ENTERPRISE Tour Operator, Tour Operator Plus, and Tour Operator Executive for Linux
Does your business involve the provision of tours to fare paying passengers? Is the complexity of the business somewhere between "one man and his truck", and a multi vehicle, multi purpose, multi tour, multi company operation handling freight as well as passengers?
Are you having difficulty with the recording and tracking of reservations, or is your system labour intensive and therefore costly? Are you tired of chasing your agents for monies owed?
Help is at hand. An ENTERPRISE TOUR OPERATOR system can provide you with a front and back office solution to overcome these administrative hurdles.
The TOUR OPERATOR booking systems offer you the flexibility to define your business, are efficient and easy to use, and provide the capacity for increased profitability. For example, instant recall on all tour bookings removes the need for cumbersome manual systems. This, combined with capacity status being updated with each reservation, enables increased efficiency of loadings.
ENTERPRISE provides three levels of Tour Operator systems. All levels can be used as stand alone systems, or interfaced with the choice of ENTERPRISE accounting packages and other selected ENTERPRISE industry specific modules to provide an integrated solution. Systems integration ensures simultaneous update of all appropriate modules.
WHY ARE THERE 3 LEVELS?
By offering a choice we believe we can offer you more value for money, so that your needs can be met without having to purchase more than you require. The three levels demonstrate a recognition that the complexity of the services offered by different Tour Operators is just not the same across the industry.
- ENTERPRISE TOUR OPERATOR is designed predominantly for standard outward and return to base tours, with the capability of multiple vehicles and tours, and with the capacity to convert the tour manifest to agent invoices.
- ENTERPRISE TOUR OPERATOR PLUS offers all the same features, plus the ability to accommodate multiple return options, enhanced reporting, the production of proforma invoices, and the ability to create cost and sell itineraries using own and other operators tours.
- The top of the line ENTERPRISE TOUR OPERATOR EXECUTIVE has all the features of TOUR OPERATOR and TOUR OPERATOR PLUS, accommodates multi company operation, has greatly expanded functionality in terms of the tour structures and the reservation process, and has an on board Report Writer. A choice of input screens is provided to customise the system to the specific operation. TOUR OPERATOR EXECUTIVE also forms the platform for client specific solutions, and further enquiries should be directed to The Gibson Group.
WHAT ARE THE FUNCTIONS OF ENTERPRISE TOUR OPERATOR PACKAGES?
Five sub-modules are provided in each of the systems, which allows quick access to the required functions. Six hot keys are also provided to further facilitate ease of operation, with additional keys in TOUR OPERATOR EXECUTIVE to accommodate additional functions.
MAINTENANCE:
Within this module, you can define the system parameters of the Tours services you provide. This includes establishment of the details of agents who sell your services, agents' commissions, tour codes, descriptions and 6 price points for single or return trips. Facility is also provided within this sub module to set up cabin or seat numbers, point of sale items sold to passengers, pick up points, source of booking codes, and tour capacities. A general maintenance sub menu allows the input of a cash drawer balance, the ability to flag on or off a variety of fields within the booking entry screen, user definition of the capacity headers, standard fax message, and 10 payment types.
Within TOUR OPERATOR PLUS, this sub module also gives you the ability to enter details of own and other operators' tours for use in the itinerary facility in the Manifest sub module.
Within TOUR OPERATOR EXECUTIVE, you can also assign Agents to companies, and can user define up to 28 tour price points and two seasons for each tour. Facilities are also provided for establishing other items such as vehicles or freight, together with 4 price points and 2 seasons. You can also establish up to 10 registers and sales consultants. The general maintenance area also contains enhanced booking screen options, providing you with even more flexibility in the definition of your system. Within this area, a choice of 4 booking entry screens is provided, depending on the type of tour operation being undertaken.
MANIFEST:
Having established the parameters of your system, you can then commence recording bookings within this area. A worksheet may be printed, entries made into the manifest, recording the passenger name, allocating seat/cabin number, payment details, and any special requirements clients may have through a notes facility. You can also undertake manifest enquiries through menu or hot key, confirm manifest bookings, and print a manifest using a choice of three criteria, and a pre-travel fax confirmation form.
Within the TOUR OPERATOR PLUS entry screen, provision is made for the recording of and payment for vehicles, and the making of a booking of a return on another tour, catering for the operator who wishes to provide his clients with flexible dates of return.
TOUR OPERATOR PLUS also provides you with the facility to create itineraries of various tours for the one client, utilising the data stored in Master file of tour operators and their services. Once created, the itinerary may then be costed and printed, or an enquiry made of existing itineraries.
TOUR OPERATOR EXECUTIVE also offers a choice of entry screens to cater for a variety of types of operation, being the screens from the lower level packages, or screens specifically designed for cruise ships, roll on/off ferry services, and sea, land or air freight operations. For specific details, please contact The Gibson Group.
ACCOUNTS:
Here you may convert confirmed manifest bookings to invoice against your agents or enter invoices directly into the system, by-passing the manifest entry. Invoices may then be printed individually or in batches, and test print and re-print facilities are provided.
In TOUR OPERATOR PLUS and TOUR OPERATOR EXECUTIVE, you are also provided with the ability to create a proforma invoice. Within TOUR OPERATOR EXECUTIVE, a flag is provided in the higher level entry screens to undertake this procedure at time of booking.
BACK OFFICE:
If you did not allocate seats/cabins at time of booking, you can perform this function within this sub module. Facilities are also provided to print a list of bookings in ticket order, and address labels for your tickets. If you have cash registers not connected to the system, you may enter summary transactions for the day, particularly if the system is interfaced with an ENTERPRISE accounting system. Debtor receipts may be recorded, and day end functions are also provided.
REPORTS:
TOUR OPERATOR provides an extensive range of reports and listings to provide vital management information. Listings of Master file data provided include agent details, tour listings, cabin/seat details, booking source, and pickup points.
Reports provided include sales activity for tours, a performance status report, activity and statistical reports by a number of criteria, and POS and transaction reports.
TOUR OPERATOR PLUS also provides a standard reminder letter input and print facility, and a revenue report for selected period and tours.
TOUR OPERATOR EXECUTIVE accommodates all the listing and reporting facilities provided in the lower level packages, plus additional reports which reflect the additional functionality of the system and inputs in the booking screens. These include sub menus for reports of rooms on hold, allotments, group bookings, and reconfirmation's, a comments report and a manifest audit trail.
In addition, the extensive reporting facilities found in TOUR OPERATOR PLUS are further enhanced by the provision of a report writer. This provides you with the means to create and to customise reports to meet your specific requirements.
WHAT FEATURES ARE OFFERED BY THE TOUR OPERATOR SYSTEMS?
- ENTERPRISE Software uses unique menu formats and screen commands, ensuring the system is very easy to use and follow.
- Hot keys are available for booking entry, booking inquiries, confirmation and receipts, manifest print, and manifest status/ availability.
- A full or partial code search enables information to be retrieved efficiently.
- Ticket printing facility is provided, which may be flagged on or off, depending on your operational requirements.
- Enquire into the status of a tour manifest. Search for individual passengers by name, date, tour or agent.
- Recall a manifest and confirm that the passenger is travelling. The manifest can be converted to an invoice after confirmation.
- The manifest may be printed for the tour staff to take with them. It will contain all information including seat allocations and special passenger needs.
- Enquire into the status of a manifest for instant information on capacity available for both sections of tour.
- Assign tours to a General Ledger code, to allow multiple tracking of incomes.
- Unlimited future bookings, agents and tours, and write unlimited notes against bookings.
WHAT ADDITIONAL FEATURES ARE OFFERED BY TOUR OPERATOR PLUS?
- The ability to handle and charge for clients vehicles, whether that be for storage whilst on tour, or as freight.
- Allows for flexible returns by clients by tour and date. The system automatically makes the booking for the return for the date and tour selected.
- The ability to create itineraries of a group of tours, either your own or in conjunction with other operators' services, providing the ability to sell packaged services.
- Enhanced reporting providing even more management data and control.
- Produce proforma invoices for your overseas agents to facilitate payments.
- Establish standard reminder letters, and produce these when required.
WHAT ADDITIONAL FEATURES ARE OFFERED BY TOUR OPERATOR EXECUTIVE?
- This is largely dependant on the input screen and associated databases selected. Examples include:
- Up to 28 price points and two season pricing.
- The ability to establish multiple POS locations, and the inclusion of other items, such as vehicles or freight into the manifest.
- Additional flags to further customise the booking input screens.
- Write notes to print on tickets, or internal notes, and generate a report.
- Further enhanced reporting, and the additional facility of a report writer.
- An enhanced manifest status screen, which shows availability and reserved bookings by type of booking and user defined cabin or seat type.
- Hot keys within the reservation input screen to facilitate data entry.
- The ability to have sub options within a specific tours, allowing for part-way drop off and pick ups.
- Numerous additional facilities are provided, such as wait listing, allotments, on hold bookings, multiple sales consultants and POS locations, group bookings and additional comments, dependant on the system specification.
The ENTERPRISE TOUR OPERATOR systems provide you with the flexibility of choice of functionality to reflect your business requirements. This choice ranges from a relatively simple system to reflect the smaller operators requirements through to multi company, high volume, complex systems designed to meet exacting client specification.
When integrated into an accounting package and other task and industry specific modules, ENTERPRISE can deliver an extremely powerful solution for business management.
Copyright of The Gibson Group 1986 - 2002. All rights Reserved www.thegibsongroup.com. P.O Box 228 Clifton Beach, Qld 4879 Australia. Phone: (61 07) 40415421, Fax:+(61 07) 40415693. e-mail sales@thegibsongroup.com. Information in this document is subject to change without notice. Other products and companies referred to herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies or mark holders.