Agency chain launches email alerts

Hays Travel has developed technology that will see customers e-mailed daily with special offers specific to their holiday requirements.
The miniple claims E-News4Agents, to be launched at this weekend’s conference of wholly owned subsidiary the Independence Group, will be a first for an agency chain.
The move is designed to retain customers by building up an email database of client preferences and alerting them to offers in the market. People who click on the offers will be directed to individual shop websites.
Hays Travel managing director John Hays said: “If people have not booked we find it useful to email them and let them know if something comes up. The technology scans the criteria of what clients are interested in, along with how many people, where they want to go, how much they want to pay and sends emails to them.”
Customers can choose to receive e-mail alerts daily, weekly or twice a week, he said.
The scheme will be offered to Independence Group agents at one or two pence per email. Hays added the technology could be offered to agents who are not part of the group if it proves successful.