Hartford, Conn. | New technology just-released to travel agents has the potential of significantly improving agents’ productivity as well as the bottom line for hotels, cruise lines, airlines and other suppliers, according to Travel Sciences, the Connecticut -based creators of the new technology, called OpenTravel CRM™.

OpenTravel CRM is a free, web based customer relationship management and backoffice business solution for travel agents. It handles all aspects of customer relationship management, bundled with e-marketing, trip planning, custom itineraries, commission tracking and reporting, and accounting-interface functions.

It also is the first travel industry CRM with integrated Web 2.0 social networking technology, giving travel agents presence and real time communication with the public.

The innovative model uses supplier advertising to enable the delivery of a free, first-rate business solution. “Travel agents will conduct their business 24/7 within OpenTravel CRM,” said Joseph Mazzarella, president and CEO of Travel Sciences. “The venue therefore offers suppliers new, enhanced visibility and more opportunity to communicate their messages, including special offers, to travel agents, who in turn can instantly communicate those offers to their clients – all without leaving the site.”In essence, we have created a new advertising medium exclusively for travel suppliers to communicate their offers to a willing audience. It's an absolute win-win," he continued.

Mazzarella noted that, “more organized, more productive travel agents have a positive impact on the travel industry as a whole.”

A wide range of sponsorship levels for hotels are available to fit any budget, from free directory listings to banner ads announcing special offers to founding member sponsorships.

Travel Sciences’ survey research indicates that less than half of all travel agents have access to any CRM or contact management solution for their businesses. Open Travel CRM was designed to reach out to the agent community and help organize, maintain and grow their businesses.

OTC breaks new ground with the first Web 2.0 based business management tool for the travel professional community. OpenTravel CRM is super-scalable, and was built from the ground up with the newest web technologies available.

“This is not outdated technology resurrected and repackaged around a pretty web front-end. This is brand new, best of breed, enterprise level software,” says Mazzarella.

The core functions complemented by advanced Web 2.0 features include an integrated RSS reader, instant messaging and online presence monitoring, Skype and interactive mapping. Also, online community networking technologies, such as integrated blogging and publishing, and online forums, are meshed into and part of the business solution.

Among the features and benefits offered by OpenTravel CRM:

• An advanced customer relationship management module that enables agents to dynamically maintain and update customer and prospect profiles;
• A visual trip planner and custom-branded itineraries;
• Integrated web e-mail that can be linked to their personal and business email services, including services like Hotmail or Yahoo!;
• A bulk email delivery service which will handle large out-bound email campaign management and also click through response reporting;
• A marketing campaign tool with list building capabilities and editable templates
• Supplier Web Site connections with automated booking information capture, a Supplier web directory with links, and direct electronic supplier connections;
• There are no restrictions on use or availability of suppliers, and OTC does not charge suppliers connection or transaction fees;
• Numerous business productivity and customer service tools, including enabling agents to send updates on airline delays and cancellations directly to client e-mail addresses or PDAs.