TRAMS Summer Camp 2006

Get started with TRAMS Back Office with this four-hour training session covering the basics of TBO.

Find out how to use the Menu and Query functions as well as make basic entries. This class is designed to provide a working knowledge of the program so that you can profit from the other TBO classes offered at Summer Camp. Covered in class:

— Profile Basics
— Invoice Basics
— Payment Basics
— Daily Routine/IAR Routine/Monthly (not too much on this as more on this in other classes)
— Global Default Setup

This class is designed for brand new ClientBase users. This class is designed to provide a working knowledge of the program so that you can profit from the other ClientBase classes offered at Summer Camp. Covered in class:

— Getting to Know ClientBase Plus
— In-Depth Review of ClientBase Profile
— Using the Profile Managers to Manage Your Profiles
— Putting Your Profiles to Work for You
— Review of Activities
— An Introduction to Res Cards
— QuickStart Training Program and Setting Up ClientBase for use (last hour)

This mini session introduces TRAMS Marketing Advantage (TMA) and provides a working knowledge of the program so that you can profit from the other classes in the Marketing & Sales Skills track. Specific items covered in this session are:

— Getting to know TMA
— How TMA works for an agency
— The role of the TMA Marketing Manager
— How TMA technology is used with ClientBase or with third party software
— How to make the best use of your database or start one
— Sample targeted emails from suppliers
— Sample customized agency specific templates, i.e. templates for groups, corporate business marketing
— Creating a direct marketing plan for your agency

Get off on the right foot with TRAMS Back Office. Learn to streamline your daily procedures and increase your productivity! Here are time saving shortcuts we'll be sharing with you in this class:

Keystroke Shortcuts - Hot Keys

— Program Tabs
— Query Screens
— Invoice Screen
— Payment Screen

Data Entry

— Date Fields
— Drop-Down Lists

Using UDIDS (User Definable Interface Data)

Managing Open Windows

Customizing Views

— Columns Button
— Payments Screen
— Default Settings

Moving Invoices

— Changing to a different Client Profile
— Changing to a different Vendor Profile

Agent Commissions

— Storing within the Agent Profile
— Interfacing Agent Overrides
— By Travel Types
— Within an Agent Reconciliation

Using the Grouping feature

— Profiles
— Invoices
— Payments
— Branches

The first portion of this class reviews the TRAMS recommended method for tracking client receivables for those quirky situations where an invoice is not an option. Details are given on how to:

— Track the receivable for bounced checks
— Track the receivable for items that were charged to the agency's credit card
— Reconcile the agency's credit card wash GL account

The next portion of class reviews a new End of Period enhancement used to defer your cruise and tour sales paid by credit card until commission has been received. Demonstrated will be:

— Utility setup to turn on this feature
— Steps to set up your database to implement this feature
— Effects of this feature on the General Ledger

Much focus is spent on marketing and driving leads into the agency. (Which by the way we agree with.) But how well are your agents really doing with those leads you get? Do they close 15%? 30%? How about 60% or 80%? Of course simple math tells you that if you double your close ratio you double your business. Each client inquiry is an opportunity for revenue that can be measured, monitored and maximized. In this class we'll discuss the use of Res Cards, Reminders and Reports to help you realize these opportunities. In addition we'll tackle the number one reason why many agents struggle with closing the sale: the lack of a clearly defined sales process. We'll use ClientBase tools to turn the sales process into a systematic approach for your front line agents, by taking you through the following:

Adding Structure to Your Agents’ Pre-Sale Activity

— Document Each Trip Inquiry with a Res Card
— Use and Update Profile Data
— Use Reminders/Track Sales Cycle

Managing Your Trip Inquiries

— Use Res Card Queries and Reports to Count them
— Use Res Card Queries and Reports to Manage and Monitor them

Creating a Sales Formula

— Use of Batched Reminders

Tracking Close Ratios

— Use of the new Close Ratio Report

Some of you have TRAMS Back Office and most of you have ClientBase. Many of you have both. This class discusses the data that is stored in your Enterprise database depending on your situation. Topics covered:

— How to get at the rich data available in your database
— Examples of how to use that data
— Advanced Level 2 and 3 ClientBase queries that can be used to access this data
— How to use TRAMS Crystal Reports (TCR) to gain access to even more of this data

Bring your imagination and we'll try to create some new uses for it. We will also talk about what we need to do to make the data more useful. That includes the Back Office data too.

Join Stacey Buckner and Marcie Karavakis, TRAMS Sales Representatives, as they provide insight on what it really means to adopt a CRM culture, and add value to each customer transaction with the help of ClientBase.

— A plan on how to nurture existing client relationships and foster new ones
— Some of the best CRM tips to developing and maintaining solid client relationships
— How to maximize each customer contact and promotional opportunity
— How to make it fun and get everyone in your agency involved

This class is designed to assist you in entering payments in TRAMS Back Office. Demonstrated are the following:

— Navigating the payment screen
— Making the payment screen user-friendly
— Review of Global Defaults that affect your payments
— How to use Payment Codes
— Clearing up client $0 balances
— Applying a client voucher to another client’s invoice
— Bank Transfers
— How to set up Operating Payables
— How to Create an Operating Payable
— How to issue a check for an Operating Payable

Are you finding it challenging to process your service fees? Do you need the ability to process other types of transactions as well? We have a solution! TRAMS, Inc. brings you an exciting feature! It’s Automated Credit Card Merchant Processing. See how TRAMS Back Office uses state-of-the art technology to authorize credit card transactions over your Internet and then reconcile them. Credit card processing has never been so easy! Information covered in this class:

— Requirements for Automated Credit Card Processing
— Which Credit Card Processing Vendors are Compatible with TRAMS Back Office
— Rate Information for Compatible Vendors
— How to Setup and Process Cards

— What are ClientBase Activities?
— How Do I Create a Note, Mailer, or Reminder?
— Where is the To-Do List in ClientBase and how do I use it?
— Where is the At-a-Glance Calendar?
— How do I use Level 1 and Level 2 Queries to search for activities?
— How do I create folders with selected columns and sorts in the Activity Manager?
— How do I create Multiple Notes, Mailers, & Reminders?

Did you know that you could:

— Copy a profile’s entire name and address with a single click?
— Use the Dupe Check “merge” feature from the results of a query?
— Re-save, Re-name or Re-order an existing Saved Query?
— Use the Profile Header to quickly jump to the corresponding field for editing?
— Launch a Vendor’s web site directly from its Vendor Profile?

Learn these and even more tips to make ClientBase work better for your agency.

Take your direct marketing skills to a higher level. Come join us and let's make TMA work for you!

We give an overview of TRAMS Marketing Advantage, and cover customer communication strategies, database segmentation, supplier special offers, supplier templates, developing customized templates, creating marketing calendars, and more. This session takes the TMA programs and demonstrates how they can be customized to fit the needs of your clients and your agency. We also cover reporting, response rates, hyperlinks to booking engines and how to target customers for specific supplier offers. In this session you learn how to:

— Work effectively with your TMA Marketing Manager
— Use the TMA site
— Promotion Announcements
— Ordering Promotions
— Set up a marketing calendar
— Understand the different types of available offers
— Target customers with specific offers
— Make your ClientBase database customer-driven
— Segmentation
— Update key profile fields
— Synchronization
— How TMA works with third party software
— Review results

One of the ways to verify if your data is entered correctly, is by using a variety of reconciliations. During this class we look at the basic use (including tips and tricks) for the following reconciliations:

— Bank Reconciliation
— CC Merchant Reconciliation – for agencies not using Ticketmaster or PRI
— Agent Reconciliation
— Pegasus/NPC including setting up Global Defaults for usage
— A walk-through of the NPC file import

This session is designed for all TRAMS Back Office (TBO) users, both new and experienced. With each release of TBO, new features and enhancements are added. This session explores the newest features of TBO, and provides you with immediate benefits. We will review:

— Sampling of Version 2.09 enhancements
— Sampling of Version 3.00 enhancements

ClientBase Res Cards provide you with an effective and efficient tool to manage the sales process from the initial trip inquiry through to the welcome home call. This in-depth class covers:

— Basic concepts and goals of successful Res Card usage
— Creating a Res Card, Agent Remarks and a Reminder to follow-up on a new trip inquiry
— Adding the basic reservation details during the booking process including a review of PNR Import, Copy and Paste, Live Connect, and manual entries
— Using Activities to organize agent tasks by adding Reminders and utilizing Batched Reminders
— Documenting Client Feedback during the all-important welcome home contact, using data for future reference and initiating a new Res Card for their next trip

Enhance your Summer Camp experience by attending this informal forum. This session is a perfect opportunity for you to learn from ClientBase Power Users as they share their successes.

Some possible topics - how are agencies:

— Most benefiting from using the program?
— Using their favorite features successfully?
— Implementing with agents?
— Utilizing Res Cards, Invoicing and Live Connect?
— Gathering client marketing preferences?
— Touching base with clients?
— Obtaining client E-mail addresses?
— Creating mailings?
— Tracking the success of mailings?

We welcome all users – regardless of agency size - to join us. Please bring questions and your own ideas to share.

Do you have home-based agents, branch offices, or anyone that needs access to your TRAMS Back Office or ClientBase from a remote location? Do you want access when you're traveling?

This class covers the following topics & solutions:

— Advantages of Working Remotely
— Challenges of accessing and sharing a centralized Back Office/ClientBase database
— Connection Influencers
— Remote Connection Options
— The easy way to maintain browser or terminal server connections, and other complicated hardware/software configurations.
— Reasonable and affordable solutions for remote offices and agents
— TRAMS, Inc. new web technologies that solve remote access challenges

Learn about your options, and how TRAMS has put the pieces together to create the "Ultimate Solution!"

Does the thought of starting your General Ledger make you a bit uneasy? Overcome your apprehension and start off in the right direction with the General Ledger by taking this class. This session reviews the eight simple steps for successful setup of your General Ledger, including:

— Tailoring the chart of accounts to your agency
— How your travel types affect the GL
— The purpose of the GL Accounts table under Utilities
— How to enter beginning balances

This class is designed for anyone who enters payments in TRAMS Back Office or works with the Core Reports. Demonstrated are sample payments that clean up Client and/or Vendor Balances including:

— Using a voucher to close an invoice
— How to close of a group of client invoices using the Client Group
— How to close of a group of vendor invoices using the Vendor Group
— How to close of a group of invoices using the Invoice Group
— Writing off a Client Balance
— Writing off a Vendor Balance
— How to clear up an Unapplied balance

ClientBase Res Cards provide you with an effective and efficient tool to perform the various administrative tasks associated with the sales process. Included is an in-depth review of the following:

— Service Provider details
— Res Card pricing options and key fields
— Insurance Prompt
— Service Fee
— Print Itineraries for Client Quotes and Day-by-day itineraries
— Generating Invoices for deposits and final payments
— Reprint Invoices
— Print Trip Statements

Attend an overview of the new features from ClientBase version 3.2, and get a sneak preview of some of the new enhancements in the works for the next release. Some of these features are:

— The ability to customize the passenger name format used when merging to a PNR from a profile
— A new “Quick View” option in profiles
— A new Res Card report called Close Ratio Report
— A new setting to Global Defaults called "Default Field Values for Res Cards"
— The ability to copy and paste an Inventory record
— And More!

E-Mail marketing is becoming an increasingly important tool to boost customer retention and acquire new business. Join this seminar to learn how your peers are using email marketing with their customer base. This class covers topics such as:

— What works in email?
— What does NOT produce results?
— How much business is acquired when emails are sent?
— What do email campaigns look like…how do I set one up for me?
— What happens to customers that opt out?
— What are the best approaches to managing your database?
— What’s the role of ClientBase in your email marketing program?
— How should I segment my database?
— What’s the best way to get started?
— What technical items do I need to consider?

This is an open discussion about email marketing and how to make it part of your business generation efforts. Come join the dialogue!

We are going to review the steps to complete the monthly activities needed to post to your General Ledger and receive accurate financial statements. You should already have your Core Reports set up and accurate. If you’re already completing the daily and weekly activities and keeping your core reports accurate, then this class shows you how to go to the next level. We will cover:

— Review how the End of Period affects your general ledger
— Review various ways to journalize transactions
— Review the monthly checklist which includes:

- Completing the Bank Reconciliation
- Reviewing the General Ledger Reconciliation Report
- Completing the End of Period
- Comparing the Core Reports to the General Ledger
- Posting the General Ledger

If you're thinking there's a better way of performing day-to-day back office routines, perhaps there are! Here are some of the areas we'll cover during this class:

Track It!

— Original/Exchange/Refund Invoices
— Payments linked to Invoices
— Invoices linked to Payments
— Voucher Payments applied to multiple invoices

Import it!

— Journal Entries
— Bank Reconciliation files

Print it!

— Invoice Printing
— Batch Reporting
— Scheduled Reporting
— E-Mailing Scheduled Reports

Back It Up!

— Scheduling Back Ups

Reservations can frequently be booked via different methods with different suppliers. TRAMS, Inc. developed Live Connect as a method of linking to and using the web booking engines of these suppliers. Live Connect supports connections to a growing number of these booking engines. Using Live Connect from the ClientBase Res Card connects you to booking engine, passes profile data to it, and returns the complete reservation details to the ClientBase reservation record. During this session we discuss these connections including:

— Who offers Live Connect to ClientBase?
— How to set them up
— How to use them?
— What are the benefits to - your customers, your agency, and you?

See live demonstrations of new bookings, booking retrieved from a booking done via phone or via another method. You will also be introduced to some new connections as part of the class.

Successful marketing is critical to success in today's changing retail travel environment. Many agencies know this, but struggle when it comes to actually creating and implementing a marketing plan. This class is designed to have you step out of your day-to-day operation's role, and spend time creating a marketing plan that drives your business forward. This class is a big step towards achieving long term success even in today's choppy waters. This course provides you with a surefire marketing system that guides you through the following:

— An Introduction to Agency Marketing
— Developing a Vendor-Driven Marketing Strategy
— Identify the right products then match to the right customers
— Developing a Client-Driven Marketing Strategy
— Identify the right customers then match to the right products
— Developing a Agency-Driven Marketing Strategy
— Heighten your presence and develop a high touch client strategy
— Creative Sources for Marketing Content
— Creating a Marketing Calendar

In the class you learn to create and leave with an actionable marketing calendar. In addition you learn how to mine your database, locate customer sweet spots, strengthen customer loyalty and help you "own" new/existing clients. Join Sharon and Bruce as they share their experience and combine the power of marketing with ClientBase tools to help you too become a marketing expert!

This class covers and more!

— A general overview of how SQL is used to build queries to run against a database
— Queries used as the basis for reports
— Queries used as the basis for data extractions/conversions

Learn the daily TRAMS Back office routine and how it affects the Core Reports. This class is designed to make the beginner comfortable with daily entries into TBO, Core Reports, the Management Summary report, and the GL Reconciliation report.

Covered in class:

— Daily Routine
— Client Balance Report
— Vendor Balance Report
— ARC/BSP Balance Report
— Check Register
— Management Summary Report
— GL Reconciliation Report

Enhance your Summer Camp experience by sharing how you can successfully implement what you have learned during the last couple of days! This informal forum provides the opportunity for users to share their successes and their techniques for maximizing TRAMS Back Office usage. To get you thinking about topics for discussion, please review these areas for the type of topics you may want to bring up with the group. Some suggested areas for discussion:

How are agencies….

— Using their Agency's Credit Card for Web Bookings?
— Processing Agency Credit Card Service Fees the best way possible?
— Reconciling Agent Statements?
— Implementing reporting alternatives outside TBO?
— Best utilizing Purging features?
— Cleaning up cancelled and dupe car/hotel bookings?
— Working with Front Office to provide cleaner data in Back Office?
— Tracking Cash Flow requirements - what's coming in and what’s going out?
— Tracking Booking or Ticketing agent, or both?
— What features are being under utilized in TBO and why?

We welcome all users to join us and share their TBO success stories. The above topics are just suggestions to stimulate discussion. Some of these items may be brought up by participants, but many will not. Remember this session is an Open Forum for sharing ideas. Any other topics that you want to share with attendees are most welcomed. It's your session and the topics will be the ones the participants want to discuss on the day of the session.

We provide you with many creative ideas and detailed instructions on how to use ClientBase to help you to market to your clients and send you home with several best practices that you can implement immediately, including:

— Using Client Surveys to collect information to better understand your customers wants and needs
— Tracking and recognizing new customers that contact your agency
— Sending referral “thank you’s"
— Managing the welcome home process
— Using holidays and special occasions as an opportunity to thank your customers for their business
— Sending out passport renewal notices
— Contacting customers who have not done business with you recently
— Sending special interest articles and postcards to targeted customers

ClientBase Inventory Manager provides an effective and efficient tool for the agency to internally manage and share blocked space. Class covers an in-depth review of the key features:

— Review benefits and advantages of tracking Inventory
— Setting up Inventory Records including details
— Query blocked space and create saved query folders
— Creating Res Cards and importing details from Inventory
— Use of Inventory Manager reports

Save time by automating certain administrative functions in TRAMS Back Office or ClientBase such as nightly backups, sync in/out, batch report processing and interface download/processing. This class covers how to automate these tasks using the Windows Task Scheduler.

— Why automate tasks?
— What tasks can be automated?
— How do I automate a Task?
— Command line formats
— Using the Windows Task Scheduler

Now that have you have data in the TRAMS database, learn how to extract the data in the form of a report. Although TRAMS comes with many reports, you may find it necessary to either build or modify reports to fit your agency’s needs. Following is a list of items covered in class:

— Limitations of the Report Generator
— Navigation
— Where to find the documentation
— Building a report
— Modifying a report

TOPICS COVERED::

Travel Agency Mergers and Acquisitions

— Acquired Database
— Is the database worth merging?

What Tools to Use

— Profile Import Utility
— XML
— Third Party

Decisions - What Data Should You Merge

— Pros and Cons of:
     — Client Profiles
     — Vendor Profiles
     — Res Cards
     — Invoices

Preparing to Merge

— Cleaning the Database

Performing the Merge

— Precautionary Measures

Post Merge Procedures

— Steps to follow after the merge has been performed

Having an effective E-mail marketing program is an essential part of today's client relationship development. Agency owners, managers and marketing teams can learn how to create and broadcast text and HTML E-mail using the ClientBase Queries and Merge to E-mail feature. In this class we'll review:

— Quick tips on capturing necessary marketing data
— Creative sources for pre-formatted travel promotions
— Finding your target audience using Level 2 and Level 3 Queries
— Setting up for sending E-mail in ClientBase
— An in-depth review of the ClientBase Merge to E-mail feature
— Using Mailers and Res Cards to track your results
— E-mail etiquette and a review of Opt-In vs. Opt-Out

In this class, we take you on a unique journey to explore the complete life cycle of a promotion from Idea to Profit. The journey starts in ClientBase with your clients' preferences and ends in TRAMS Back Office with the profit on your Income Statement. Designed for those agencies using (or considering) both ClientBase and TRAMS Back Office, the course we navigate you through includes:

— Identifying a niche within your customer base
— Implementing a promotion to target that niche
— Tracking the promotion and the inquiries it generates
— Turning the Inquiries into Reservations
— Turning Reservations into Sales
— Reporting on the Sales by Agent, Vendor and Client
— Posting your Sales to your General Ledger and Viewing your Profit

This class gives an overview of how to use both TRAMS Back Office and ClientBase to manage groups.

Covered in class:

— Setting up Group Names in ClientBase or TRAMS Back Office
— Setting Up Group Profiles
— Setting up Inventory in ClientBase
— Promoting the Group in ClientBase
— Selling from Inventory using Res Cards in ClientBase
— Using Reminders to Manage the Sales Process in ClientBase
— Documenting Client Payments in ClientBase
— Collecting Client Payments/Disbursing Vendor Payments in TBO
— Group Receipts/Expenses Report in TRAMS Back Office
— Managing Inventory Utilization in ClientBase
— Group Reporting in TRAMS Back Office
— Group Reporting in TRAMS Crystal Reports
— Closing the group in TRAMS Back Office