Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Wagonlit Travel, offer their clients regular
management information reports detailing the
extent of travel by members of staff and expenditure
incurred.
their services for their staff. This is known as a business-
to-business (or B2B) relationship.
Global distribution systems
Procedures and documentation for
selling products and services
Global distribution systems (GDS) were originally
developed by airlines who wanted to make it as easy
as possible for travel agents to access information
on fl ights and make bookings for clients. They have
now developed into very powerful travel sales and
management systems use extensively by business
travel agents and larger travel management companies.
Systems such as Amadeus, Galileo and Sabre allow
agents to search for and book thousands of fl ights,
hotels, train services, ferry services, car hire rentals,
visitor attractions, destinations, etc. across the world
from the comfort of their offi ce. Galileo (now part of
Travelport) aggregates content for its system from
approximately 420 airlines, over 88,000 hotels, more
than 25 car hire companies and 13 major rail networks
using 29 languages.
Travel agencies that have a mixed client base, i.e.
dealing with both business and leisure customers, use
similar procedures and documentation for selling to
both client types. Functions will typically be divided
into 'front offi ce' and 'back offi ce'. Front offi ce refers to
areas of the business where staff are in direct contact
with customers, for example selling products face-to-
face in the agency, whereas back offi ce functions are
those that take place behind the scenes, for example
accounting, maintenance, training and stock control.
The concept of front and back offi ce is widespread in
business travel agencies, allowing management to focus
resources on particular functions and train staff in these
areas. The selection and training of staff to work in the
front offi ce is particularly important, since it provides
the client with his or her fi rst impressions of the agency.
Staff with an understanding of the particular needs of
business travellers and a commitment to providing
excellence in customer service should be chosen to
work in this high profi le area. The environment in which
the front offi ce is positioned also needs to be carefully
planned and should provide a clean, warm, effi cient,
welcoming and friendly atmosphere.
There must always be good co-ordination between
front and back offi ce functions. In large business travel
management companies the job of making sure that
everything runs smoothly between front and back
offi ce falls to an account manager, who is responsible
for handling a number of clients' accounts and acting
as their fi rst point of contact. Unit 9 has more detailed
information on front and back offi ce functions in travel
agencies, plus typical procedures and documentation
for selling products and services (see from page 306).
Making travel arrangements on the move using a GDS
Activity 10.3
Visit the Amadeus website www.amadeus.com and
make notes on the company's global distribution
system. Use the information you fi nd to make a
presentation on the content and features of the
GDS.
Larger travel management companies, such as
Carlson Wagonlit Travel, are not 'customer-facing'
organisations, i.e. their staff don't deal directly with the
travelling public, but liaise with companies that request
This activity is designed to provide evidence for P2.
