Why Voice Over IP is the Future of Tour Operators

In the hustle and bustle of the travel and tourism industry, there are a lot of factors that tour operators have to consider. From booking flights and hotel accommodations, negotiating ticket packages, planning trip itineraries, to coordinating and connecting the travelers with the right person, be it translator, concierge or tour guide, it’s safe to say that tour operators have a lot on their plate. However, good communication is vital to success- that’s where Voice over IP (VoIP) can help.  

As a tour operator, you’re constantly on your toes, be it physically or metaphorically. Your job is to connect with the right vendors that will ensure your clients have the best experience possible. With a VoIP service, you can sync all communications into one platform and provide the best customer service possible. This translates to the best traveler experience.  

Here’s why Voice over IP is the future of tour operators and how you can use the communications service to put together top-of-line trips for travelers.       

What Is Voice Over IP?  

Before diving into how Voice over IP service can help make the job of a tour operator exponentially more efficient, let’s talk about what it even is. Voice over IP, often referred to as VoIP, stands for Voice over Internet Protocol. It is a method of sending and receiving voice communications using an internet connection.  

Businesses in all different types of industries use VoIP services to sync their communications, both internally within their businesses and externally to outside parties. It’s an alternative way to make calls, both domestically and internationally, in a cost-effective manner. This type of communication platform also facilitates different types of communications including video conferencing, voicemail, messaging, emailing, call forwarding and call recording, to name a few.  

When it comes to the travel and tourism industry, Voice over IP can play a vital role—especially for travel agencies trying to provide services to their customers. Not only does the platform often include worldwide virtual numbers for customers to dial into a tour operator, but it also acts as a portal for tour operators to connect the various branches, sectors, and vendors within the travel and tourism industry with each other and coordinate travel-related matters. VoIP is a universal method of communicating within the tourism industry and makes trip-planning a breeze for those working in it.   

Tour Operator Job Responsibilities 

Planning a trip, both small or large, is no easy task. That’s why the role of a tour operator has emerged and is vital to ensuring trips for business and leisure go according to plan. The duties and responsibilities of a tour operator are vast and crucial to the success of any travel and tourism agency.  

A tour operator must possess a specific set of skills in order to do their job properly. Managing logistics should be a strong suit, and being able to provide top-notch customer service, budgeting, negotiating, along with strong communication, organization and coordination skills can all be integral skills a qualified tour operator holds.  

But tour operators are real people, and juggling all the different components involved in travel planning can be a real struggle. Voice over IP is a go-to solution that provides a major assist and advantage to those working in the travel and tourism industry trying to manage smooth travels. Here’s how VoIP can be integrated in the following aspects of tour operations.  

Develop Tour Packages 

One of the main responsibilities of a tour operator is to develop tour packages. This entails a great deal of coordination, communication, and negotiation with various vendors and parties, such as airlines, hotels, government agencies, and businesses.   

When developing tour packages, Voice over IP services can help you connect with the relevant vendors and businesses that your customers might want to visit. Constantly contacting and working with organizations across international waters can become extremely expensive if you use traditional calling methods. With a VoIP connection, you can make international calls over an internet connection for free or at low-cost, fixed rates.  

At the same time, a VoIP platform indirectly becomes a directory of contacts. With tour package development, you’ll likely be working with vendors more than once. VoIP lets you save vendor contact information and pull up information regarding past calls you’ve had with them, contracts and any relevant notes you’ve taken about them. By being able to reference the work that’s already been done, all parties can make the best use of their time.  

Make Travel Arrangements 

Another job tour operators are in charge of is making travel arrangements for individuals, businesses and tour groups. One of the main reasons people use travel and tourism services in the first place is to avoid the headache of making travel arrangements. As a tour operator, this is your forte and your job can become so much easier when you use a Voice over IP service.   

Not only does VoIP service keep costs of calling low, but it also allows you to immediately connect with different travel agencies such as airlines, airports, hotels, car rental places, tourism departments at government agencies, and local businesses.  

 Even better, if you need a translator, a VoIP service could connect a translator, yourself and another party to make sure arrangements are being made, keeping the needs of the customer a top priority.  

Coordinate Tour Leaders 

As a tour operator, you’ll need to coordinate and communicate constantly with tour leaders. One useful VoIP feature like video conferencing can be very practical for holding meetings between multiple parties. If you’ve put together a tour package that requires the coordination between a tour leader and a local business owner, a video conference can provide a face-to-face introduction and help build a solid, working relationship between different parties.  

Tour leaders may also need a central number to contact while giving tours. A tour operator can be contacted using a worldwide line that’s been generated via a Voice over IP platform. With instant access to other operators, tour leaders can get the information they need or connect to the relevant people, say a bus driver, so that the tour can run smoothly.   

Develop Tour Plans Remotely  

When you use a Voice over IP service, you gain a great deal of flexibility. Because you can essentially send and receive all different forms of communications from anywhere in the world, you can develop tour plans remotely. This helps avoid any physical bottlenecks of not being able to get in contact with someone due to the inability to connect with them.   

Manage Budgets 

On the back end, tour operators may also be in charge of managing budgets and ensuring that their travel agency is profitable while still attending to the needs of their customers.  

Using VoIP services to facilitate your travel agency’s communications can save money for the business overall. It lets you avoid higher rates for international calls that traditional phone services can impose.  

Voice over IP can also indirectly impact the bottom line by ensuring that everyone in the company is providing the best service. Calls can be recorded for quality assurance and training purposes. Being able to connect to others, both the customer and vendors, efficiently, is directly related to positively affecting the overall profitability of a tour operator business.   

Conclusion 

When it comes to the travel and tourism industry, tour operators can benefit immensely from Voice over IP services. VoIPstudio offers some of the best VoIP features including CRM integration, 24/7 technical support, national and international call plans, and transparent pricing, along with seamless mobile integration and a centralized call center.   

As a tour operator, using a Voice over IP service can help you do your job at max efficiency. With a VoIP service, customers can contact you wherever you may be and vice versa. This ensures only the best customer service is provided.  

With VoIP, the possibilities are endless. Make your job as a tour operator easier by integrating Voice over IP services from VoIPstudio. We’re here to serve the travel and tourism industry to our best ability so you can plan tour after tour and leave your customers satisfied every time.