Digitalization Strategy Set for Safari Tour Company

Vertical:

Tour Operator, DMC

Technology:

Java Script, Java, PHP, Angular, Node.Js

Scope:

19200 man-hours

Approach:

Custom Development

Project Background

TourCompass, a well-established safari tour company, provides unforgettable experiences across Africa, focusing on personalized journeys to destinations like Tanzania and Kenya. However, manual workflows in document management, data processing, customer communication, and pricing were holding the company back from scaling efficiently. They sought a technology partner to help automate their operations and improve competitiveness.

Challenge

As TourCompass grew, the increasing complexity of manual processes became a bottleneck, impacting business efficiency. The company needed a scalable IT solution to automate reservation management, supplier coordination, and financial processes while maintaining a personal touch for each customer interaction.

Goals

The project objectives were clear:

Digitalize business processes to drive growth and enhance profitability in the expanding travel market.
Automate workflows to improve efficiency and reduce operational costs.
Preserve the personal touch by building applications that mimic human-like workflows.

Solution

We implemented a phased approach to achieve the project’s goals, delivering customized systems that transformed core business operations.

Phase 1: Price Calculation App with Supplier Integration

We built a dynamic price calculation app integrated with a third-party travel supplier (GDS), enabling seamless tour price management. Using Java for robust back-end operations and AngularJS for an intuitive front-end, we ensured scalability and ease of use.

Phase 2: Customer-Facing Websites

The second major step in implementation for Aclass was to develop multiple customer-facing websites for advertising tours and destinations across Africa. The websites had to support sufficient content management functionality.

The tech stack for this phase included PHP with an emphasis on Yii framework. Additionally, the open source CMS WordPress was actively used in development.

This phase resulted in over 20 unique CMS-based websites offering robust functionality, including:

User registration / login
Search & book of tours
Publishing of media files
Possibility to leave a contact request
Communication with a tour advisor – and more…

Phase 3: Request and Proposal Management

We created an application to streamline the management of incoming customer requests and the generation of personalized, well-designed tour proposals. This system helped store and manage request details efficiently, improving response time and enhancing the client experience.

Results

Immediate ROI: Aclass reported significant improvements in operational efficiency within the first six months of development, with increased profit margins over time.
Enhanced Communication: TourCompass now engages customers with highly effective communication channels, fostering stronger relationships.
Efficiency Boost: Automation significantly reduced the time spent on handling customer requests and proposals.
Investor Appeal: The digital transformation made the business more attractive to investors, further driving growth.
Ongoing Development: Our partnership continues to thrive, with regular updates and new releases ensuring that TourCompass remains competitive in the market.

Complex Digitalization Strategy Set Going for a Safari Tour Company