ACTOR AND COMEDIAN Woody Allen recalls how he took a speed- reading course. “I read W
ar and
Peace in 20 minutes,” he says. “It’s about Russia.” Joking apart, such superficial knowledge could be the lot of the inexperienced business travel buyer who, without thorough training, might think their role is simply about purchasing airline tickets and hotel rooms.
Which is no joke, according to Anne Godfrey, chief executive of the Guild of Travel Management Companies (GTMC). “Since I joined the business travel world two years ago,” she says, “it has become increasingly obvious that it’s an industry with great career opportunities, but one which, unless we step up our efforts, could find itself with a shortage of skilled staff.” Derek Roylance, the proprietor of
Buying Skills, which specialises in procurement training, agrees there is a lack of in-depth knowledge in the complicated process of buying business travel. “Only large organisations with massive travel spends tend to have their own centralised travel buying departments,” he says. “Often, travel is a fragmented operation, with travellers making their own arrangements through a variety of suppliers. Obviously, no economies of scale are realised and money is wasted.
“In these circumstances, staff will fight to protect the status quo, as they can receive so many perks from the travel trade, such as private air miles obtained off the back of company money.”
GUIDING PRINCIPLES The pressing need for expert training for the travel buyer is met by a number of specialist companies. They will send in the cavalry to rally the troops, guiding them through the principles of purchasing travel and suggesting systems to control not only the budget but also maverick staff who might unwittingly take off with a slice of the corporate silver. ‘Education, education, education’ is the mantra of bodies such as the Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) in these economically challenging times. Which is why it brings together leading experts to provide topical and innovative programming for its membership.
Says ACTE executive director Ron DiLeo: “Educated individuals enjoy respect among their colleagues and can effectively contribute to the issues and overcome challenges at their workplace to provide the best return for their organisation. It is education, networking and exchange of best practices that are vital in guiding organisations back to economic recovery.” But don’t just take DiLeo’s word
“E-learning is a great way to keep up to date with supplier products – it’s quick, bite-sized and available 24/7”
for it. Satisfied student Megan Stowe, global sourcing manager for Intel, adds: “Being a member of ACTE gives you unlimited access to extensive industry knowledge and education, as well as key network contacts you can use for benchmarking or to compare practices.”
UNLIMITED POSSIBILITIES While most of the major companies offer face-to-face training sessions in-house, at a local hotel or conference centre (depending on the size of the group), no such restrictions apply to the growing trend of learning in cyberspace. Online Travel Training (OTT) offers such a facility, with more
Travel management
than 100 free travel product training courses. All are tailor-made, many aimed specifically at travel buyers, and each featured in OTT’s Business Travel Academy, which is supported by Buying Business Travel. Says Bruce Martin, OTT’s operations director: “Product knowledge is ever more important in the current economic climate. Buyers and corporate agents need to be armed with this to enable them to compete in the ever-changing travel industry environment. E-learning is a great way to keep up to date with supplier products – it’s quick, bite- sized and available 24/7.” Feedback supports Martin’s claim: his client retention rate is 95 per cent year-on- year, and more than 50,000 courses were passed at OTT in 2011 alone. The breadth of the challenges facing corporate travel buyers this year is revealed in Carlson Wagonlit Travel’s (CWT) 2012 Global Travel Forecast. “Travel buyers in most parts of the world are facing tough negotiations as the landscape increases in complexity,” says CWT Solutions Group vice-president Nick Vournakis. “At the same time, economic uncertainty continues in some parts and has resurfaced in others, prompting increasing questions on exactly what 2012 holds in store for organisations and, by extension, business travel.” All of which makes detailed education vital for the corporate