Our First Blog Post - A Q&A

Tell us about 'ello?
Don't you deserve your very own dedicated VIP travel consultant for every booking you make? A consultant who will always respond within seconds and one who will consult with you based on what you want, when you want it, with 100% precision and always in line with your company policy. A consultant who will be proactive to your needs by predicting with accuracy your every move. Welcome to the new world of booking corporate travel.

Founded by serial travel entrepreneur Troy Winterbottom, whose vision combined with his technical capability and skill, has created a new way to book corporate travel. Troy is doing this via the introduction of two platforms - 'ello online and 'ello consultant.

• 'ello online: For the customer - this platform will automate the online booking experience and do it in a more enriched and much more user-friendly way.

• 'ello consultant: For the TMC - this platform will automate the offline booking process, supporting more sustainable business models for TMC's both locally or globally in an environment where margins are declining and wages are increasing.

Why launch in Australia and NZ?
We feel that travel programs in this region are some of the most advanced in the world. Travel Managers, Travel Bookers and Travelers themselves are more technologically saavy and online adoption rates are some of the highest in the world. This region more than any other is ready for disruptive new technology like 'ello.

Another factor is local technology investment. Given it's size, this region does not always get a fair share of technology investment from both GDS systems and global TMC’s. Anything that is available is often retrofitted to this market, or built overseas which then impacts the quality of the user experience locally. This leads to a distorted and unsophisticated technological environment and limits quality of choice for both customers and those TMC’s who service this market.

What about markets outside AU and NZ?
When a user interacts with 'ello, it is a simple and highly intuitive user experience but behind it all, lies a very sophisticated and advanced engineering platform. The technology behind 'ello will allow the platform to scale rapidly. Our proprietary flight configuration engine has been developed so that it can be configured to the scheduling of any region in the world, within minutes.

The platform allows us to be highly dynamic in terms of the markets we operate in and the velocity in which we release new features. We feel strongly that legacy technology won't be able to compete at the pace at which we deploy.

Our aim is to deploy in the UK and US markets as quickly as we can, providing what will be one of the industry's first true global corporate travel fulfilment solutions. We understand first hand the flight and content differences that exist across all of these markets but our technology has been built from the very beginning to handle these with ease. No legacy means there really is no limit to what we can do, and quickly.

How does the TMC fit into all of this?
Fundamentally, 'ello online has been built to service the needs of the traveler and travel booker. We are a technology company and we are here to ensure that through 'ello online, the end user gets the most advanced and personalised corporate travel booking experience ever offered. Every interaction that is made must provide the user with what we refer to as, a ‘magic moment'.

To be clear, bypassing the TMC for 'ello online is not what we are about. We are here to support the TMC by providing their customers with a better booking experience, and their support and implementation teams with a more agile and cost effective platform to manage. We really feel that we can save the TMC a lot of time, money and frustration around their booking technology.

Our support for the TMC community is also evident through 'ello consultant. This platform has been built from the ground up just for the TMC. It a game changing platform that offers transformational opportunities for those TMC's who are are looking to technology as the way forward to improve operational scalability, customer service levels and ultimately bigger profit margins!

How can I get a demo?
Simply access the link on the top right hand side, fill in your details and we will be in contact to arrange your demonstration. We are conducting demonstrations to both TMC's as well as companies direct who don't currently use a TMC.