Yet Evolvi’s average transaction value continues to fall as companies ‘buy smarter’ and switch from first to standard class travel. It fell from £66 in 2009 to £61 last year, and is now set to drop below £60. So with companies making such big savings by smart purchasing, there is some leeway to mitigate increases in fares and transaction fees. Ken Cameron, Evolvi’s managing director,
says, “Rail out-performed every other area of business travel in 2010, not only because of advance fare savings but also through the ability of businesses to set and automatically regulate travel policies. There will certainly be
challenges in 2011, particularly as a result of the government’s austerity measures, but this will likely prompt even more corporates to consider consolidating their rail spend within a managed travel policy environment.” Evolvi’s main competitor is
thetrainline.com, which deals directly with corporates as well as through TMCs. It is setting the pace of technological change with a mobile app that already has over one million users, and this will be extended to the corporate account
“Companies are making big savings by smart purchasing, so there is some leeway to help mitigate the increases in rail fares and transaction fees”
market later this year. In time, e-ticketing through a mobile device will become possible too. Adrian Watts, sales and distribution director of
thetrainline.com, says: “The jury is still out
on whether train operators will increase the cost of advance tickets, and they may also move more trains into peak periods when fares are generally higher. Two years ago, 40 per cent of public sector travel was in first class but this is down to just a few percentage points, especially since the General Election.”
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