Discover Travel & Tours International Ltd Established in 1977, Discover Travel is a leading supplier of British, Irish and French holiday products to the international travel trade. It employs over 45 multilingual travel professionals at offices in Worcester and Edinburgh. Category: Web services Sector: Travel Size of firm: 45 employees Location: Worcester Website: www.discovertravelandtours.com Objectives Discover already had a relatively sophisticated e-business strategy, which it had deployed across three locations including its call centre. However it became increasingly apparent that offering web services would provide the business with a competitive edge. Managing director Andrew Grieve believed the deployment of web-based technology would reduce operating costs and make communication with suppliers, partners, customers and staff faster and more effective. Solution Grieve saw that the evolution of the company's IT systems, from traditional MIS systems that measure transaction costs, to a fully-fledged online booking and reservation system supported by an internal intranet and external VPN would position the firm far above many of its rivals. Managing director Andrew Grieve explains: "We created a fully automated route through our entire system with either XML, IVR or web based point of entry. Data is then processed and returned in any of the same entry methods. A member of staff need never touch the data." The firm has set up an XML gateway for the travel services. By using the universal language of XML, tour operators can check their orders or reservations using their own equipment or software. The company also operates bespoke interactive voice response (IVR) telephone technology. When an enquiry is made the system automatically calls the owner of the property asking if it can take the reservation. If they confirm the reservation it is recorded into the system, if not, the system calls another property owner. The business also has an extensive Virtual Private Network (VPN) in place that means all employees across all sites can access information stored on the company computer network. Results Grieve expects that the new developments in ICT will produce significant results in 2004 saying: "We are forecasting a 25% improvement in profits for 2004". New business has increased as a direct result of the technology implementations, and the company is able to boast a 100% customer retention rate - again as a direct result of its technology investments. "The way we now deliver our product in e-ticket form is unique and sets us apart from our competitors. The access and flexibility of our products using the Internet as a delivery medium sets us way ahead of our competitors," says Grieve. "Our staff costs have halved over the past year even though our turnover has remained the same. This has obviously had a large effect on our profits." Challenges The main challenges Discover has faced over the last year have been related to external events, as with many travel companies. The Iraq War and SARS have had a detrimental effect on business, according to Grieve, which in turn could affect the level of investment the company is now able to make in technology in the short-term. Other areas that can cause problems are related to potential cost overruns, as well as issues with customer and staff expectations. The financial impact of the project was continually tracked by the company's management control systems and MIS systems and during the roll out of the online booking system rigorous testing of the system was considered crucial before phased implementation. "We tested all our systems rigorously and communicated regularly with all parties both internally and externally during the change. We also tested it out with pet customers before launch," says Grieve. Training is also a key part of the process, according to Grieve, who ensures that his staff receive regular training to make sure they are up-to-date with the latest technology and systems. Grieve believes regular communication with staff pre-implementation, during implementation and in the post-implementation phase of a project is also key to delivering a successful IT project. "Always communicate with your staff - change is worrying and can often be taken as a job threat," he says. The Last Word Andrew Grieve, Managing Director, said: "New technology has always driven our business forward. It has been a key part of how we've developed our products on a global basis. It has helped us to be a market leader in business-to-business travel services and by using new technology we are seeing the benefits of attracting new clients."