A tool for selling your trips

In this article, we are going to explain how was done the collaboration between both travelling professionals SignatureGolf and TraveledMap. This collaboration led to the creation of a tool allowing SignatureGolf to present their different trips and itineraries to their customers, notably during presale.

May TraveledMap help you improve your sales?

A specific need

As you may know, TraveledMap is a tool which allows you to transcribe the totality of all the previous trips that you made to share your memories with your family and friends, or more generally with through social networks.

This tool in constant development saw the birth of a collaboration between TraveledMap and SignatureGolf, a British company specialised in the organisation of trips focused around the practice of golf. In 2020, the director of this firm contacted us in order to use TraveledMap on their website thanks to the power of a WordPress plugin  allowing to detail a trip, fiting to a specific need.

SignatureGolf logo

As explained earlier, SignatureGolf is a British company specialised in the selling of experiences based on the fabulous sport that is golf. Their added value is to conceive road-trips / routes / golf-oriented circuits on-demand on their clients (including several courses of Golf or Country clubs). Before our collaboration and once the trip planned, a detailed description of the different steps was sent to the customer through a PDF document.  With the current health crisis due to Covid-19, this company (like many other touring professionals) had a time ahead to improve the attractiveness of its propositions, in order to increase post-crisis incomes.

In order to promote the different solutions offered to their users, SignatureGolf therefore needed a tool allowing its potential customers to visualising their next trip thanks to an interactive map and no more with simple description as can do most of the other travel agencies today.

Then, TraveledMap was already responding to almost all their requirement. Indeed, in 2019, we created a WordPress plug-in allowing to detail a blog article related to a road-trip, or a trip description on professionals' websites. A demonstration of this plug-in is available here.
It is important to note that his WordPress plug-in can be quickly adapted to any type of website.

Demonstration of the TraveledMap WordPress plugin

As you can see on this demonstration, it was already possible to create a map explaining the step of one's journey using markers. Those markers are at the center of the map when the user reads the description of the given steps. In addition to that, the user can project himself into his next journey thanks to a really quick access to photos and videos. At the end of the day, the user can quickly get information about any town's description or any other places pinned on the steps of the journey. To do so, you simply have to click on the respective marker on the map facilitating the map's navigation. The final objective of this technology is to raise the conversion rate of travel agencies by inspiring dreams to users which is a lot more effective than a simple description.

However, some specific option were lacking in order to match the solution and the use Signature Golf wished to have. Indeed, the key issue for the utilisation of TraveledMap by SignatureGolf being able to include a link in their travel PDF presentation, link allowing to see the complete itinerary of the tailor-made travel; the whole thing would be on a specific platform branded with SignatureGolf graphic charter.  Looking more professional.

Here is a list of some functionalities SignatureGolf required:

• Being able to present an itinerary to their client with the goal of seeing it to them
• Place pins on a map with the help of markers to improve the trip, making it visual, and make those markers clickable to quickly access steps details.
• Add customised markers for those steps thanks to personalised icons
• Add photos or videos of each visited places
• Add descriptions for each of those places
• Have a day-by-day program describing the complete travel offers, including arriving and leaving dates at the different places
• Being able to create travels the quickest way as possible, as a consequence, being able to reuse steps like airports and hostles, of another journey. This will be time saving when building new itineraries.
• Have a custom branding which will prevent showing that it's using an external tool in order to have a very professional render.
• Show the time needed to go from a step to another

All these essential functionalities for SignatureGolf have been discussed during two meetings before starting the development of this particular version of TraveledMap.

Transformation of the tool to answer specific needs

The different features realised for SignatureGolf has been done quickly after the first contact. Following some mails and calls, the development of the first options were born with a well defined action plan.

Indeed, SignatureGolf wanted quick results in order to deploy this new solution online in tight deadlines, the introduction of the most profitable functionalities has been designed in priority.
The first option created is also the most important, it is the creation of a customised map matching their graphic chart and branding.
It is to be noticed that the SignatureGolf platform has been implemented in such a way which allows the new TraveledMap functionalities to be easily integrated in their version. All the improvements TraveledMap will benefit are also available for SignatureGolf.

Mail exchanges between SignatureGolf and TraveledMap

During all the developments, the communication with SignatureGolf was continuous : When a new functionality was created, a "delivery" was made along with a video explaining how to use this new feature. All the other required options will also come with a demo video allowing an efficient feedback.

The key point of the collaboration between TraveledMap and SignatureGolf lies in the fact that the editor map system of TraveledMap contains a majority of functionalities which are necessary to tour-operators and travel agencies. This allows them to offer a dynamic version of day-to-day travel description to their clients. The final product costs few money considering that TraveledMap has been designed for them.

Presentation of the result

After only few exchanges, the development of all required functionalities has been completed. SignatureGolf was able to integrate their new tool to present their day-by-day journey summary to their customers with the help of interactive and intuitive maps.

Final result GIF

The whole product and asked improvements have been developed in a 2 month time span. This time was stroke in a particular environment which however, allowed the full and deep realisation of the first objectives.

For now, new functionalities requested by SignatureGolf are still being developed. Thanks to staying permanently in touch we are able to constantly improve the tool.