We give you 5 reasons why it is important that your team members are empowered with ‘fit-for-purpose’ technology to do their work. Let's dive into understanding your staff the most important assets in your company and how tech can influence your staff satisfaction levels.
Being a team member in a multi-day tour business comes with time pressures, customer expectations and demands, and lots of complex information to facilitate and organise. Your team aspires to create special holidays for their customers. But behind the scenes this can feel like one big chaotic and stressful mess. But, still, it doesn't have to be this way.
In this article we take a deep dive into why we need a 'Fit-for-purpose' Operating System and how it can transform your team's workflow.
If your team members are your biggest and most valuable asset… then they deserve the best tools to do their job. Thus, to address their needs effectively you need a deep understanding about them and their day-to-day work.
5 impacts on your team if they DO NOT have the right tools...
1. Mental Strain:
Often team members have to keep numerous details in their head, or rely on spreadsheets and sticky notes to capture important tasks ahead. They are burdened with recalling business details and specifics about new tours, new products, new offers and the finance details associated with that.
The risk to your business is that information and processes that are stored in peoples heads goes missing when they are absent. With the worst case scenario this mental overload could lead to staff burnout.
2. Information Disorganisation:
Information needs to be stored safely, easily accessible, and as well as being able to flow between your teams. Some members may not need access to certain info, while others need everything. You need to avoid the risky data management practice of moving between systems or platforms to access and ‘transfer’ data.
Ensuring your teams like sales, reservations, admin and operations are well connected to the same system is crucial to having a seamless and reliable flow of data because the headaches start when Johnny forgets to pass key information on to Mary.
3. Repetitive Manual Tasks:
Team members often get bogged down by manual, repetitive tasks like copying and pasting. If your team is copy/pasting to create bespoke itineraries for each new client, or constructing confirmation emails for each customer or provider, then you have some really significant staff inefficiencies occurring, and likely some morale problems too.
4. Customer Service Challenges:
Your team has one goal in mind, to look after their customer. If they don’t have the right information when they welcome customers, collect their luggage or allocate their resources like bikes… then inherently things can and will go wrong. Luggage gets lost, customers don’t get picked up, the wrong information is provided etc., etc.
This can occur because a team member might not be informed about a change, e.g. after the message wasn’t passed on. Your team will use a lot of energy worrying if things are in place… where as having a 'fit-for-purpose' system that enables seamless flow of information provides peace of mind.
5. Coordination and Morale Issues:
Maintaining organisation and coordination across all aspects of the business especially during peak seasons presents another level of challenge. Once your season starts it’s all go! You don’t want an accumulation of errors building up, staff working ridiculous hours and getting minimal sleep worrying. This will lead to low team morale and productivity which can lead to decreased job satisfaction… none of this is necessary if your team has the right tools to their job.
Now let's look at the benefits to your staff...
These examples demonstrate when an integrated solution has transformed your team's workflow...
Boosts Staff Morale and Productivity
Empowered team members are happier and more efficient, feeling valued and satisfied with a useful tool set at their disposal. A tool set that manages the data, and can be easily accessed, eliminating copy-paste tasks. Integrated solutions such as the ability to import bookings easily from a front end, gather client data from online ‘self-serve’ forms, and email the client and providers directly on a scheduled basis, mean there is no need to enter data twice. This “single source of truth” ensures the integrity of the data, eliminating the need to back-check data entry in multiple applications.
A team member’s satisfaction translates into a healthy work-life balance and increased productivity for your business. Happy people are motivated to support their colleagues and contribute positively to the work environment. The benefits of retaining experienced members are invaluable, as their depth of knowledge and expertise are irreplaceable assets to your business.
Enhances Branding and Professionalism
Your brand, which includes your team, is one of the most important elements of your business. The professionalism conveyed through branded materials such as luggage labels, itineraries and tailored emails leaves a lasting impression on customers. Clear visuals and transparent information are key to enhancing your brand's professionalism. Empowering your team with dynamic features like interactive calendars, automated SMS messages, and custom reports streamlines operations and improves customer communication.
Additionally, Tech-driven efficiencies like pushing updated itineraries into the mobile app for customers on tour potentially reduces monthly costs for the business. This boosts your brand's reputation and visibility in the market.
Results in a Smooth Tour Every Time
At the core of every successful multi-day tourism business are happy and motivated people who deliver exceptional experiences to customers. Empowered by reliable tools, they are able to manage resources, coordinate logistics, and respond to changing circumstances easily. This lets them focus on delivering great service and solving problems, rather than worrying about mistakes or system failures. With fit-for-purpose technology, your team can provide excellent service every time.
In Summary
Having a fit-for-purpose Operating System you can trust will bring a sense of relief and confidence to your team members. Streamlined processes and enhanced capabilities enable everyone in the organisation to work more effectively and collaboratively. And you as a manager or owner should have peace of mind knowing that operations run smoothly and accurately without the need for constant oversight and micromanagement. The results will include a positive work environment, foster staff loyalty, and deliver exceptional experiences to your customers.
While transitioning your team to a new solution requires care and attention, the benefits of a fit-for-purpose system far outweigh the initial challenges. Yes, you need to provide the time and headspace to adjust to a new system, but the level of satisfaction and confidence your staff will feel will be worth it.
Ultimately, embracing a fit-for-purpose system requires an element of trust, innovation, and willingness to take your people on a new journey. Empowered teams serve as the cornerstone of a successful business, setting the stage for long-term success and growth in your business.
