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Agents and industry partners at the opening reception; From left to right: Jill Romano, Dimensions in Travel, Novato, Calif.; Chuck Maida, All Seasons Travel, Jacksonville, Fla.; Bob Romano, Fugazi Travel, San Francisco; and Frances Broussard and Terry Holmes, Red Carnation Hotels. // © 2009 Ensemble Travel Group. |
At Ensemble Travel Group’s annual International Conference held at The Fairmont Banff Springs in Banff, Canada, the agent consortium unveiled a number of technologically focused features and programs.
The first, Ensemble E-Matrix, is the result of a new joint marketing agreement with Trams Inc. that allows members to have access to a turnkey e-mail marketing approach that synchronizes with their respective ClientBase databases. The group also enhanced its Cientsite platform, a consumer Web site developed and hosted by Ensemble for its U.S. and Canada member agencies. Ensemble is also looking to initiate a three-phase makeover of its current Ensemble Extranet, a members-only information portal, to increase engagement.
“Technology is an enabler — it gets things done,” said Jack E. Mannix, CTC, president and CEO of Ensemble Travel Group. “As agents, we have to increase our intelligence and capabilities in getting to the right customer at the right time and technology, such as enhanced customer relationship management capabilities and social networking, means being more effective.”
Keynote speakers at the conference included journalist Forrest Sawyer, who gave an inspirational speech about perseverance to more than 750 attendees from the U.S. and Canada, an impressive turnout for the group, which has approximately 900 travel agency members worldwide.
Next year’s conference is scheduled at The Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress in Orlando, Fla., from Oct. 20-23.
www.ensembletravel.com
