CRM/Itinerary Builder - Do any work the way we do?
Our Industry backend are broken - we as the middleperson between supplier, host agency, and client have to consolidate multiple documents and proposals into our own CRM and itinerary builder, and which does not work with end client trip management software like Tripit, Concur, etc. And we then have to re-upload the info for billing. The more I am doing paperwork the less time I am being productive for my clients and learning. I have been testing and paying for Tern, Travefy, and TravelJoy (and tested PlanitEasy till i saw it was more a supplier/host tool) and frsutrated. Everyone wants to use the newest buzzword "AI" - but I need the systems to work the way I do as an advisor and agent.:
Create one trip, with multiple itineraries within that trip to be viewed and shared with a client (write once, duplicate, edit).
Enter supplier charges, host agency info and to see my commission breakout as I build the itinerary without having to create an invoice (interary/proposal based pricing)
Package and line item pricing
Have a fresh modern interface
Have good form generator (love to see conditional forms - depending on an answer to a question is will determine next question, etc.
Good workflow automation - take a form and create a customer record and trip automatically.
Ability to import customer info from a csv
Ability to export to Host Agency CRM for invoicing
Ability to integrate with client/consumer based trip management or have their own client based trip management software.
Tern is still in beta- they are a startup that wants to disrupt the industry but missing key elements and charges a premium price. They are developers working on the latest buzzwords instead of making the basics work/being competitive to the others - and then charging a premium price vs beta price. They were missing Disney criuses till recently, just allowed us to change date format to US version, and other issues. They finally can create a PDF of the itinerary, but it is not a one button approach/difficult - have to create, download then send from your email. Good options for muliple options and making package pricing, easy to see my commission and charges. Their free form text editor is OK, but every time you hit enter you get a new text entry - cannot copy/paste to email or other apps very well. Good at multiple options on one trip - tabbed approach to see them all - very modern interface. Adding clietns is clunky - add one new client - but then you have to restart to add a family member or another client, vs having a button that says ADD FAMILY MEMBER/ANOTHER CLIENT button. Little stuff that makes me work harder is frustrating. Their developers are VC funded and looking at next big thing before getting everything else right. They are very responsive for support and want to get better....they are a startup. I am still learning their forms tool for intake and workflow automation. Client output inferior (my clients all liked what thay saw from TravelJoy better) Travefy is the one I started with, and they do everythign OK, but interface and UI needs an update. Good for the forms I created, easy to learn. They do everything OK, but just OK. Their forms engine can be modernized, they have an OK way to create multiple itinerary options. I ithink they are cludgy behind the scense, their proposals are not as "pretty" as competitors. I can get by with Travefy but rather have something better. they have a workaround to create multiple proposals to a client by adding a date, then editing the date to say Option 1, etc and entering the basic info in that "Day" field. OK to show generic proposal with price - and once approved you would need to create a detailed itinerary with line or package pricing. TravelJoy is another I had high hopes for. Even bought the annual plan for $300 after testing it out and showcasing the client output. But...it does not work the way I do. I can't see my pricing and commission unless I create an invoice separately from the proposal. You can only have one itinerary per trip, very limiting. OK/Good interface for forms generation and limited workflow automation. Best client facing proposals of the three according to my clients, and easy to send link, email and create/send PDF. Just really hate their invoice/pricing options. Basically, they are designed for an IA that does a lot of direct billing with suppliers, and it feels they added on the host agency commission portion without integrating it in the system. Love to know your thoughts, which one you use and why. For me right now it is between Travefy and Tern to used.
It's been a frustrating process to figure out workflow. I tried 4 different CRMS before settling on TravelJoy for its automated emails and task list templates. Nice to keep each trip/project under one file. I used to use Asana for my project management, but it didn't have the CRM capabilities. None are perfect, but TravelJoy was the closest to a plug and play that there is out there. Not all of us are techie, so it's got to be user friendly. I'm keeping my eye on Tern, but they aren't there yet. Still have to duplicate in CBO for invoicing on the host side, and I use AXUS for itineraries. Ideas on workflow/reduction of redundancy are always welcome!