Service Standards

 

Table of Contents:

Accounting

TRAMS Crystal Accounting Reports & Travel Management Services

Our accounting system TRAMS, is a technologically advanced system that offers our clients the ability to manage their travel programs through a numerous selection of reports. Your corporate account manager from North South will work with you on a monthly or quarterly basis to find the best reports, or to customize them to best suit your needs. As the reports are run locally we can provide them within 24 hours of request.

Sabre R and Sabre Get There

Sabre and Sabre Get There includes customer management software that immediately recalls detailed traveller information and payment information. Our office administrator will respond within 24 business hours for payment inquiries by phone or email.

Customer Service

Hours of Operation & 24 Hour Emergency Line

North South Travel's hours of operation are from 8:30am till 5:30pm Monday to Friday and Saturday 10:00am till 4:00pm. VCH dedicated Travel consultants are on duty from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. VCH travellers also have access to an after hours emergency phone service. In North America dial the toll free number 1-888-721-7500 or for International or collect calls 1-402-548-6267. The access code is 8AH0.

Please click on the link for complete contact information.

Lowest Available Air Fare Guarantee

North South Travel guarantees the lowest available fares. Our experienced VCH travel consultants will always verify Sabre -Global Distribution Fares, consolidator fares and Internet fares. We also use computer software called Farematrix and Agentware that efficiently verifies all Internet travel sites, such as Expedia, Travelocity etc for lower fares. As one final check, our Sabre system will verify if a lower fare has become available up until time of ticket issuance.

Quality Assured Reservations

Our computer systems have built in quality assurances and we reconfirm by email to ensure 100% accuracy

Profiles

VCH travellers and their travel arrangers can set up their own profiles on our secured web site or on VCH's customized travel booking engine "Sabre Get There". Profiles will be entered into our computer reservations systems Sabre, which will enable us to handle requests and adhere to travel policies more efficiently.

Ticketing and Delivery

Electronic Tickets are available on most North American itineraries and some International itineraries. Any itinerary that cannot be issued electronically will be issued as a paper ticket and will be couriered to you by the next business day.

Insurance

Your certified VCH Travel Consultant can give you a choice of insurance and can thoroughly explain the product benefits.

Certified Travel Consultants

Our experienced travel counselors can assist with both the corporate and leisure requests. Both departments are equipped with travel staff with an average of fifteen years in the industry, giving travellers a distinct advantage in planning their travel. North South Travel consultants have a variety of certifications including CTC**.

** Certified Travel Consultant

Telephone and Email Response Times

North South Travel values its clients and we will make every effort to reply as soon as possible and prioritize your request according to departure dates. Every telephone or email inquiry will be acknowledged at least within 2 hours and a quotation will be submitted within at least 4 business hours, if not sooner.

Service Guarantee

At North South Travel we stand behind the quality of our service with our service guarantee: If VCH travellers experience service failure caused by North South Travel on any given trip we will gladly refund our service fee **.

** Our guarantee only applies to satisfaction with the service of North South Travel. It does not apply to the shortcomings in service provided by airlines, hotels, car rental companies, car service, etc. Online bookings are also excluded. Please contact our office administrator within 48 hours to facilitate the service fee refund.

Holiday Travel

We will offer VCH employees a full array of leisure travel services along with expert advice from our knowledgeable, well-traveled consultants. Our holiday packages include exotic all inclusive destinations throughout the Caribbean and Cuba, to beautiful Hawaii or the rugged outback of Australia, to a remarkable golf package in Scottsdale with access to a PGA course. No matter the budget our consultants will find the best deals and we will post monthly specials on our Website.

By partnering with North South Travel, all VCH employees and their traveling companions will receive a 5% discount when booking a vacation package with one of our preferred suppliers.

Feedback

In a continuing effort to provide the best possible service, North South's website includes an online survey. VCH's feedback is important to us, so please let us know how we are doing or how we can serve you better.

Technology

North South Travel Website - www.northsouthtravel.com

Our website allows clients to fill in their own traveller profiles on-line for the Full Service Booking Option, access VCH's customized online travel booking engine "Sabre Get There", access Air Canada or Westjet airline web links and view weekly travel specials and feature deals. It also includes an electronic library of destination information products and reference materials for business travel 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

Unlike other Internet travel booking sites, we protect our clients under the B.C. Travel assurance fund and are appended to the reservation if assistance is required we can act on VCH's behalf.

SABRE Reservations

North South Travel uses one of the most technologically advanced airline reservation systems in North America Ð Sabre and our online booking tool is powered by "Sabre Get There" technology. SABRE is a computerized Global Distribution System (GDS) with the power to access scheduling information for hundreds of air carriers, hotel and car companies around the world.

"Sabre - Virtually There"

"Sabre Virtually There" is a personalized travel Web site that delivers real-time information about your travel plans when booking through Sabre or Sabre Get There. The traveller itinerary information is available 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week. The Web site displays customized itineraries, which coordinates information on flights, hotels, car rentals, all of which are instantly updated if travel plans change. The "Virtually There" information has a download feature into VCH personal travellers' calendars and or PDA's, Blackberrys etc.

  • Itinerary Segments including: Flights, Car, Hotel, Tour, Rail Cruise.
  • Electronic ticket receipt
  • Electronic ticket Invoice
  • Download to Desk Top Calendars, Microsoft office, etc
  • Download to Personal Digital Assistances (PDAS) BlackBerrys
  • Maps and Driving Directions
  • Wireless Access via WAP or HDML handheld devices
  • Forward / E-mail Itinerary from Virtually There itinerary page
  • Restaurant Guide - search by price, location, cuisine, etc
  • Real-time gate / terminal assignments
  • Customizable destination information - city attractions, night life, airport maps, etc
  • Real-time Flight Tracker
  • Weather Conditions - Normal, Average and Current

Corporate Memberships

Ensemble Travel

Ensemble is the largest network of travel management companies in Canada today, supporting over 725 members from coast-to-coast. Through our Ensemble affiliation we offer a worldwide corporate hotel program with negotiated rates up to 40% below corporate rates.

Virtuoso

North South Travel is a proud member of Virtuoso, an exclusive global network of travel specialists. Our combined multi-billion dollar business makes you a valuable, highly respected customer with leading Hotels, Resorts, Spas, Cruise Lines, Tour companies, Rail lines, Airlines and Ground operators. No other organization holds the wealth of knowledge and preferred relationships.

Your North South dedicated consultant will offer both options for business and or holiday travel to ensure the best value is obtained on Hotel properties.

North South’s Supplier Rates

North South Travel has preferred supplier agreements and discounted rates - with airlines, hotels, tour operators, cruise companies, car rental firms and insurance companies. Our industry aware consultants will look at all the distribution channels, including our own negotiated rates, Web fares, Global Distribution System and the use of consolidators where advantageous and appropriate. It is important to note that not all of the distribution channels that North South Travel has are available to the consumer.

Email Newsletter

Periodically we email subscribers our e-newsletters and travel specials. They contain important travel industry news, our own company news and travel specials. If you would like to subscribe, click here.

Training and Summary

In-House Training

North South Travel will conduct in house training sessions on our Web based products and annual updates for VCH travel arrangers. If there is an additional requirement please contact your North South corporate travel manager.

Summary

North South Travel offers every amenity and cost saving feature available on the market today. Our prime goal is complete customer satisfaction. We rigidly adhere to the concept that we are in the personal service business, and our client relationships attest to this fact.

  • North South Travel commitment to quality service and products.
  • Unsurpassed automation systems and a complete management reporting to better control and reduce your overall travel costs.
  • North South Travel is locally owned and operated, enabling us to totally control the quality of our products and services.
  • The financial stability of North South Travel.
  • Our ongoing commitment to quality and excellence translates into travel management personnel who are experienced and who are genuinely dedicated to meeting the needs of Electronic Arts.
  • Our commitment and attention to accessing leading edge technology, systems and programs as they are introduced into the travel marketplace.
  • Our Total Quality Service Program where every reservation, every ticket, every itinerary is checked and double-checked before you receive it. We regularly invite you to evaluate our performance every step of the way. Why? Because we strive not just to meet, but to exceed your expectations for service quality.
  • Our ability to provide VIP and leisure travel services.

With our personalized services combined with complete travel management capabilities we at North South Travel are confident that we will have a positive impact on the travel operations of Electronic Arts. We enthusiastically look forward to the new opportunities and challenges that a business relationship between our companies will provide.