A travel agency have millions of expectation with their online portal. They inquire to a travel portal development company to convert their dreams into reality.
But sometimes it doesn’t happen as the way predicted as some travel portal development company takes the money and don’t deliver the solution, or delivers the solution that doesn’t have a good support system, sometimes they want to deliver but they don’t have the proper knowledge to build the system, delivers a solution with lots of errors or N number of reasons may be responsible for the shortcoming.
When software is developed, it is meant for long term use. Investment of huge money is involved, not only money but no-one can pay off or reverse sentiments associated with it.
Some people come to us after being cheated up to 5 times and we feel pity for them. They don’t know how to filter out the companies. This article is for those who struggle to select the right travel portal development company. If you are deceived or if you have not taken the solution and planning to take the solution please consider below points seriously. These points will give you a clear answer to how to choose a travel portal development company.
- Clear your requirements
- Always ask to showcase the demo
- Documentation is important
- Be ready to provide all inputs
- The source code trap
- Keep away from a cheap solution provider
- Bait of huge commission
- Conduct a reference check
- Always check the travel knowledge
- Ask about AMC and support system
- Never filter companies on the basis of cost
- Scope of customization
CLEAR YOUR REQUIREMENTS
It is always suggested to do your homework first. The questions to streamline requirements must be clearly answered. You can also make a software requirement specifications (SRS) document. Below are some imperative questions example.
- What are your prime objective to start this business?
- Which market you want to focus?
- What services you want to offer?
- What will be your USP?
Though you must take suggestions from consultants to conclude the requirements. Question to consultant should be like how I can do this? instead of what I can do?
ALWAYS ASK TO SHOWCASE THE DEMO
When you are clear with your requirements search out for the companies who have the similar solution prebuilt. Avoid going with the companies doing it for the first time as they might charge high and delivery might take a lot of time due to unready and untested architecture. Until your idea is unique don’t go with first timers and if it is unique, prefer the experts to build it.
DOCUMENTATION IS IMPORTANT
Don’t take the documentation part for granted. Despite dealing with expert keep all the things documented for future reference such as:
- Functionalities of backend and frontend
- List of features
- Technology used
- Commercials
- Project timeline
- Agreements Terms
- AMC and support scope
This document will help the team of developers to take the reference if they have any confusion. The client can also refer the document at the time of delivery to check if everything promised is delivered or not?
BE READY TO PROVIDE ALL INPUTS
You have to provide website page content, travel service API, SMS API, Email smtp, logo, register domain access and any input aiding the development.
THE SOURCE CODE TRAP
Now this is going to be technical but I’ll try to make it simple. First let’s understand the meaning of source code. The programming code written to create and function the travel portal as desired is called source code. It is an outcome of years of research & development of a development company.
Nobody gives their R&D to anyone. Let’s take an example to give you crystal clear idea.
If you buy a Microsoft office, you pay an amount to use word, excel and outlook not to know the code and technology behind it. Microsoft is also not going to tell you at any cost. Obviously then don’t want it to be copied. The same is with travel portal development company or any software development company. A travel portal development company provides a serviceable portal not the code behind it.
But there are many companies who give you a bait to provide the source code on your server. Beware of those companies either they will put DLL file on your server not source code (In DLL file you can’t access the source code) or will give the real source code which they have copied from somewhere else. Naturally if they would have created it they must have known the value of it. Don’t create a perception before reading next paragraph.
But there is a difference between a software’s source code and Microsoft secret. There are some travel agency who genuinely want a source code for further in-house development or eliminating the dependency. Generally, agency have to pay top dollar to get the source code.
If you don’t want any future in-house development and want to put it on experts only you can avoid buying it.
KEEP AWAY FROM A CHEAP SOLUTION PROVIDER
It might happen that development company’s team will avoid your calls after selling the solution.
Most of the time this happens when development company’s motive is just to sell not to provide the service. The travel agencies tries to negotiate and they think they have got a good deal as development company agrees. However, you can get a mint solution at good rate but be attentive to all the details.
BAIT OF HUGE COMMISSION
Nowadays market is very saturated. Everyone has the best possible air fare. Suppose Air India have 2.25% commission and if someone is giving 5% commission. Then there might be two cases possible, the company is giving from the pocket and second it’s just a trap to attract clients, when they actually finalize they get original rates only.
CONDUCT A REFERENCE CHECK
Ask for the previous developed website for reference. You may ask for the portal name in your city or state. After that visit those sites check the functionalities, also ask the website owner to share the experience working with the company.
ALWAYS CHECK THE TRAVEL KNOWLEDGE
No doubt a development company must have good development knowledge. However, it is not enough in travel technology sector, development company must have knowledge of travel sector, be it code share, be it fare basis, be it commission calculation and GST calculation on services. Without complete travel knowledge by no means a development company can develop a sound portal.
ASK ABOUT AMC AND SUPPORT SYSTEM
Discuss about the AMC (Annual maintenance cost) of the portal. Off time, emergency support, bug fixing, auto upgradation, security and turn around time (TAT) are some points to be consulted with development company and written in agreement.
NEVER FILTER COMPANIES ON THE BASIS OF COST
For a portal 10 different companies can quote you different prices. You must never filter the companies on the basis of project cost. Of course it is one of the main component for decision making but not the only.
After having the insight into the whole system, you should filter the companies on the basis of features, experience, no. of good reviews, the solution delivered, and price-performance ratio.
SCOPE OF CUSTOMIZATION
Majority of travel portal development company work on SAAS (Software as a service) model. All the development efforts are enforced on a single platform. This development is common for all the client. Clients cannot get customized as per their requisite.
The system is developed after a lot of brainstorming. Software company also come up with new updates time to time. This system is usually cheap comparing to customized one. If the clients requirement are fulfilled with such system and don’t want any exclusive changes in near future, they can go with SAAS model. On the other hand, if client yearn for the unconventional system, they must go with companies providing tailor made solution.
To sum up, considering all the above points will give guidelines on how to choose the top travel portal development company out of all.
If you have any query please comment, we would be happy to assist you.
