The R Group
presentingTRAVEL TECHNOLOGY TRENDS AND ISSUES 2011
The R Group
Travel technology specialist for over 25+ years.
Former executive with:• Lifeco, Amex, and BCD• CTI, TTG, and TRX• Expedia, Travelocity, Orbitz, and Priceline• ACS and WNS
Expertise provided:- Improve sales and marketing processes- Increase supplier revenues- Reducing costs thru call center management
and BPO- Procurement, development, and application of
technology
Agenda
Mobile
Process Improvements
Sales
Direct Connect
Direct Connects Dire c t C o n n e c t
Want they want:• GDS incentives to go away• Control over who can sell their
product• Ability to promote direct connects• Reduced costs per segment
Want they want:• Status quo• Control over the buying network• Access to all content
Want they want:• Access to all content
without more costs• Incentive revenues to
continue
In the End• Airlines will pay incentives to book direct• Agency incentives from the GDS will go down• Airline will promote a direct connect solution• Airline will get a reduced cost per segment (1/2)
Process Improvements
• Hired by a top 10 agency to improve profits by 20% (at least)
• Reviewed both revenues and costs• High service agency with low online adoption• Strong hotel program• Offices in four major cities in US
Process Improvements
Process Improvements
1. Hotels is where it’s at!2. 90/20 and being nice are expensive and don’t matter
much to the customer.3. Incentive programs aren’t working. Convert to
points/trips and not cash.4. Get more out of mid-office robotics.5. Establish larger team size to realize savings.
Consolidate locations.
Process Improvements
Process Improvements
6. Identify MLAs and fix.7. Establish a brand and focus – service.8. Establish a culture of preferred supplier
support.9. Charge for all value added services.10. Record all calls and use for coaching agents.
Process Improvements
Where is all this going?
Sales Best Practices
• Hired by a travel card provider to identify the best practices when selling to the small and midsize corporate market.
• Interviewed over 25 executives both internal and external. Including:– All mega travel agencies– Both OTA and Traditional agencies– Technology providers
• Summarized the results into top 10 themes.
Sales
1. Process is important. Demand gen, lead gen, follow-up, lead scoring, sales, and close.
2. Marketing should establish a process for both client and prospect communication – drumbeat. What’s your story?
3. Don’t cold call, warm call.4. Technology can be an effective selling tool if “perceived”
as unique.5. Best to have one large “branding” event (NBTA) and
several smaller sales events (Roadshows). At NBTA – send “lumpy” to qualified leads and require “activation” to win.
Sales Best Practices
Sales
6. Tell-a-sales can be effective both insourced and outsourced. Suspect database is key.
7. Use a CRM (Salesforce.com) rigorously. Create scorecards by salesman.
8. Establish channel partners to provide qualified leads. Leverage their marketing and spend.
9. Don’t be quick to hire and fire. Tenure matters. Reassign if tired.
10. Hire passionate, smart people. Motivated to win. Rolodex matters in large market.
Sales Best Practices
Sales
Sales Process
Paper
Event
Call
Social Media
“Qualified”Prospects
Email Click
Attendance
Website
Call In
Call
•Outsourced or Internal
•Qualify the prospect and interest
• Close if small or setup appointment with sales
Meet
• Call with salesman/presentation
• Schedule meeting if appropriate
• Send proposal
Close
• Sign agreement
Marketing Engagement Sales
• Qualified• Educational• Frequency• Targeted
• Warm• CRM Scoring• Routing• Event, TShow, Group
• First call – qualification and closing if small.
• Escalation to sales when appropriate – appt setting.
Sales
Mobile
Mobile
Mobile
Mobile
Researc
h
Shop
Book
Travel Post
Future
Future
Future
Future
Future
» For a copy of the presentation:www.linkedin.com/in/TheRGroup
Steve Reynolds President and CEOOffice: 214-363-9630 | Mobile: 214-244-5401 7318 Marquette Dallas, TX [email protected]
