Spreadsheets have real advantages: everyone knows how to use them, they cost nothing and they adapt to anything. That is why so many travel agencies still run their bookings, customers and payments in a set of shared files.
But there comes a point where the spreadsheet costs more than it saves. And when you decide to move on, one worry takes over: how do you switch tools without losing data or bringing the business to a halt? Here is a simple six-step plan.
Signs it is time to switch
- the same information is entered in several places (bookings file, invoices, emails);
- two people cannot work on the same file without overwriting each other;
- finding out what a customer still owes means cross-checking several files;
- a broken formula or a deleted row has already caused a real problem;
- the agency depends on one person who “knows how the file works”.
If two or three of these sound familiar, moving to software will save you time from the very first weeks.
1. List the tools you use today
Write down everything you currently use: files, notebooks, inboxes, invoicing tool, website. For each one, note what it contains and who uses it. You will often find valuable information scattered in unexpected places.
2. Decide what to bring over, and what to leave
Bringing everything over is neither useful nor reasonable. Usually you only need to migrate:
- the customer file (contact details, and possibly recent history);
- your suppliers and their terms;
- the offers you currently sell;
- open bookings whose departure has not happened yet.
Completed bookings can stay in the old files, archived and searchable: no need to retype them. Use the opportunity to clean up: duplicates, customers without contact details, abandoned offers.
3. Pick the right moment
Avoid switching tools in peak season. Aim for a quieter period and set a cut-over date: from that day, every new booking is made in the software. Bookings already in progress can be moved over gradually.
4. Set things up before going live
Before day one, prepare the tool: agency details, users and their access, offer catalogue, suppliers, document templates. Software that is properly set up from the start gives the team no reason to go back to the spreadsheet.
5. Train and bring the team along
Switching tools works when the team sees the benefit. Explain why you are changing and what everyone gains: less retyping, less searching, fewer mistakes. Plan a short training session on your real bookings rather than a generic demo.
Appoint a go-to person in the agency: colleagues ask them first, and they pass questions on to the vendor.
6. Cut the cord
The most common trap: keeping the spreadsheet “in parallel, just in case”. The data drifts apart and nobody knows which version is right. After the cut-over date, make the old files read-only. The software is the reference.
Mistakes to avoid
- trying to bring everything over, including ten years of history;
- going live without setting up the tool;
- training the team on examples that look nothing like their work;
- letting the old and new tools run side by side for too long.
How ATHIX supports you
With ATHIX, the free demo is tailored to your business, using your real offers. We set up your workspace with you and train your team by video call; importing your existing data can be quoted on request. See the pricing or book a demo.
