it is worth the effort to find someone who will make your reports or documents consistent to your brand image!
