AXS-One Inc, a global provider of e-business solutions, today announced that First Choice Holidays Plc, the UK`s fourth largest holiday tour operator, has chosen AXS-One`s AXS Travel solution to streamline its statement distribution process.
First Choice will use AXS Travel to automate the delivery of weekly and monthly statements to travel agencies.
The project began earlier this year, and the full application will go live at the beginning of March 2003. The AXS Travel solution will receive data from First Choice`s custom reservations system, and will re-format the back-office data to produce detailed Internet-based statements for each travel agent. These will be available via a password-protected Web site that gives users a variety of drill-down options, including background details of each item and automated query management.
"We are looking forward to seeing real returns from our new AXS-One solution. The traditional print and post circulation method of statements does not offer the best service available for our customers. The Travel industry is now an increasingly competitive market where speed of response and improved cash flow is central to success," commented Craig Morrison, Credit Control Manager at First Choice.
"With this new system, statements will be immediately available to our travel agent community. With the extra time available to receive and resolve incoming queries we should see an improvement in cash flow, as well as higher levels of customer service. Both of these will give us an edge in the market."
The new solution will initially be used to replace the statement printing and posting procedure from the reservation systems of group companies First Choice Holidays, Hayes & Jarvis, Sovereign, First4Extras and Suncars, and will then be expanded to replace over 15 000 paper documents per month.
Queries raised by the travel agent will be electronically routed via the AXS Travel solution`s workflow functionality to the appropriate contact person at First Choice credit control. Based upon the nature of a travel agent`s query, the AXS Travel solution will generate authorisation requests and notification e-mails to other First Choice staff.
"This contract is a significant endorsement of AXS-One`s AXS Travel solution by one of the UK`s leading travel organisations," commented Mark Donkersley, AXS-One`s UK Managing Director. "It is a further demonstration of how AXS-One`s technology can be applied to solve specific business issues, in this instance to the benefit of First Choice and its travel agent customers, without the need for radical IT change and extensive implementation."
"Our work so far with AXS-One has proved to be extremely positive," explained Andrew Portman, IT Project Manager at First Choice. "We began discussions in June 2002 and since then the AXS Travel software has impressed us greatly. We signed contracts in December of that year and just three months later we will have a fully operational electronic statement delivery system."
For further information, please contact Nicky Maredi on telephone (011) 802 4998, fax (011) 802 5161, e-mail nmaredi@axsone.com
Share
First Choice is a leading European leisure travel company comprising mainstream and specialist tour operations, travel retail and aviation businesses. First Choice employs over 14 000 people, operating from 13 countries worldwide. Last year over five million holidaymakers chose to travel with a First Choice Group company. The business was formed in 1973 and for many years traded as Owners Abroad PLC. In 1994 the company was restructured and rebranded as First Choice Holidays PLC. The leading operator with over 650 agencies in Great Britain, it also has its own fleet of aircraft, Air 2000, and has forged a partnership with the cruise company, Royal Caribbean Cruises. For further information on First Choice Holidays, visit the Web site at http://www.firstchoiceplc.com/
AXS-One Inc
AXS-One (AMEX:AXO - news) is a provider of e-business solutions for global 2000 companies, professional service organisations and financial managers. AXS-One, formerly known as Computron Software, Inc, has implemented high-volume, scalable and secure business solutions for hundreds of customers across the globe. AXS-One has approximately 300 employees in offices worldwide, including Asia, Australia, Canada, UK, US and SA. AXS-One was founded in 1978, and is based in Rutherford, New Jersey. For further information on AXS-One, visit http://www.axs-one.com/.