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Running a multiple supplier account
This functionality is designed for companies looking to run a multiple-supplier account where individual suppliers can load their tours, add dates & prices, view bookings etc. In particular it is suitable for day tours/activities
Each supplier will only see their own tours and bookings
This functionality is built into TourCMS and available for everyone however you are likely to need one of the higher user volume accounts (see prices)
Summary of configurations
- As suppliers using this service are less likely to be logging into your account ALL THE TIME you may like, in Configuration & Setup - General settings for tours - to turn off Ask first departure statuses. This makes the departures only have two states - bookable or not - and requires less interaction with the supplier in order to take a booking
- In channel manager - email templates - set up an automated supplier notification email. Your suppliers will then receive an email when a new (confirmed) booking is received
- Branding: Change the header colour - so the back office looks much like your own corporate colouring
- Branding: Change the name of your service - e.g. refer to TourCMS as XYZ Company Extranet
- Branding: Change the support email address - so suppliers contact you rather than the TourCMS helpdesk
- Add a supplier login to your own website - Instructions
Adding and managing supplier users
- To create a user go to supplier manager and create a supplier record. Then go to system manager and create a user (assigning them to the supplier you just created)
- You can have multiple users for the same supplier
Build your website using the data API
Using the API you can easily feature tours from your own account as well as tours in other accounts
Use the supplier show method to see the company information for each supplier. Other companies that you are featuring on your website (from other TourCMS accounts) will have their similar information in the channel show API method
API credentials - internal vs agent
When using the booking creation APIs, use your INTERNAL API credentials for putting bookings into your own account and a partner (agent) API credentials for making bookings put into 3rd party accounts (where you are acting as the agent/affiliate).
The reason for this is that if you use the agent API credentials when putting bookings into your own account none of the marketing tracking will work as your agent settings will overwrite the 3rd party affiliate/agent tracking
If you are ONLY featuring tours/activities from your own account then you only need to use the internal API credentials
Onward distribution of your product
- You can distribute your products (managed & configured by your suppliers) onwards to travel agents etc via the TourCMS Marketplace
- Ensure your commercial agreements with your suppliers - and your commission levels - support onward distribution
- 3rd parties (e.g. travel agents) will see your company details BUT MAY NOT SEE your sub-supplier details
If you are planning a multiple-supplier project PLEASE do contact support@tourcms.com and say hello to us!
We would love to help!