Sales Stages: Best Practices for Client and Booking Management

Sales Stages are essential components in managing client interactions and Lead/Bookings efficiently. This guide outlines best practices for using these stages and putting them in the appropriate Stage Group on the Oasis Travel Platform, ensuring precise record keeping, accurate financial management, and reliable reporting.

Overview of Sales Stages and Stage Groups

Sales Stages are designated phases in a client's booking lifecycle. You can create as many Sales Stages as fits your sales flow and each Sales Stage will be categorized into a Stage Group which drives specific functions within Oasis (eg. Reporting, Financials, etc). The Stage Groups are Qualification, Proposal, Confirmed, Won, and Lost. Each stage is specifically designed to help travel agents manage their client bookings from start to finish.

Note: The best practice Sales Stages outlined above are fully editable to match your specific process pipeline. Click here to learn how to edit the Sales Stages and add your own.

Effective Management of Sales Groups

Step 1: Qualification

• Purpose: This Stage Group is crucial for collecting key information about the client's preferences, budget, and desired travel experiences, setting the groundwork for a tailored proposal. 

  • Example Sales Stages: New Inquiry, Initial Contact, Needs Assessment, Follow-Up 
    
    

• Process: To manage this Stage Group, navigate to the Company Profile, select Lists, then choose 'Sales Stage Group' from the dropdown menu.

Step 2: Proposal

• Usage: Offer customized travel proposals based on the initial client data. This Stage Group allows the presentation of various travel packages, enhancing the ability to cater to different client needs and preferences. 

  • Example Sales Stages: Proposal Sent, Proposal Revised, Awaiting Feedback 
    
    

• Benefit: Tailoring proposals at this Stage Group increases the chances of meeting client expectations and securing their approval.
  
  

Step 3: Confirmed

• Key Point: Use this Stage Group for bookings that are confirmed but awaiting final details such as payments or supplier confirmations. 

  • Example Sales Stages: Deposit Received, Full Payment Pending, Supplier Confirmation
    
    

• Importance: It ensures that the chosen itinerary is ready for integration into financial and operational reports, facilitating smoother subsequent procedures.
  
  

Step 4: Won

• Relevance: This Stage Group marks bookings that have been successfully completed and paid. 

  • Example Sales Stages: Completed Booking, Successful Transaction, Post-Travel Follow-Up 
    
    

• Impact: It is crucial for tracking successful sales and contributes valuable data for performance analysis and future planning.

Step 5: Lost

• Learning Opportunity: Understanding why bookings didn't succeed in this Stage Group provides valuable insights that can help refine your sales strategies and client interactions. 

  • Example Sales Stages: Lost to Competitor, Budget Constraints, Changed Plans

These Stage Groups and example Sales Stages provide a structured approach to managing different phases in the sales process, ensuring a clear and consistent strategy for engagement and tracking.

The Role of Sales Groups Sales Stages are grouped into predefined Sales Groups that are crucial for tracking and managing the booking process. These groups are fixed and cannot be edited, ensuring consistent and clear reporting across Dashlets and Reports. Multiple Sales Stages can be linked to a single Sales Group, allowing for more detailed analysis and aiding in the identification of areas for improvement. 

Key Takeaways Managing Sales Stages effectively is vital for not just guiding a client through the booking process but ensuring that every aspect of the journey is handled with accuracy and efficiency. 

Click here to learn how to Add or Edit the Sales Stage List Click to learn best practices for Sales Groups and Sales Stages

And that's the Best Practices on using the Sales Groups on the Oasis Travel Platform! We hope you found this guide helpful. If you need additional help or want to share your thoughts, reach out at [email protected]. We love hearing from you and are always here to help.