Products & Services - Travel
Au Logistics is based on Merseyside with warehouse space in excess of 160,000 sq ft. It has developed in to a fully integrated travel trade support business, providing brochure distribution to travel agents throughout the UK and Ireland. Current clients include Thomas Cook, First Choice, Cosmos, Royal Caribbean, Butlins, Haven and Blakes plus a large selection of specialist tour operators.
Au Logistics is well established in the brochure distribution market and offers a complete range of associated services to help tour operators communicate more effectively with the travel agent.
The company provides a delivery service to all retail travel agents throughout the UK based on a 2 day delivery schedule. Ordering for travel agents is made simple by using Au Online. This web based system allows travel agents to manage their brochure supplies by specifying the number of copies they require. The travel agent will receive instant confirmation of a successful order or if not the reason why the order has rejected.
Working closely with its clients, Au Logistics has developed an extensive range of ‘live’ management reports to help clients manage their brochure distribution process efficiently and cut down on waste. These reports as well as providing instant stock availability also offer online proof of delivery showing the time, date and signature of all deliveries made.
Storage & Distribution
Au Logistics has a strategic partnership with LYNX Express, a UPS company. LYNX collect consolidated brochure pallets from the Au Logistics distribution centre in Birkenhead. At busy times, LYNX will pick up over 200 tonnes of travel and tourism brochures each day for onward despatch to travel agents.
The company distributes brochures on behalf of over 90 tour operators and ancillary travel service providers. Each travel agent has a nominated weekly delivery day, so they can plan more efficiently their brochure requirements. This process also reduces brochure wastage as travel agents order their supplies 2 days prior to their nominated delivery day.
The distribution system is fully flexible allowing clients to distribute by grade, multiple, postcode or their own list. Brochure distribution embargoes can be put in place to ensure brochures are targeted to those key agents who request them, this again prevents brochure wastage.
Customer Services and Management Information
The Au Logistics Customer Services team is highly trained, knowledgeable and pro-active. Each travel client is allocated its own Account Manager who will manage the client’s requirements on a day to day basis, ensuring the level of service is of the highest standard. The account manager is seen as an extension to the client’s own sales and marketing team.
Au Logistics prides itself on the close relationship it builds with its clients and aims to hold regular review meetings to ensure satisfaction with regard to the services provided and look at how the client’s distribution process could be made more efficient.
The online management reports have been developed with the client’s involvement and feedback from the regular review meetings. These reports include live stock information, analysis by brochure and full distribution history by travel agent. Au Logistics clients can interrogate the statistical information and adjust brochure controls online. This sophisticated technology enables tour operators to embargo distribution and prevent brochure waste.
Au Online the interactive brochure ordering website allows travel agents to select their distribution requirements by brochure quantity with immediate order confirmation. Should agents not be permitted supplies of brochures, they are advised the reason why. Contact details of the relevant tour operator are displayed on screen, allowing the travel agent to discuss their requirements.
Additional Services
Au Logistics has extensive shrink-wrapping capability. Tour operators are encouraged to leave stock loose on pallets rather than having them shrink-wrapped by their printer. This allows total flexibility on pack sizes which can be adjusted based upon the stock levels available.
Au Logistics has its own mailing house offering the travel trade file copy mailings, rectification work such as stickering or inserting items into brochures as well as consumer mailings offered by Au Marketing Services.
To communicate sales messages and special offers to travel agents Au Logistics offer a number of services. These services are fully flexible and clients can distribute by grade, multiple, postcode or their own list.
Faxing: an ideal way to communicate offers and sales messages and can be despatched within an hour of receipt.
Email: with over 4000 retail agents now signed up to this service it is a fast and effective way to communicate offers and sales messages to travel agents.
Au Travel Mailing (ATM): a weekly shared mailing, details of which can be found below.
There are a number of key business partners for whom Au Logistics distribute point of sale material and promotional items such as sales posters, calendars, coffee mugs etc.
Au Logistics will distribute to all travel agents efficiently and cost effectively.
Au Travel Mailing
In order to distribute file copy brochures, late availability and promotional literature, Au Logistics offer the facility to distribute weekly to 5,500 travel agents via a mailbag service known as ATM (Au Travel Mailing).
This service offers the most flexible of options available. Travel companies can choose to mail specific travel agencies, by multiple, consortia, postcode or their own list To mail all agents with a single A4 sheet can cost as little as 4p per agent.
