Location, location, location for travel supplier websites

I promised last week that I was going to write up some ideas for location based services for travel supplier websites. By supplier I mean “product owners” or agents of product owners. i.e. these are ideas that could be implemented by travel companies - rather than new location / mobile based startups.

These ideas are based on the principle that you know where the web user is while accessing your website or service. While this may be “out of reach” of many travel websites currently - this is functionality that is coming to everyone in the next few years so time to start thinking about it.

The big question is - with this new ability to know where a user is - what kind of ideas will it support?

First a few general points:

• A location based service doesn’t have to be a mobile service - you could create a great piece of functionality that understands a person’s location and responds to it without the necessity for the service to be a mobile one.
• Having a general understanding where someone can be useful - its not just about knowing exactly where someone is. Just knowing the country can be a good start!

 Sales

• Understand which airport is most local to a user - hence push offers and promote products that tie in with what is likely to be of interest to the customer. Zero novelty factor - most large travel companies are mapping this currently within their CRM systems….. but always good to cover the basics!
• Where is my nearest agent? Unlike many I don’t believe its quite the end for the travel agent yet. However, agents need to turn into product evangelists rather than ticket clerks. Just last week I was in an agents office and they had converted their downstairs into a “presentation room” with massive plasma screen. Their plan is to hold interesting evenings covering different topics. If I were a tour operator working with agents a user could be pushed towards their nearest agent holding a product presentation evening……

Operational and in resort

• Where is my nearest rep? - many customers will be taking mobile devices with them on their trips. Imagine providing them with a tool with a big red “panic” button - to either tell them where their nearest rep is - or automatically put them in touch with their nearest. Customer can get an ETA for the rep to arrive. In reverse, rep can see, on a map on their mobile device, where the customer was when they pressed the panic button.
• Transfer bus coming - if you are going on a tour and you need to catch a “transfer” bus…. wouldn’t it be great to actually know where the bus is. Often the last few hours of a holiday (fly and flop) are sat waiting in bar…. or on a dusty road….. for the transfer back to the airport. I am sure that mobile devices can help improve this part of the holiday experience - the customer can see where the bus is…. the reps can see that everyone is waiting (even if the rep isn’t actually at that location).
• The shopper - say you are on holiday and you want to buy a rug or stuffed camel…… you could navigate to your travel portal and find out where you can get your best deals (perhaps also with coupon codes). Often people, in specific destinations, come back with similar mementos of their trip…. so you are not having to create an entire ecommerce system for thousands of products (like you would if were a conventional mobile retailer) - just pick the ones that are absolutely top picks for the destination….. actually not too mad an idea for a new startup……… ummm - anyone got any VC?
• Whats on today? Events, weather, etc…..  

Operational - the rep’s perspective

• Big brother is watching you - howabout in the local rep’s office having a big plasma screen showing the location of all your customers at this point in time (not just where they are staying, but where they are).

Just touching the surface here…… lots more to come in the next few years!

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