Build a balance and supplier chase workflow with approval built in

Late balances and quiet destination management companies (DMCs) create the same operational problem: someone has to remember what is due, find the right trip context and write a message that is firm without being careless. A repeatable chase workflow reduces the memory work. It should not remove the advisor’s judgment or send messages without review.

Start by writing down the rules your agency already follows. Holidr works inside Gmail, files incoming emails and attachments onto trip records, and drafts supplier chases and client replies for approval. It can support the work queue, but the available product information does not describe configurable send schedules. Treat this as a draft-and-approval process, not an unattended campaign.

1. Define the trigger before drafting

For a client balance, use the amount due and due date recorded for the trip as the basis for a follow-up. Decide when your agency considers a reminder appropriate: before the due date, on the due date, or after it has passed. The right timing depends on your booking terms and client relationship, so make it an agency rule rather than an assumed software setting.

For a supplier, define what counts as a response and when silence merits a nudge. A pending confirmation, missing document or unanswered question may each need a different follow-up. Record the last contact and the specific item outstanding. A vague instruction to “chase the supplier” is less useful than a clear reason tied to the booking.

2. Keep the evidence with the trip

Connect the Gmail inbox used for agency work. Holidr files incoming emails and attachments onto trip records automatically, helping keep the original correspondence near the booking it concerns. That matters when a balance date or supplier commitment appears in an email or PDF rather than in someone’s notes.

Before following up, check that the trip record reflects the latest message and the relevant amount, date or booking reference. If a confirmation PDF is the source, verify its key details against the trip before relying on them; the same discipline applies to any extracted information. Our guide to checking trip details against confirmation PDFs covers that document review in more depth.

3. Use separate rules for clients and suppliers

Client balance reminders: Keep the message factual and specific. Identify the trip, the amount due and the due date, then state what action is needed. Check that the payment has not already arrived and that the figure matches the booking record before approving a reminder. If the client has raised a question or requested a change, resolve that context first rather than sending a routine nudge.

DMC and supplier chases: State what is still outstanding, when it was requested and what response would unblock the trip. Keep the tone proportionate to the delay and the relationship. If the supplier has replied in another thread, reconcile that message before sending a chase. A follow-up should move the booking forward, not create a second conversation about an issue already resolved.

4. Review the draft before it leaves Gmail

Holidr can draft supplier chases and client replies for user approval. Use each draft as a starting point, then check the recipient, trip context, dates, amount and requested action. Edit any wording that overstates urgency or assumes a fact not present in the record. Approve only when the evidence and message agree. Nothing sends without your approval.

That last check is the control that makes a dmc chase workflow practical for a small agency. Automation can gather the correspondence and prepare a concise nudge; the advisor remains responsible for whether the timing and tone are right. The same division applies to travel agent balance due reminders: let the workflow surface the task, but confirm the payment status and client context yourself.

5. Make the process repeatable

Assign an owner to review outstanding balances and supplier responses as part of the agency’s regular inbox routine. For each open item, the reviewer should be able to answer three questions: what is due, what evidence supports the chase, and who approves the message? Keep the rule simple enough that another team member can apply it consistently.

Use the outcome to close the loop. When a client pays or a supplier confirms, make sure the new correspondence is filed with the trip and that the pending chase is no longer treated as outstanding. Holidr’s inbox-based records and drafts can reduce the clerical steps, but clear agency rules and human approval still determine whether a follow-up is accurate and appropriate.