Overview

SMS-eT is Channel Mobiles travel specific SMS application. The project was a joint venture with Galileo and Travelsoft. The application runs seamlessly within Galileo’s booking system which is used by more than 80% of South African travel agencies.

A travel agent can SMS travel information relating to a clients booking. This is done by clicking on the SMS-eT icon within an active booking. The agent can decide which information they do not want to be sent by simply un-checking tick boxes. Once they are happy with the send they simply click on the Send SMS button and all travel information is delivered to the traveler’s mobile phone.

Flights (including meals, seat data and terminals), E Tickets, Hotel Bookings (including addresses and contact details), Car Rental plus emergency contact details of the travel agency can be SMS’d directly from Galileo to a mobile phone.

SMS-eT also implements automated tasks such as Birthday wishes, passport renewal reminders and pre- and post-trip messages.

Features

User Functionality:

• Generate a SMS to all travelers or individual travelers in the PNR
• They have the option to “copy” another person in on the SMS
• PNR itinerary information is automatically retrieved from the Galileo host which completely eliminates user input errors
• Check boxes are utilized to select and de-select what is required to be generated via SMS
• The consultant simply adds or selects the travelers cellular number, selects what is required to be sent via SMS and clicks ‘Send”.

SMS Message Functionality

Flight Information:

• Send Flight itineraries including seating, meals, departure terminals, arrival terminals, vendor locators and mileage membership information.
• The ability to schedule pre and post trip messages automatically with a selection of a check box.
• Option to send the complete flight itinerary or individual segments.

Electronic Ticket Information:

• Send Electronic Ticket information including airline reference, ticket numbers, and flight itinerary.

Hotel Information:

• Send Hotel reservation confirmations including hotel name, hotel location, check in date, check out date,room type, room rate, reservation number, late arrival guarantee and voucher number.
• The application automatically extracts the hotel telephone number, hotel address and check in time from Galileo.
• Consultants also have the option to add general text to hotel messages.

Car Information:

• Send Car reservation confirmations including car vendor, car group, pick up location, pick up date, pick up time, drop off location, drop off date, drop off time, voucher number and the customer ID for the car vendor.
• The application automatically extracts the car vendor telephone number from Galileo.
• Consultants also have the option to add general text to car messages.

Other Segment Information:

• In addition to the above consultants are able to send SMS confirmations for tour, surface and general text segments.
• Consultants also have the option to add general text to car messages.

General SMS Messages:

• Consultants have the functionality to send general typed messages to travelers.
• This functionality can be deactivated or activated at the agency’s request.

Administrative User Functionality

Bulk SMS Messages:

• Only users configured as an administrator is able to utilise this functionality.
• Bulk SMS messages can be generated to all the travelers stored in the database.
• Bulk SMS messages can be generated to all travelers belonging to a specified account.

System Generated Messages:

• The following messages are automatically generated by the application if the applicable information is stored for the traveler in their profile:

Birthday Messages:

• A customised birthday message to the traveler on his birthday.

Passport Renewal Messages:

• A passport renewal reminder message to the traveler. This message is generated at 3 and 6 months prior to the traveler’s passport expiry date.

Message Logging:

• All generated messages are stored in a log file for the past 30 days.

Message Delivery Notifications:

• SMS delivery reports are generated to the users email.

Message Replies:

• The system can function as a two way communication tool. Travelers can reply to a received sms and the response is delivered to the consultants email.

System Requirements

Galileo and an internet connection.

Support

Please feel free to contact our help desk on 0860 104 671 or support@channelmobile.co.za for assistance.

FAQ

Question:
How do I send a General SMS Message as opposed to an active PNR?

Solution:

• In Galileo, click on the Mobile Phone Icon
• Click on the “General Messages” option
• Type in your mobile number, name and message
• Click on Send.

Question:
How do I change the Emergency Number for my Travel Agency?

Solution:

• In Galileo, click on the Mobile Phone Icon
• Click on the “Message Formats” option
• You will see the field reflecting the Emergency Number, you can make the change
• Click on “Add/Update” to save the change

Question:
How do I create administrator rights in SMS-eT?

Solution:

• Open the SMS-eT application.
• Click on the ‘Database Configuration’ tab.
• Check the Administrator Option.
• Enter the password: travels0ft (it is a numeric zero in the password).
• Click Add/Update

Question:
Delivery reports for a SMS send are not e-mailed back to my Inbox?

Solution:

• Click on the Database Configuration Tab
• Check the users e-mail address and ensure that it is correct
• Click on the User Settings Tab
• Check that the Active Status reports are set to ‘Y’ and not ‘N’

Question:
I have loaded a traveler and entered the date of birth and the passport expiry date, however the traveler does not receive either of the messages?

Solution:

• Open SMS-eT
• Select the ‘Travellers’ tab
• In the Travellers section check the ‘Block Message’ setting and ensure that it is set to No
• Select the ‘Database Configuration’ tab
• Ensure that the ‘Send Birthday Messages’ is set to Yes. (If it is set to No, it will block Birthday messages and Passport Renewal reminders)

Question:
My SMS button has disappeared from Galileo?

Solution:

• Open Windows Explorer
• Navigate to C Drive
• Open FP Directory
• Look for SWDIR Directory
• In the SWDIR Directory open the Custom Viewpoint folder
• In the Custom Viewpoint folder open the SMS directory folder
• Locate the Toolbar Update.exe and double click on it
• Close and re-open application

Question:
I am trying to send a single or bulk SMS and an error has appeared saying ‘Failed to connect to SMS Gateway’? Then a second error appeared saying ‘Failed to send SMS message’?

Solution:

• This is an Internet Explorer connectivity issue
• Test by sending a single SMS from the General Message section of SMS-eT to your handset
• If you are doing a bulk send check the Software Version
• Upgrade to V2.00.01 or higher as it uses shorter query strings when sending the SMS and should ease the IE connectivity problem
• If you require an software upgrade please contact support. Upgrades are free.

Question:
How do I view Scheduled and Pre & Post Trip SMS details?

Solution:

• Viewing of scheduled SMS’s on SMS-eT:

Scheduled messages are not able to be viewed as they are posted to the gateway a day or two before they are due to be sent. The gateway then stores them until the date/time comes for them to be sent.

The log will only show when scheduled messages were posted, it will not show to who and what time the SMS is scheduled for. The reason for this is that the post is a batch message post.

• Pre Trip SMS – The scheduled pre trip SMS’s works as follows:

If the scheduled date is within the next 5 days, they are posted to the gateway automatically, and the PNR and message type is stored in the database. Any re sends on the same PNR within the next 5 days will be not be posted as a pre / post message already has been posted.

• Post Trip SMS – The scheduled post trip SMS’s works as follows:

If the scheduled date is after the next 5 days, then the PNR and message date is stored in the database until the next SMS scheduled date post is done, which will be 5 days before the message date.

Any changes in the PNR with regards to Pre / Post scheduled dates and times will be updated until the time comes for the message to be posted.

Question:
I need to change the pre and post trip SMS delivery time from 1 hour before and after flight.

Solution:

• Navigate to Message Formats and remove the current time
• Current times are seen as 0001, change to a single didgit time. i.e if SMS must deliver 2 hours before departure and after arrival enter ’2′ in place of the 0001 and click Add/Update
• If a password is required enter: travels0ft (0 is numeric)

Question:
How do I access the SMS-eT log file to view the SMS History?

Solution:

SMS-eT stores a log file of the past 30 days SMS’s for the Travel Agency for troubleshooting reasons.

• Open the SMS-eT application
• Click on the Database Configuration Tab from the top menu
• The Database Connection Parameters screen will open up
• Scroll down and click on the VIEW USER MESSAGES button
• The SMS log file will open up in an Internet Explorer page (If the user has the Windows XP group similar taskbar buttons on, then the log will be in the list on the Windows task bar under Internet explorer.)

To Email the Log file:

• Select Edit
• Then Select All from the IE Menu bar
• Everything will be highlighted in blue
• Select Edit
• Then Copy from the IE Menu bar
• Go to email and open up a new message
• Paste the log data in the email body
• Send the email to whoever must receive it