Whether you’re running a small business or a large company, staying organized should always be a top priority. If you don’t have the proper systems in place for sorting and categorizing your files, you’re not going to be very efficient.
That’s especially true when it comes to running a travel business, where organization is the name of the game. With each new client comes a particular workflow to book a trip and the accompanying files along the way. It’s important to have a plan in place to organize these files on your computer desktop to ensure you can provide your clients with a smooth booking and travel process from beginning to end.
Here’s how you can realize the benefits of a well-organized desktop to help ensure your business operations run smoothly.
Create a Filing System
When you’re working on getting your organizational structure in place, start simple. Establish folders for client information, marketing materials, and financial documents, to name a few. Use clear and concise naming conventions for your folders, and consider utilizing color-coding to eliminate any doubt as to where you should store any given file. Spend the time to think about the areas you work in most, and make sure that you have pathways in place to get to them quickly.
By creating a systematic filing structure, you can avoid any unnecessary stress and show your clients that you are professional and reliable. If they ask you about a particular safety document or a form they were required to fill out prior to their trip, with a sound filing structure in place, you'll have easy access to whatever you’re looking for.
Design Clear Labels
Whether you're booking travel for a specific destination or conducting research, using labels that convey exactly what each folder contains will help you run your business like a well-oiled machine.
For instance, if you book cruises and sell theme park packages, you’ll want to be sure that you have the right categories and subcategories in place for files related to those efforts. Be sure to also be consistent in naming your folders—you wouldn’t want to get sidetracked if you’re looking for a specific file or a folder related to booking a client’s trip.
It might sound simple, but the more specific you can get with your file categorizing, the better. Establishing clear file pathways can create a shortcut to help you run your business. That way, you can get to anything you might need with just a few short clicks.
Archive Your Files
As you continue to run your business, you’re going to generate a lot of files. And while, over time, you may not need to access some of these files every day, that doesn’t mean you’ll never need them again.
Keeping good records means having access to the documents you need to reference now and the documents you may need to reference in the future. You might be an expert on European travel, but if you don’t have your notes and documents sorted and easily accessible, it will be much harder to have productive meetings with your customers looking to travel there. Having an archival system in place allows you to point them in the right direction much more quickly.
When it comes down to it, inspiring confidence in your clients is as much about effective organization as it is your travel know-how. Starting this relationship off on the right foot by being organized and proactive is the best way for you to prove why you’re the right person for the job.