ADVERTORIAL FEATURE
GTMC chief Paul Wait (left) and Travelport MD Paul Broughton (right) present FCM air product manager Kavon Bagheri with the GTMC Innovation Award
The system is also pro-active, offering
advice on return travel alternatives if a meeting over-runs (and booking the selected policy-compliant option), and issuing reminders on everything from completing expense reports to making visa applications.
using their phone, desktop or tablet. Digital approval is also built in and a “Sam of been very be sent to received ler for selection, and on to a manager for ap- proval or further approval, with comments on out-of-policy activity or trip rejection. Customisation allows ultimate versatil-
UNIVERSAL PRAISE
basket has options can positively the travel- by our clients and their travellers, who feel it represents a real step forward in the practical application of technology to create a truly different traveller experi ence,” FCM says. “Many have commented that it is refreshing to see a TMC not only looking at the booking and reporting side of business travel, but also taking a holistic approach to the whole experi- ence of the traveller.
is a hybrid mix of human interac- tion with an FCM consultant, as well as automated assistance. They feel reassured that the automation of new functions will only be introduced as and when it proves to augment the customer experience.” GTMC chief executive Paul Wait
ity and personalisation, according to client sector, policy, fare eligibility or payment codes. Visual guilt encourages adherence to policy and budget management and streamlined reconciliation complete the picture, all of which contributes to the depth and breadth of the comprehensive reporting suite.
“Clients are also reassured that Sam
said: “Our research, in partnership with Oxford Economics, demonstrates the high value of business travel and the impact it can have on economic growth. Indeed, a 1 per cent increase in total
RESULT Just six months into the life of KT Online, the benefits are apparent, including: first- time adoption in three months by 20 UK/US customers who had previously rejected cor- porate tools; 11% overall greater adoption with minimum promotion and training; increased use of specialist tickets from 6% of monthly tickets booked to 24%; and 90% reduction in calls to the online helpdesk thanks to the intuitive interface.
business travel volumes will boost total trade by around £400 million. These are important figures. “In order to realise these ambitions for growth, it is up to the business travel and TMC community to champion business travel and it is those innovators among us that will be key in enabling us to deliver this. FCM Travel Solutions is one such innovator and I hope that their efforts will encourage industry peers to follow
As one client puts it: “The difference the
new tool will make to the travel team will be fantastic. Bookers have described how clear and easy it is to use.”
tool for agents and mid-office systems, delivering a more effective email- and phone-booking experience and internal efficiencies; full integration of online,
“FCM Travel Solutions is an innovator, and I hope that its efforts will encourage many industry peers to follow suit.”
suit. My congratulations to the whole team on being worthy winners of this prestigious award.”
BEHIND THE SCENES Key Travel used a proprietary platform, which works across static and mobile chan- nels. This is underpinned by APIs that were developed internally to enable integration into GDS, suppliers and content aggregators. This includes third party providers such as Expedia, and directly with brands that include Premier Inn and Travelodge, to give the ultimate range of content.
CELEBRATING INNOVATION The final word goes to Paul Broughton, Travelport’s regional managing director for the UK & Ireland, who commented: “The business travel sector continues growing at a significant rate. It boosts infrastructure, skills and investments. A recent joint World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) and Travelport report reveals that business travel accounts for US$1.3 trillion of global travel
LOOKING AHEAD The second phase of development has already started to provide a new booking
of entries, which is encouraging for nels; and extended product offerings with a shorter time to market.
“Key Travel is a worthy winner of latest winner.”
phone, mobile and email booking chan- the future of the industry, but made the judging even harder. Choosing the winner was a close-run decision and I’d for UK and Ireland commented:
Paul Broughton, Travelport’s managing director like to take the opportunity to congratu- late FCM Travel Solutions on being the Travelport/GTMC award. It has put the customer at the heart of its offering and designed a product that is flexible, device agnostic and recognises the convergence of behaviour between business and leisure travellers. By collaborating so closely with their key customers they have also been able to design a product
spending annually – one in five dollars of the overall amount! With technol- ogy playing an increasingly important role in easing the way for those on business trips, Travelport is delighted to continue supporting this important award, working together with the GTMC to further promote innovation in the industry.” “The entries for this year’s GTMC Innovation Award saw a high standard
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