The system also stores the buying habits of customers; this includes the type of holidays they book with Sunvil, and the brochures they have bought. This then means that Sunvil can send further brochures to persuade them to book further holidays with them, which will then make them more money. It also says whether the customers are a repeat client.
Expedia is a virtual online travel agent, which also block book. The customers make their own bookings through the website. No building or personal interaction happens with the customer, they offer their own deals and also deals from other travel agents.
The advantages of Expedia include the fact you don’t have to go to the travel agents; its also quicker and the customers can do this in the comfort of their own home. By using Expedia the customers get what they want quickly and easy.
To use the website the customers fill in the boxes according to what type of holiday they want to go on. Expedia then searches the GDS system and then provides the results to the customers. They then fill in their credit card details, and the holiday is booked.
Travel agents use a Global Distribution System (GDS) this is a huge database of flights, hotels, and car hires, which is used to check availability and make bookings, its not used by the general public but by travel agents, airlines, hotels - used to put holidays together. When a hotel books one of it rooms directly it will use the GDS to check for availability, to make sure the database is always up to date.
The general public does not have direct access to the GDS, the process that a customer goes through to book a holiday with Expedia they use the website and fill out the relevant boxes, which then searches GDS and provides the results for them online, they then decide whether they make the booking or not. Travel agents use GDS to check availability of flights, hotel rooms and car hire and also to make bookings.
The technical equipment which is needed to run the site includes a group of servers, (powerful computers) that make the website available. One server = 5 computers = more people can access the website.
A call centre is needed for Expedia in case customers need to help to search and book if they need it, it also deals with more complex needs.
The ticketing procedure at Sunvil is booked online, (travel and accommodation) in one action:
- Books Holiday
- Prints Tickets
- Prints Vouchers
- Sends Ground Handling Reports
- Prints Flight Details
The ticketing procedure at Expedia is:
- Booking Made On World Span
- Details go back to Expedia call centre in Leicester
- Ticket and invoice printed and sent to the customer
- Itinerary/Invoice/Tickets packaged and sent
Some airlines now issue customers with an e - ticket, an email is sent to the customer with a number, which the customer will then take to the airport on the date of departure. The airline will then find the number on the computers system, which is then validated by a credit card number, this system involved no human contact to check in, which makes it swift and easy to check in for your flight.
In the future customers will travel without a passport; this is done by using biometrics such as palm prints, eye recognition, etc. which is unique to every single person. This will then make it harder for people to fraud passports. The advantages of travelling without a paper ticket mean that customers do not need to carry the ticket, which may get lost. The GDS will store the customer’s flight and accommodation information needed.
1 in 3 houses in western Europe will have interactive TV by 2004, which means as interactive TV becomes more popular more people will book their holidays from the comfort of their own home rather than go to a travel agent. This will also help Expedia because not all homes have access to the Internet, so if interactive TV becomes even more popular, Expedia will then gain more customers.
