How Automating Bookings Resulted in Higher Margins
SRPRS.me, an online travel agency, offers surprise trips where customers select their travel dates and preferences. SRPRS.me handles the bookings and provides hints about the destination before departure which brings back the spontaneity in travel. Previously, their booking process was manual and time-consuming for the operations department.
The Challenge
SRPRS.me faced significant challenges in managing trip bookings manually. The process was labour-intensive, requiring extensive time and effort from the operations team. As bookings increased, the system became a bottleneck, hindering scalability. Additionally, the manual process was prone to errors, affecting booking accuracy and overall margins.
Labor-Intensive Process
Booking trips manually required extensive time and effort from the operations team.
Scalability Issues
As bookings increased, the manual process became a bottleneck, hindering scalability.
Error-Prone
Manual handling increased the risk of errors, impacting booking accuracy and overall margins.
The Solution
Django Web Studio leveraged its travel industry expertise to develop an auto-booking system for SRPRS.me. Automating 80% of the booking process aimed to enhance efficiency and accuracy. Our solution integrated advanced APIs for real-time flight and hotel bookings and implemented business rules to streamline operations. This approach reduced manual workloads and ensured seamless, scalable booking management.
Auto-Booking Flow
Implemented rules-based logic to categorise bookings into green (auto-book), orange (pending), and red (manual book) categories. Created background tasks to check booking eligibility and execute bookings automatically.
Integration with Amadeus and Travellanda
Integrated the Amadeus API for flight searches, using a PYTON cache for low-cost flights. Integrated Travellanda for hotel bookings, creating a custom cache for real-time price availability on the SRPRS.me website.
Business Rules Implementation
Defined rules for booking flights and hotels, considering factors such as destination, margin, and travel dates to ensure efficient and more profitable bookings.
"As the CTO, diving into this project was both exciting and challenging. We knew that automating 80% of the booking process wouldn't be simple. One of the biggest hurdles we faced was integrating with the Travellanda API and realising we needed to build our own caching system to ensure real-time price availability. There were moments when the technical complexities seemed overwhelming, but our team's dedication and creativity pulled us through. Collaboratively, we turned these challenges into a robust solution that not only streamlined operations but also paved the way for future scalability."
-- Geert Dekkers, CTO, Django Web Studio
The Impact
The auto-booking system brought notable operational improvements for SRPRS.me. Automating the majority of booking tasks significantly reduced manual workload, minimised errors, and enhanced overall efficiency. This automation enabled SRPRS.me to handle a larger volume of bookings, supporting business growth while maintaining high service quality and operational excellence.
Increased Efficiency
Automated 80% of the bookings, reducing manual workload and minimising errors. Enabled real-time price checks and bookings through integration with Amadeus and Travellanda.
Operational Improvements
Streamlined booking processes, reducing time and costs associated with manual bookings. Freed up resources, allowing the team to focus on strategic growth and customer service.
Higher Margins
Early bookings secured lower flight prices, and reduced human errors led to higher margins per booked order.
Scalability
The system can handle increased booking volumes as the business grows, ensuring consistent service quality.
"By automating repetitive and mundane booking tasks, we've helped the operations team from their daily grind. Now, they're able to channel their energy into more meaningful work—like enhancing customer relationships and exploring new growth opportunities."
-- Brian Westmaas, Product Owner, Django Web Studio
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