What are the most effective GDS booking tips for clients with tight schedules?

1 Know your GDS commands

One of the first things you need to master is how to use the commands and codes that your GDS requires. Depending on which GDS you use, such as Amadeus, Sabre, Galileo, or Worldspan, you may need to enter different formats and abbreviations to perform various functions. For example, to display flight availability from London to Paris on Amadeus, you would type ANLONPAR/15JUN, while on Sabre, you would type 115JUNLONPAR. Knowing your GDS commands will help you speed up your searches, bookings, and modifications, as well as avoid errors and penalties.

2 Use shortcuts and templates

Another way to save time and effort when using a GDS is to use shortcuts and templates that automate some of the tasks and processes. For instance, you can create and save profiles for your frequent clients, with their personal details, preferences, and payment methods. This way, you can easily retrieve and update their information whenever you need to make a booking for them. You can also use templates to generate and send confirmation emails, invoices, and itineraries to your clients, with the relevant data and codes from your GDS.

3 Utilize filters and options

When you search for travel options on your GDS, you may get overwhelmed by the amount and variety of results. To narrow down your choices and find the best matches for your clients' needs and budgets, you can use filters and options that allow you to specify certain criteria and preferences. For example, you can filter by airline, flight duration, departure and arrival time, fare class, seat availability, and more. You can also use options to compare different fares, view alternative dates and routes, and check the rules and restrictions of each booking.

4 Monitor changes and alerts

One of the challenges of using a GDS is that the travel information and availability can change constantly, due to factors such as weather, demand, cancellations, and schedule adjustments. To avoid missing out on opportunities or facing issues with your bookings, you need to monitor the changes and alerts that your GDS provides. For example, you can use queues to keep track of the status of your bookings, confirmations, payments, and tickets. You can also use alerts to receive notifications of any changes or updates that affect your bookings, such as flight delays, price changes, or seat assignments.

5 Learn from feedback and support

Finally, one of the best ways to improve your GDS skills and performance is to learn from feedback and support. You can get feedback from your clients, colleagues, managers, and suppliers, and use it to identify your strengths and weaknesses, and to adjust your strategies and techniques accordingly. You can also get support from your GDS provider, who can offer you training, tutorials, manuals, and help desks to help you solve any problems or questions you may have. By learning from feedback and support, you can enhance your GDS knowledge and confidence, and provide better service to your clients.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?