TORONTO — Ensemble Travel Group’s new booking platform, called OneConnect, gives Ensemble members the ability to access their reservations across all sales channels with one login.
The customized new technology integrates three booking platforms into one, offering access to GDS and supplier reservations. Ensemble members can incorporate their existing technology and content along with Ensemble’s supplier network and promotion in a customized and flexible platform.
Other highlights include:
- Flexible plug and play supplier content
- One stop shop and training across all verticals, including hotel, air, cruise, and insurance
- Ability to view or transfer bookings between advisors and manage reservations regardless of channel booked
- Options to customize each member’s platform according to their own program and individualized needs
- Creation of custom product, dynamic pricing, and packages
- Simple and consumer friendly search tools allowing travelers to book or request quotes
Plus, the OneConnect Service Center offers commission and debit memo management, tracking and payments across all sales verticals and the ability to manage schedule changes, exchanges, and cancellations.
David Harris, CEO, Ensemble Travel Group, says: “The launch of OneConnect reflects the ongoing commitment of our Product Development and Technology Solutions team to develop products that our members want and need. This includes access to a singular platform that can be customized and adapted to their specific needs instead of having a one-size-fits-all approach that has been the industry standard.”
Harris adds that one of Ensemble’s objectives is to be able to embed the consortium into Ensemble members’ businesses to help them grow as well as to create efficiencies across all areas. “We are also very mindful that many of our members have made tremendous investment into technology themselves and we wanted to ensure that any new platform has the ability to be customized to support and complement their existing technology instead of requiring them to adapt to a generic system that doesn’t best meet their individual needs.”
Also integrated into OneConnect is Bedsonline, giving Ensemble advisors access to Bedsonline’s bank of 180,000+ hotels, 25,000 transfer routes and 18,000 activities in 185 destination countries worldwide.
“Designing a technology program that includes flexible products for our diverse membership has been a priority for Ensemble, and we are really excited to have had such strong engagement so quickly,” says Helen Enriquez, VP, Product Development and Technology Solutions for Ensemble.
She adds that Ensemble has already surpassed the anticipated number of members adopting the new platform. The consortium expects that growth to continue as the platform is formally launched.
Members can choose from three plans based on their individual needs, including a pay-as-you-go Basic option, a Business plan with more customized options and a version with full access to site customization. With every plan all members get access to admin support, training, and webinars as well as front line technical support.
Enriquez says Ensemble is also exploring ways to expand the services offered in the future to possibly include accounting, consulting services as well as other customized services to meet the specific needs of individual members and agencies.
