Feature: Hotel Booking Agents
➔decision-making and analysis and control hotel expenditure. Market-leading expense management and billback solutions aid programme compliance,” he says.
TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION HBAs are known for being in the vanguard of technology and this is a key strength, as BSI's head of business development UK, Mark Hulme, explains: “Recent BSI breakthroughs have included automated booking authorisation processes, hotel carbon emissions reporting and enhancement to the company’s BSIDirect online booking tool, incorp-orating online meetings and internal meeting space management.” Technological expertise –
and most often proprietary technology – was a subject that unified all hotel booking agents, claiming that they develop customer-led solutions “that drive cost control and reduction, cost avoidance, compliance and real business benefit,” says BSI's Hulme. This was a view echoed by Hotelworld’s
tailoring its booking systems to each clients’ policy in order to grow compliance. Expotel has recently introduced a new look
expotel.com website, the
latemeetings.com online booking tool, and a Nokia ‘point and find’ app, as well as meeting room manager software which helps clients make the most of their internal office meeting space. Hotelscene’s recent investment paved the
“We need to ensure we monitor the performance of the accommo- dation providers in terms of their service delivery and quality”
way for the company’s second generation booking solution MyStay and MyStay Mobile. “Our in-house technology team also deliver customer specific enhancements and flexible integration solutions with customer selected third party systems,” explains Ian McBride, Hotelscene’s commercial director.
SAVING MONEY Another benefit of switching your accommodation spend to a hotel booking agent is their straight savings message from their claimed superior hotel coverage and experience as a specialist
Ricky Kapoor when he stressed the importance of bespoke technology solutions. Inntel managing director Douglas O’Neill talks about
provider. In contrast to TMCs, there is also the question of no transaction fees. HRS, for example, promises a best price guarantee. “We believe a fee-free solution is important. With us, bookings are made directly with
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30 I THE BUSINESS TRAVEL MAGAZINE 18 I THE BUSINESS TRAVEL MAGAZINE
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