Most trip support desks did not choose to run on email, WhatsApp and a spreadsheet. It happened one client at a time. Moving off it feels risky because the operation cannot stop. This plan takes four weeks and never asks the desk to stop working.
Week 1: map what you have
List where requests arrive (mailboxes, WhatsApp numbers, phone), what you track per trip, and every column in the spreadsheet. Mark which columns are really statuses (permit requested, handler confirmed) and which are data (registration, route, times).
Week 2: load the reference data
Import clients, suppliers by airport, rate cards and your permit lead-time library. This is the work that makes everything else fast, and it is worth doing carefully. Aviagrid's onboarding team does this with you.
Week 3: run in parallel
Connect your shared mailbox and let requests flow into the new board while the spreadsheet stays live. Pick one shift or one client and run their trips end to end on the board. Compare at handover.
Week 4: switch and retire
When the board has handled a full week of trips with nothing missed, switch the rest of the desk. Freeze the spreadsheet as read-only for reference. Keep the WhatsApp groups, but route requests from them into the board.
What to measure
- Time from request to approved trip
- Permits and services confirmed before their deadline
- Services on the invoice compared with services delivered
- Hours spent on handover
Measure them for two weeks before you start and two weeks after you switch. That is your own before-and-after, with your own numbers.
Ready to see what week 3 looks like? Book a demo and bring a few real requests.