Chief technology officer Rob Snelson announced a raft of new products and upgrades at the company’s annual conference, but said there was much more to come, with the level of investment in 2017 to be 14% higher than this year.

Snelson unveiled a new-look Phenix, Travel Counsellors’ in-house booking system, which now incorporates Travelport’s Universal API and makes it easier for agents to see flight options and margin, offers better images and videos of airlines, and gives greater information about accommodation options.

A new virtual helpdesk, meanwhile, with live-chat will enable users to ask questions to head office without calling, and access video tutorials on how to use Phenix.

A “dashboard” within Phenix, where agents can see their bookings and performance statistics, will replace the company’s intranet.

The quote documentation the system produces has also been overhauled and simplified, adding imbedded video content, a more in-depth list of a hotel’s facilities and amenities, and a “call me” button.

UK managing director Kirsten Hughes announced several other enhancements to Phenix, including the addition of Disney product, two-star hotel chain product, insurance and lounge passes.

The MyTC customer app, launched earlier this year, has now been used by more than 10,000 customers, and has also seen significant investment. A secure payments function within the app will launch early next year, which will also notify the counsellor when a payment has been made.

Agents will be able to send quotes via the app and share images and video content with clients. A new “I want this”-style button will enable customers to confirm they are ready to book, and send a text message, email and Phenix notification to the agent so they can call promptly.

Snelson implored agents to encourage more customers to use the app. “Only 11% of customers are using MyTC, which is a solid start but we know customers love it,” he said.