5
min read
Molly Johnson
Nov 30, 2023
Hello, Travel Industry Professionals!
What if the technology you had as a travel advisor was so good that clients sought you out not only for your expertise but for the digital experiences you unlocked for them? That's part of our vision for Tern that I discussed with Whitney Shindelar as we recorded an episode of the Masters in Travel Podcast (airing December 12th).
To realize that vision takes a lot. It certainly requires tremendous product, design, and engineering work. We believe before a line of code can be written or a pixel can be painted we need to listen, learn, and understand the needs of the industry.
Just two weeks ago Tern launched forms and the response has been incredible. Advisors have created hundreds of stunning forms and getting lauded by their clients for the new look and feel. Just two weeks later, we're launching a game-changer in travel advisor compliance with our Terms of Service tool.
Building something great is about so much more than just focusing on the big features. It's about sweating the small stuff. So I'm incredibly proud that this week's update also includes dozens of fixes that travel advisors have been asking for.
Let's get into it.
We've made updates to the way Tern handles Documents. We've refreshed the look and feel of the documents tab. We've also added the ability to upload documents to specific activities. The big news is that advisors can now make documents visible to their clients. When uploading a document just check "Visible to Travelers". Those documents will now show up on the travelers view. Trip-level documents appear on a new documents tab and documents that are affiliated with activities will show up on the activity.
Firstly, let's dive into our groundbreaking 'Terms of Service' feature - a cornerstone of our compliance products. In the ever-evolving travel industry, managing your risk profile is paramount. We always suggest getting legal expertise in crafting your unique terms and service. Once you’ve done that, our goal is to simplify the process of collecting and maintaining a robust paper trail for your business.
Imagine a world where tracking versions of your terms of service, ensuring client agreement, and having detailed records for each interaction is not only possible but also effortless.
Tern’s Terms of Service feature enables exactly that. With our new feature, you can easily publish, update, and manage your terms of service, all with the assurance of automatic version tracking and client agreement records. It's about giving you peace of mind and a strong defense, should the need ever arise.
Once you’ve copied your Terms of Service into Tern and published them you’ll get a unique link that you can use to share your Terms of Service with anyone. Tern’s management of versioning combined with this public link means you have one place to manage your Terms of Service.
Your Terms of Service are automatically integrated into forms. To collect a compliant opt-in just drag the new Terms of Service element to the form. When a client agrees to the Terms Tern will automatically create an activity record on the contact tracking consent to your terms.
Terms of Service will be available to all Tern users by the first week of December.
At Tern we pride ourselves on being incredibly responsive to advisor feedback. Our recent updates reflect this commitment. We've introduced a slew of 'quality of life' enhancements, from intuitive itinerary management with media support for ports to streamlined passport parsing capabilities. These updates are designed to make your day-to-day operations smoother and more efficient.
Additionally, we're constantly refining our forms and CRM updates. Now, managing long trips is faster, and profile pictures retain their aspect ratio, eliminating any distortion. Moreover, we've added the ability to unpublish trips for controlled sharing and introduced a new date picker for more straightforward itinerary planning.
Tailored to Your Business Needs
Recognizing the diverse needs of travel advisors, we've made our budget ranges in forms fully customizable. Whether you're catering to luxury or budget-friendly travels, Tern adapts to your specific needs. And for those times when you need to schedule meetings without the hassle, our scheduler now includes custom fields, ensuring all necessary information is captured right from the start.
What Lies Ahead
The journey doesn't end here. We're on the brink of launching more features. This is just a glimpse of what's to come as we continue to evolve, driven by your invaluable feedback.
At Tern, our mission is clear: to provide you with a technology platform that not only meets but exceeds your needs, empowering you to focus on what you do best - crafting unforgettable travel experiences. So, stay tuned, and let's embark on this exciting journey together!
Thank you for your continued support and feedback. It’s what shapes our roadmap and drives our passion. See you in the next update!
