What booking systems does a travel agency use that I need to learn?
Ask the owner to list every system staff use daily, covering supplier booking portals, the client file system, payment handling and accounting. Then ask who holds each login, what training exists, and whether access and supplier relationships carry over to you or must be applied for again.
Start by sitting beside an agent through one complete booking, from enquiry to final payment. You will see which systems are touched, where information is typed twice and where workarounds hide. Ask for a written map of the tools in use and which ones are essential.
Next, find out whose name each account is in. Supplier portals and preferred partner arrangements are often tied to the owner or to an agent personally, and some may need approval for a new owner. Ask your lawyer how to deal with that in the agreement, and ask the suppliers directly, with the seller’s consent, what a change would involve.
Look at training too. Is there a manual, or does the knowledge live in people’s heads? Ask the most experienced agent what a new person finds hardest in the first weeks. If you plan to work in the business, expect to learn the booking tools yourself. Lastly, think about the records. Client files, deposits and trip records need safe storage, and your accountant can advise on how money moves through the systems. Set aside time in your first weeks to practise on test bookings, away from real clients, before you handle live trips.
Key takeaways
- Shadow an agent through a full booking to see every system that is touched.
- Check whose name holds each supplier account and whether it can transfer.
- Ask for a written manual, or plan time to build one with the staff.
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Sources
This answer is checked against primary sources. Links were last confirmed on the dates shown.
- 01Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentHow to conduct due diligence when buying a business
- 02Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentWhat are the steps to buying a business?
- 03Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentAfter buying a business, what is the next step?
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