Into the future with new core software

Cooltours has been offering language and educational travel for youths since 1999. Thus, students get to know other countries and cities, benefit from being immersed in a different language and delve into other cultures. Today, the company is Austria's largest organiser of language and culture travel as well as project weeks. Supported by some 30 employees, Cooltours annually organises trips for many thousands of students and teachers. To manage vast amounts of customer data as well as offers, processing and billing, the organiser previously used a self-developed software based on an MS Access database. "Due to the strong growth of our company and the amount of data we're dealing with, the system eventually hit its limits," Cooltours CEO Florian Wind reports. Since the support for the solution also ends soon, the organiser started looking for a new core software.

Comprehensive modernisation required
The previous system was not only outdated in terms of its performance, it also didn't allow any workable option for mobile access. "We were therefore looking for a cloud-based solution that would allow our team and customers simple external access," says Wind. Another weak point of the legacy system was the fact that it didn't allow for multiple user access. One dataset could only be processed by one user at a time. Additionally, the amounts of data of the some 26,000 travellers per year brought the database to its knees. "Security was a big concern as well. After all, we process large amounts of personal data that needs to be particularly well protected," Wind explains. To solve its issues, the company hired external help. "Unfortunately, the first software modernisation project failed and we were again looking for a professional IT service provider," Wind recalls.

Experienced regional digitisation partner wanted
Based on a detailed specification sheet, Cooltours requested offers from three suppliers. In the final round, the international digitisation specialist DCCS from Graz acquired the order. "What mattered to us was not just value for money and regional closeness, but also their solution concept, structured offer submission and professionalism," says Wind. In order to keep effort and costs to a minimum and ensure scalability, the company opted for the development of a solution base on the WEBCON low-code platform as well as cloud hosting. Together, the two companies defined how to implement the requirements in workshops. "On the one hand, the software was supposed to be easy to operate and self-explanatory. Secondly, we wanted a scalable, expandable system to be able to implement expansions and changes (of legal nature, for instance) ourselves," Wind explains. With WEBCON BPS, a low-code platform for cloud and on-premise, these specific requirements were implemented in a targeted way.

Perfect combination of low-code and pro-code
The low-code platform WEBCON offers an excellent basis for efficient development regarding workflows and process modelling. Due to the complexity and scope of the processes, many thousands of datasets and specific requirements, e.g. concerning data fields and reports, DCCS used pro-code development where low-code hit its limits. High levels of usability and system performance, specific security requirements and maximum automation marked essential aspects during development. In the course of the project, further requirements, feedback and new ideas, that needed to be included, were added. "Thanks to close collaboration, excellent communication and professionalism in project implementation, DCCS was able to successfully implement all our individual requirements," Florian Wind reports. Following weekly work meetings, ongoing tests and many optimisations, the new core software gradually went into operation.

Successful core software modernisation
The new system fully maps Cooltours' so-called "Travel Centre". From customer inquiry to offer creation and order confirmation to payment information and information sheets: The core software manages and facilitates all relevant processes. "In the past, we used three database systems. One for offers, one for information and one for travel data. All this was now combined in one system. In the process, we also slimmed down partial processes, improving efficiency," Wind says. Since documents are now saved directly in the cloud, they are available everywhere, at home or on the way. "Bookings and bank receipts can be imported directly into the system, saving a lot of time and helping prevent mistakes. We process more than 52,000 payments a year, making this a great benefit," Wind expresses happily. The new digital solution also minimises the use of paper. "We wanted to go away from stacks of paper and physical mail to save on paper and strengthen our sustainability strategy," the CEO says.

Modern digital travel platform
With the new solution, the entire process is not only faster and less failure-prone, but also offers high usability and simple operation thanks to facilitating processes and its user-centred design. "Thanks to fields highlighted in different colours, the system guides users through the entire process, automatically generating documents such as offers, booking confirmations, information sheets and invoices. It manages the entire trip including payment, insurance and cancellation. Mailings can also be automated easily," Wind reports. Another large benefit: All processes can be clearly traced in the system. Moreover, Cooltours no longer needs to take care of infrastructure or security. All of that is done by the Austrian cloud host. "Thanks to the cloud solution, we can easily work from home or on the way with full access to the travel centre, that makes work much easier. We can also delegate tasks in the system, for instance when clerks are on holiday," Wind says.

Into the future with customer-orientation and sustainability
The low-code based cloud-hosted system allows Cooltours to flexibly scale and extend it in the future, for instance to add features such as automated text messages including traveller information. Plans to implement the automated import of bank data and payments as well as a dedicated customer area for schools and teachers, in which pedagogues can access their personal travel data, tickets, vouchers, invoices, QR codes and more are underway. "There, teachers will be able to log in and send online inquiries. This further shortens the process," Wind says. Additional digital offers for customers are also to contribute to Cooltours' sustainability efforts. A dedicated solar power system on the company premises and participation in other systems the company compensates for some 15% of its customers' carbon emissions. "We are CSR certified and with this, we would like to show that we are doing something for people and the environment," says Wind, adding: "The digital travel centre developed by DCCS is a vital step in this. Besides expanding the digital offerings for our customers, it provides for an optimum basis to further expand the digitisation of our processes and thus, our company's sustainability measures.