How Vertical Systems' vTarsc is benefiting travel sellers
Vertical Systems’ upgraded vTarsc is continuing to help businesses sell travel. Andrew Doherty speaks with one agent championing the technology.
Working in travel for 50 years, one might think you’ve become stuck in your ways. This is certainly not the case for Your Holiday Booking advisor and industry stalwart Sue Sexton, who throughout her career has adopted technology to help her sell holidays.
Now the 75-year-old homeworker is championing Vertical Systems’ recently upgraded vTarsc system, a technological solution that’s helping her manage her back office more effectively.
“I started working in travel before much of the technology we use today existed. However, tech is a wonderful thing,” she says. “I saw a demonstration of vTarsc at a conference, before going home and having a go myself. I found it surprisingly easy to use.”
With a legacy stretching back more than 30 years, vTarsc (formerly known as Tarsc) has been made available online and can be accessed from any device in any location.
Chris North, managing director at Vertical Systems, says: “‘Classic’ Tarsc has been hugely successful for many years, but we felt that how travel agents work has changed, so we needed to adapt. Tarsc was only accessible from a desktop computer, while vTarsc is online, meaning agents can use it on their phone and tablet. This is especially popular with homeworkers.”
Upgrades include an enhanced user interface, a diary tool to set specific client reminders, and direct access from vHub – Vertical Systems’ portal offering a snapshot overview of sales performance and internal news and notifications.
Sexton says it has helped efficiency.
“I like the drop-down menus on vTarsc – it makes it easier to find past bookings. I can pull up trip details and see which clients paid for the holiday and what they experienced. This helps me tailor recommendations to their tastes.”
It also helps her form a stronger rapport with her clients, she adds. “You can create client profiles, meaning when I talk to someone on the phone, I immediately save their details on vTarsc. Because you don’t have to keep asking them for their details during subsequent calls, it gives the impression you remember them.”
Sexton also uses vTarsc to check what she’s earning. “It enables me to compare the amount of commission operators are offering. The Vertical Systems team are great too – they can collate data and show you how many bookings you are doing with a particular supplier.”
In today’s tech-focused age, Sexton believes more agents should be embracing technology.
“If I can accept new tech at my advanced age, then anyone can,” she laughs.
And for tech-shy agents, Sexton has the following words of encouragement: “Wake up and learn something new every day that will benefit your business.”
Little helpers
A guide to other useful so ftware tools from Verticals Systems
vPay: An online point-of-sale terminal, vPay directly integrates with vTarsc for payment receipts and refunds.
vCruise: Agents using vCruise can access live prices and up-to-date content for more than 600 ocean and river cruise ships worldwide, including full itineraries, maps, destination information and deck plans.
vPackage: A web-based booking engine offering agents access to UK operators’ pre-packaged holidays. Integrates with vCrm and vTarsc.
vCrm: The GDPR-compliant system helps agents manage communication with their clients, with features including a variety of quote types for package holidays, cruises and multi-centre bookings.
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