How travel agencies automate systems & processes with online forms

It can be pretty jealousy-inducing to think of what it’s like to work in the travel industry. We think of travel agents jetting off to remote islands in the Pacific, and untouched wildlife wonders reachable only by helicopter or privately chartered boat. We envision travel pros orchestrating extravagant exclusive experiences like a live music dinner set below the earth’s crust in a crater of a dormant volcano (this actually exists — sign me up!), to reaping the lavish upgrades and perks that come with the end-to-end management of unforgettable ‘round the world itineraries.

Hate to burst the bubble, but the industry is powered behind the scenes by online forms. Yes, forms. They may not be sexy to many, but to us at Jotform, data collection technology is endlessly interesting because of the limitless powerful and customizable processes and functionalities that you can create with them. But I’m sure you probably just want to know how to use online forms to increase your productivity and give you a few hours of your week back. So let’s dive in!

Exchange travel documents quickly, safely, and securely

Travel agencies have to collect personal information and documents, including passports, visas, other official identification, documents for getting married outside the country, notarized written consent letters if kids are traveling abroad without their parents, and sensitive healthcare information.

Jotform offers HIPAA-friendly forms, so even the most sensitive patient data is safe within the platform. Your customers can rest assured that all of their medical information is secure, and your agency is equipped to help and provide necessary documentation if your clients needs anything from a healthcare standpoint.

Global operations are made easier when you can securely collect documents and electronic signatures online through travel waiver forms, travel agency application forms, and more. Just ask your clients to upload their travel documents through your form. Jotform offers electronic signature services within your custom forms, including Docusign and Adobe Sign. Instead of having local clients drop off their documents by the office or having customers mail or fax their paperwork, collect all the information you need quickly. Your collected data will be immediately available in real time, and you’ll get notifications in your email inbox as well as in your Jotform dashboard.

Use custom forms that streamline your information collection process

There are many different types of forms that travel agencies use to seamlessly collect information and automate processes, both internally and customer-facing. Check out the top use cases for travel agencies, tour groups and companies, and travel operators:

• Contact forms
• Travel package selection
• Booking and payment
• Travel waiver & document collection
• Travel inquiry management
• Travel request form
• Travel reimbursement form
• Surveys & customer feedback collection

You can easily embed forms or provide them as a standalone link. You can customize your form’s URL, and even use a custom domain. Forms created with Jotform can seamlessly fit in with your website and brand’s aesthetic, and are 100% mobile friendly. Use Jotform on the fly and on any device, and if you lose service during your travels, updates will automatically save once you regain connectivity.

Customization is also really important for travel professionals, since no one comes to a travel agency for a cookie cutter experience! Account for even the smallest details in your forms by using conditional logic, or “branching.” Whether you’d like to show or hide certain fields and pages based on previously selected form fields, conditionally require a field, or decide when you need follow-up information, there are endless ways to use conditional logic to make your forms more efficient, flow more intuitively, and provide a more personalized experience.

Automate systems and processes with integrations

You probably already have a process for how your travel agency deals with completed bookings, cancelled reservations, your customer database, and collected documents. Chances are, organizing and managing these processes takes more time than it should. Did you know that you can streamline and automate these tasks by connecting your online forms data to a variety of business tools?

Automatically populate your submission data where you want it, and get more done, more effectively. Jotform offers dozens of integrations including Square, Stripe, PayPal, Salesforce, Google Drive, Google Spreadsheets, Dropbox, Mailchimp, and more. Cut down on frustrating busywork by integrating your forms with CRMs, email automation tools, and payment processors. Because manual is not the way to go.

How do you streamline your travel-related forms? Do you have any favorite integrations or widgets that you’d recommend to other travel professionals? Comment below!