SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZE ENTERPRISES
Corporate loyalty benefits
MEMBERSHIP OF SME LOYALTY PROGRAMMES can pay dividends. “There is no reason not to join any and every programme from travel suppliers with which you do more than just an occasional booking. In one way or another they all offer an element of rebate on future purchase. Not joining is leaving money on the table,” says global loyalty consultant for ICP Iain Webster. If there was any doubt, in 2016, members of British Airways’ On Business scheme saved £48 million on reward flights alone.
Here are some of the airlines that run loyalty schemes for SMEs, through which member companies and individuals earn points. These can be earned on the host airline, partner and alliance carriers and at participating hotels, and redeemed against flights, upgrades and other rewards. Some require organisations to appoint a programme administrator as a central contact point.
of- care, which is no longer an option for any business but it requires time and effort. HRG points out that many high- risk destinations are key global business hubs and, as recent events testify, there is no such thing as a safe city. “There are a number of areas, including
safety and security measures, where a TMC can provide guidance which the traveller or their company would not otherwise be aware of,” says head of corporate travel (Europe) for Direct Travel Andrew Newton.
TRACKING TRAVEL SPEND One of the most important means of control is travel policy, which defines what, how and where travellers spend. A central credit card keeps all expenditure in one place, giving in-depth and accurate MI (management information), allowing
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• BRITISH AIRWAYS On Business members and members of British Airways Executive Club and Iberia Plus earn points and/or a cash discount for the company. Earn and spend on British Airways, American Airlines and Iberia.
• AIR FRANCE-KLM AND DELTA Blue Biz members earn Blue Credits on flights with these airlines.
• EMIRATES Business Rewards members will earn Skywards Miles for the company and for themselves, if they are a member of Emirates Skywards.
• ETIHAD Business Connect members must have between two and 50 travellers. Points can also be earned on AirBerlin and Virgin Australia, and can be converted into cash.
• QATAR AIRWAYS Q Biz and individual Privilege Club members earn points and the programme is linked with other members of the Oneworld alliance.
• SINGAPORE AIRLINES High Flyer launched in April for businesses with up to 30 travelling employees, which earn points on Singapore Airlines and Silk Air flights. Individuals earn Kris Flyer miles.
• STAR ALLIANCE Partner Plus Benefit credits the company account with Benefit Points, which can be earned and spent on 11 airlines.
• VIRGIN ATLANTIC Virgin Flying Co. is for companies with two or more travelling employees, who must be members of Flying Club. The company receives 40 per cent of the miles credited to individuals and 10 per cent of those earned with selected partners.
• UNITED AIRLINES Perks Plus gives points on flights with United, United Express and other partners. Company- earned points can be converted to Mileage Plus points to be credited to individuals’ Mileage Plus accounts.
companies to negotiate with suppliers where they have sufficient spend. In short, a policy ensures strategic use of budget, and to be effective it must be communicated to travellers clearly and regularly. “Companies that don’t use a TMC tend to
find it difficult to track travel spend,” says Paul Casement, sales director at Clarity. “A TMC is able to provide core data, patterns and behaviour analysis around the best routes and hotels to ensure that businesses can control their travel budget and get value for money.” Clarity Hub is the TMC’s
dedicated SME service, providing flights and accommodation at competitive rates, account management, travel alerts, telephone support and duty-of-care. A travel policy does not have to be a
formal document. “Even if a business is a one-man band, it will have a travel policy. It may not be written down but the individual will have a view on what they are willing to spend on flights and hotels – and that is a policy,” says Direct Travel’s Newton. “Larger organisations might put that thinking in writing, covering whom
BBT July/August 2017 59
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