The Data Specialists
KEESUP CHOE, chief executive, PI Benchmarking
DATA COMES FROM MULTIPLE SOURCES, such as TMCs, corporate cards, ac- counts payable and social networks. Forward-thinking travel departments are beginning to integrate valuable internal data from other departments: HR data to measure correlation between employee turnover and travel; or sales
The Intermediary
ADAM KNIGHTS, group sales director, ATPI
LET’S START AT A BASIC LEVEL. You might have an economy class-only policy, and there are many reasons why it may get abused. Without pre- and post-trip data you can’t investigate how often or why. Alternatively, a company may have a restricted economy tickets-only policy in Europe. These accrue less frequent flyer points for the traveller. Those who are not good corporate citizens may be drawn towards buying out-of-policy, fully-flexible fares.
Smart use of data will tell you the origi- nal price and why it wasn’t purchased. It will also highlight those who are booking at the last minute and only being offered the highest price. By using data correctly, the buyer should achieve a number of
BUYINGBUSINESSTRAVEL.COM
goals. A simple assessment of negotiated rates will confirm whether or not they are more cost-effective than buying spot fares. With this knowledge, the buyer can either improve existing deals or switch to spot-buying on certain routes. Data is also being used to analyse hotel expenditure. Many buyers are mapping city hotel spend into clusters and asking travellers why they are staying at differ- ent hotels in a similar geographical area. More detailed analysis and qualitative questioning enables the buyer to con- solidate spend and maximise savings. Increasingly, the programme can be made more effective by finding the right mix of hotels rather than the right bottom-line price. To that end, good data, including the constituent elements of the room (for example, VAT, breakfast or wifi) is crucial.
data to measure the effectiveness of travel to the sales process. This integration is an exciting devel- opment that moves travel buyers and managers into increasingly strategic positions within an organisation. Busi- ness travel managers need new ways of increasing productivity by leveraging data. They must improve the traveller experi- ence, while at the same time increase compliance and decrease costs through the use of new and better tools. Travel vendors have invested in such tools to handle this increasingly data- rich environment. In fact, the capability to capture and analyse data has tilted the commercial playing field in favour of vendors at the expense of the buyers.
IAN FLINT, managing director, Inform Logistics
THE OPTIONS FOR COLLECTING, deliver- ing and consolidating data can prove extensive. It’s important not to lose sight of the reason for wanting data in the first place. It is important to identify, isolate, and mine multiple data sources to support your decision making and travel data utilisation across a variety of func- tions. The right data management gives buyers access to a comprehensive range of standard and customised reports and dashboards, with the ability to drill down by category and country. The data empowers travel managers. It gives them the ability to make informed decisions that impact the travel programme and policy. They can produce reports on travel activities, and create these reports for senior management. Having that spend visibility helps consolidate, integrate and manage travel and associated expenses. It helps streamline processes and leverage spend volumes more effectively.
BBT JULY/AUGUST 2014 35
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