THE LOWDOWN IN BRIEF
• AMERICAN Express Global Business Travel has launched a new traveller tracking tool, Mobile Communications Management (MCM), which includes a two-way messaging facility. MCM can also monitor and map major travel disruptions around the world such as weather systems, strikes and safety issues. Travel managers can use MCM to create a roadmap view of the world and visually pinpoint travellers through colour-coded markers on a map as well as through a list view of traveller names by location. The two-way messaging facility then allows users to send custom messages and pertinent information.
• THE European Travel Buyer Awards are open for nominations until October 7th. They are the only existing awards to formally recognise corporate travel buyers who are leading the way in the industry. Awards categories include: Best Travel Policy Compliance Programme; Best CSR Initiative in a Travel Programme; Best use of Technology in a Travel Programme; Best Initiative in a Meetings Programme (SMMP); Best Innovation in a Travel Programme; Outstanding National Travel Booker of the Year; and National Travel Buyer of the Year. The awards ceremony takes place on Monday February 6th in London. To enter, see:
www.etbawards.com
• HRG has unveiled an enhanced suite of travel management tools, including its newly improved Scenario Modelling Tool that enables clients to determine the most cost-effective way of bringing together clients from various locations around the world. The new technology includes data on 9,000
cities, an inbuilt CO2 calculator, and information on which locations have video-conferencing facilities. The travel management company has also announced plans to extend mobile access to its i-Suite, making it compatible with mobile web browsers and smartphones such as the BlackBerry and iPhone.
• HOTEL rates continue to rise, with year-on-year comparisons revealing an increase in most European cities of between ten and 20 per cent, according to Trivago's latest Hotel Price Index. Thirty-nine of the HPI’s top 50 cities posted average rate rises of more then five per cent, with many climbing between ten and 20 per cent. Paris rates are up 21 per cent year on year, Prague is up 19 per cent, Geneva 26 per cent, Frankfurt 25 per cent and London by ten per cent.
leads wider rebound ➔
Rise in air spend
GUEST COLUMN
JASON GEALL MANAGING DIRECTOR, EMEA, GET THERE
SECOND quarter results from travel and expense management specialist Concur reveal a healthy rise across all areas of business travel spend. There was a 9.3 per cent year on
year increase in air travel, while hotel spend was up 5.6 per cent, ground transport up 5.9 per cent and entertainment spend up 4.9 per cent. There was more marginal growth in spend on car hire, dining and telecommunications. “Our data suggests businesses are taking a more relaxed approach
to expense spending compared with last year and shows that they remain committed to face-to-face interaction,” says Barry Padgett, Concur's senior vice president and general manager for Europe. ”These activities are integral to doing business in any country, and while the austerity of recent years has taken its toll, it’s encouraging to see them rekindling.” But Padgett also urged caution, suggesting that a potential double dip recession would hit third quarter figures.
GETTHERE'S NEW RULEBOOK
GETTHERE has enhanced the ability to embed travel policy rules in its booking engine and has already started moving customers over to the new rules-based platform. New developments allow companies to build in policy rules for specific geographic areas, establish violation behaviour, reduce time spent on configur- ation and maintenance, and save corporate users' money by delivering itineraries with the lowest logical benchmark.
“The Travel Policy Engine gives
companies the power to manage their travel policy system at the base level, setting rules for the traveller to follow,” says Paul Wiley, VP, product, partnerships and strategy for GetThere. “The result is an easy to use system for the policy administrator, great programme flexibility for the travel manager, and greater compliance from the traveller as it notifies them throughout the booking process with explan- ations of policy violations.”
BEING a business traveller sucks a lot of the time, doesn’t it? Not always, obviously, but I can’t remember reading many business traveller Tweets or status updates celebrating a 6am airport check-in, or pro- claiming a smooth, friendly and hassle-free experience at security. We all know this is a highly emotive subject for frequent travellers – they always have strong opinions. One of my travel manager customers once summed it up perfectly by joking: “The problem I have is that there are 2,000 travel managers in this building who all think they can do a better job than me!” Aside from the sarcasm, there is a serious underlying point. We have the opportunity, as a corporate travel community, to recognise and appreciate the business traveller reality. What is their experience from start to finish? What challenges to do they face from the beginning of the booking process right through to returning home? There is no simple answer, of course, but we must all step up and take responsibility for making their lives simpler and stress-free. Convenience must be at the core of everything we plan and deliver. And that goes for every traveller. Gone are the days when we can treat our travellers as one homogenous entity. Put simply, we must position the traveller – our employees and colleagues – as if they were our customers. Their needs should be our focus. And if we’re honest about the future, we know the 'personal approach' will significantly impact the corporate travel programme. Travellers are embracing new technologies, smartphones, tablets and the social media platforms therein, and are more knowledgeable and better connected than ever. This trend will undoubtedly continue apace over the coming years. I believe our industry, our community, has an opportunity to lead the way in making business travel a more personal and enjoyable experience. Happier employees generally equates to better productivity. We have to be connected with and fanatical about the customer experience we are providing. In my view it’s the smart approach, and it’s the future.
WWW.THEBUSINESSTRAvELMAG.COM I 41
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92