Transportation is an unavoidable part of tourism. If transportation logistics aren’t managed well, the inefficiencies make for a poor guest experience and cut into profits. Even a simple mistake can have a domino effect. If the wrong vehicle type is put on the schedule, the whole group may not be able to fit! When a guest’s shuttle to the airport is off schedule, they might miss their flight. Those situations create extra work for everyone, and still might result in bad reviews and no repeat business. Here are some ways to improve tourism transportation so it’s easy for staff to manage and helps guest to relax and enjoy every moment.
Set up an organized scheduling system
Start with the basics. All the scheduling for transportation needs to live in one place.
This ‘place’ is the single source of truth for all transportation logistics. It’s a system everyone uses. How does this help improve tourism transportation? Well, having one eliminates chaos and conflict.
Chaos happens when multiple people are working independently on the same thing, pulling from the same resources, without clarity and communication.
Everyone is making the decisions they think best, without having a full picture.
The result is inefficiency and frustration for everyone. Chaos tends to happen when there isn’t a system at all, when the system isn’t adequate, or when people don’t use the system appropriately.
Conflict is a scenario like this: Linus gets an online scheduling request and assigns Driver Al and Vehicle 7 for it, an airport pickup. But while he is doing that, Brenda gets a phone call and schedules Vehicle 7 for a Day Tour at the same time. At some point, hopefully, they’ll notice that Vehicle 7 is double-booked and fix it. By then, will there be available vehicles? What if they don’t notice until the day of the event? Conflict can happen even when there is a system in place and people are using it.
If the system doesn’t have built-in synchronization and accessibility, there’s plenty of room for error and conflict.
To prevent chaos, you need a scheduling system that everyone uses. To prevent conflicts, you need a system that has certain features, along with flexibility to work for your needs.
Teamup is a solution worth checking out: it safeguards against double-booking and offers automatic syncing, customized access, mobile apps, filters, and lots more. Take a look at this guide and see what you think.
Focus on communication
Internal communication
To improve tourism transportation, communication is key.
First, you need communication between all staff members. But you don’t want just any kind of communication. You might have tons of messages, emails, and phone calls going between tourism staff. That doesn’t mean you have good communication or an efficient system. In fact, if there’s a lot of communication needed for routine tasks and events, something’s wrong:
- Perhaps information is kept in silos and team members can’t access the details they need without chasing someone down.
- Perhaps tasks and the authority to complete them needs to be delegated. If one person has to make all the decisions, everyone else has to check in with them frequently.
- Perhaps there are not clear standards and procedures for how things are done. People are always asking each other, “How do we do this?”
Fortunately, those are solvable problems.
- Get information out of silos and into the shared scheduling system that everyone can access (at appropriate permission levels).
- You can also use this system to hold reference documents like checklists, forms, and process steps. That way, the scheduling tool is not only where things get done but also the information base for how things get done.
- As standards get clarified, it’s much easier to delegate tasks and decision-making power. When people know what to do and how to do it, and can easily find the info and resources to do it, everything gets more efficient.
External communication
Communicating with guests is just as important, and a little more delicate.
You want guests to relax, feel confident, and enjoy what’s happening. Give guests a sense of control by providing itinerary details and relevant information ahead of time. Make it easy for them to review these details, anytime.
Remember, even when guests are traveling for enjoyment, traveling can be stressful. Knowing the plan and being reassured that all the details are in place reduces stress.
Here’s one way to keep guests updated, with a Teamup event page:
An event page is a standalone webpage, created automatically from any Teamup event. All you have to do is input the itinerary, and add images, files, maps, etc. Then share the URL to the event page with guests. They can open it any time and review everything. Plus, if you adjust details or add more information, they’ll see the updated version automatically.
Improve tourism transportation and logistics
Teamup can be the powerhouse tool in your tourism logistics toolbox. Try a live demo to test-drive features, then use our guide to simplify, streamline, and improve your tourism business.
“I use Teamup for billing, creating schedules for the cruise ships, assigning tours to our guides, and end of month payroll. Teamup has become the very basis of our company in a way, and we couldn’t do without it.”
-Sandra H., Operations Manager at Tri Sport
When you have an organized scheduling system, and all the details at your fingertips, everyone feels better. Guests can feel relaxed and delighted. You and your staff can feel productive and enjoy creating beautiful and memorable experiences.
