North West travel technology expert digitaltravel.io has developed a bespoke app for the UK’s largest independent travel agent, Hays Travel, to help improve service to customers.

Following a competitive process, Hays Travel commissioned the Liverpool-based tech company to create an app that would allow customers to keep and view their travel documents in one place, settle balances with fast and secure payments, add holiday extras such as airport parking and car rental, and view a countdown to travel, access games, and earn badges.

During the app’s trial phase, Hays Travel colleagues in retail branches and at its Sunderland Head Office put the new app through its paces, giving the digitaltravel.io team valuable feedback on their experience.

This was followed by a successful customer trial phase that involved the app being rolled out across Hays Travel’s retail divisions, with branch colleagues encouraging customers to download and use the app and give feedback on their experience using it. The Hays Travel app officially launches this month.

Dame Irene Hays, chair of Hays Travel, said: “We are delighted to reach the launch stage of this important output in our tech transformation programme. Whether they are researching their next holiday or managing their booking, our app’s interactive features that will further improve our customers’ experience and complement the service our agents provide in branches.

“We were impressed by the digitaltravel.io team who understood our objectives and demonstrated that they have the experience and capability required to build us a bespoke Hays Travel app.”

Having spent 20 years in travel technology, Peter Whittle, digitaltravel.io CEO, co-founded the business in 2021 when he spotted a gap in the market. digitaltravel.io now boasts an international customer base across the EU, Americas and APAC regions with a 98% client retention rate, supported by a strategic partnership with globally renowned travel technology provider, Traveltek. Among its clients are some of the biggest brands in the sector, including Imagine Cruising and Flight Centre.

For Peter, taking his business’s expertise to deliver a bespoke app for the UK’s largest independent travel agent is an important moment for his business. He said: “This is a landmark project for digitaltravel.io. The bespoke app we have developed for Hays Travel will offer customers an even better experience and further grow Hays’ brand loyalty and reputation. From travel planning and trip booking to staying connected on the go, this all-in-one app focuses on customer engagement and post booking services to make holiday planning simple.

“It was a pleasure working with the Hays team who were open to our ideas and challenged us to deliver a first-class bit of tech – we are all very happy with the results.”

Dame Irene added: “This is just the beginning, working with digitaltravel.io and our tech partner Nordstar, we have a roadmap in place for further developments and additional functionality that will improve customers’ experience and journey.”