SMEs are – from a travel management company perspective – the next big thing. “We have worked in the larger cor- porate market in the past, although we have always dealt with SMEs,” he says. “What has happened in the last ten years or so is there’s been a gradual migration away from telephone service to an online environment. We see SMEs as an oppor- tunity to further our client base.” The two companies’ approaches could
hardly be more different. While Corporate Traveller’s Crompton repeatedly stresses the “personal” nature of the SME busi- ness, Meyer emphasises that Fraedom is technology-driven – albeit with a highly- specialised back-up team. “I have worked within the travel indus- try for many years and have been with
It’s true to say that for a TMC consultant and traveller to have a good working relationship will improve the overall value of the service. There are a number of ways for the TMC and customer to improve their bond. Face-to- face contact is very effective. Setting up one-to-one sessions between travellers and/or bookers with TMC representatives is a simple, cost-effective way to improve the effectiveness of the value proposition. It’s also wise to consider organising targeted meetings, perhaps with a company’s top bookers. This will give the TMC a deeper understanding of booking behaviours and trends, and encourage collaboration to better deliver on the travel policy and programme. Perhaps most logical, however, is to make sure the company’s induction process for new employees includes sessions on the travel policy, presented by a representative from the TMC.
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BUYINGBUSINESSTRAVEL.COM
Leanne Fowler, director sales and marketing, NYS Corporate
T
ravel buyer –education:
Q
“In any business, it’s important to manage your investment and get the best return on it”
Corporate Traveller for seven, and what I like is the relationships,” Crompton insists. “You get to know the travel booker, the office manager and even the travellers. It’s very much built on relationships – you become part of their company, you aren’t just another service provider.”
Getting more from the TMC: rail fares
, public sector
Bookers say our TMC’s biggest weakness is in the area of rail fares. They are advised to make reservations as far in advance as possible to maximise savings, but see no cost benefit in doing so through the TMC. Shouldn’t there be an incentive to book in advance? We see offers for early online booking advertised by train operating companies, but we don’t seem to receive these offers from the TMC. Why does the TMC not have access to better fares?
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Richard Lovelock, ITP Travel
In this situation you must understand the travel policy to ensure the TMC isn’t being told one thing when travellers want another. If you book rail in advance, there are savings, and these should be available through the main train booking systems used by most TMCs. But there are occasions
Fraedom, Meyer says, is “a generic
service and solution” designed for com- panies with a travel spend of up to around £1.5 million. “We have all the assets and at- tributes to provide a predominantly online service, but backed up with a telephone service. We give them a higher degree of visibility on spend – one of their challenges is that they often don’t know how big it is, or where the money is going.” Launched on the eve of this year’s Busi-
ness Travel Show, Fraedom is totally SME- specific, which means it does not translate into all markets. “We are starting in the UK, and we have been slowly ramping it up from that point and making sure we have got the proposition just right,” says Meyer. “I think our next port of call will be Australia, because that’s another market
when specific rail operators offer web-only rates, which are a constant annoyance to TMCs. A good TMC will know what is available and where to book. Remember, a smart travel policy may encourage booking of flexible, fully-refundable tickets – a very large percentage of those special- offer fares are not. This can add considerable cost, with change fees and unused tickets due. Work with your TMC to analyse rail travel and then adjust policy accordingly.
T Q ravel buyer
Aren’t TMCs all the same? , private sector:
We regularly receive unsolicited communications from TMC sales people. It amazes me how each of them always claims to be in some way unique from the competition. As far as I can see, it’s all the same proposition with very few exceptions. Am I missing something? How are you supposed to separate the wheat from the chaff?
From a distance, or without the right insight, TMC technology and processes could be regarded as similar across the supplier marketplace. But on closer inspection one will find that TMCs employ different types of people, possess differing corporate and cultural values, and have diverse standards in terms of quality of service. In any case, the customer has to choose a TMC that fits with their own organisational culture, while at the same time being very clear on their objectives, so work can be carried out effectively.
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You could say the same thing about many products and services but still choose the one that suits best. The TMC function, on a fundamental level, may be very much the same; the differentiator is what the TMC can offer that appeals to the travel manager, the company culture and policy objectives.
A BBT JULY/AUGUST 2015 53
Richard Lovelock, ITP Travel
Leanne Fowler, NYS Corporate
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