In each issue of Business Travel Executive, the members of our Buyer Think Tank offer their individual thoughts on what’s hot, what’s cool and what’s coming next in managed travel.
The Think Tank is a team of eight veteran travel managers from programs that run the gamut in size and complexity – but each member contributes a unique viewpoint. Travel Buyer’s POV brings fresh perspectives and ideas to inspire innovation and thought leadership in the corporate travel industry.
Ever since their introduction, online booking tools have held out the promise of an easy-to-use, consistent, automated travel buying experience. As we see in this issue’s special report, Booking Tools Face Great Expectations (page 24), it’s a promise that’s always been tantalizingly close, but never quite fulfilled.
It’s a hot button topic within the managed travel community, and among our Buyers Think Tank members, there is certainly no shortage of pragmatic ideas and no-nonsense points of view on this particular subject.
Not Ready for Prime Time?
Online booking tools have been in the mainstream of corporate travel for more than 20 years. Travel management companies as well as their corporate clients have pushed for a greater online adoption from their travelers from day one, since automation reduces the work load of TMC travel agents and lower fees entice the corporate clients. Unfortunately, online adoption is still nowhere near the levels either side had hoped. Why?
It appears the technology behind these tools is still lacking, if not in the tool itself, then with the other infrastructure it connects to finalize bookings. The GDS systems were developed decades ago and the TMC back-office systems differ from company to company. In fact, many of the latest online booking tool features simply cannot be supported by a TMC through its reseller agreement and the corporate client might not be aware that certain helpful functionalities in the tool even exist.
The one feature I hope will be perfected by 2022 is true online ticket exchanges. In my experience, the best case scenario now is when an exchange is requested, it still needs to be manually worked by a travel agent on the back end, resulting in higher transaction fees and time to have a ticket issued. I am still holding out hope that we will be able to apply an unused ticket online, immediately know the additional cost (if any) and receive an exchanged ticket within minutes of submitting the request.
– Chris Brockman
Easy Does It
There are so many online booking tools out there, all with amazing attributes – but none of them seem to have it all. Booking business travel should be easy, so that travelers can get back to doing their jobs and travel managers can manage their programs. Here’s what my dream OBT would have:
Ease for travelers –
• Predictive itineraries based on calendar integration
• Machine learning that understands my traveler’s preferences (within policy, of course)
• Negotiated perks as well as terms and conditions are easily noted for the traveler (or their arrangers).
• Simplifying the check out process (It should not take four pages to check out)
• Clear and simple approval processes when required
• Expense system integration so that the traveler can easily expense
Ease for the travel manager –
• Global on-demand reporting with data within the last 48 hours (instead of a 30-day wait)
• Comprehensive policy settings that use AI to adapt to market conditions. (like when hotels are sold out, citywide rates are higher than the usual policy, but under the market)
• Easily configurable and adaptable to different programs
• Connectivity to different supply sources: GDS, NDC, direct links, other aggregators
Most importantly – the OBT should be easy for the traveler so we get fewer complaints and reduce leakage.
– Rosemary E Maloney
Getting the Details
My wishes for OBT? For one, travel for a project. Let’s say the company is working on a project for a customer in a single location for a year. This project needs to meet certain budget criteria to be successful. It would be valuable to configure a group of employees so they can plan their trips using the “project’s” custom policy, date range, transportation and lodging options, which may be pre-negotiated, special project rates.
As project team members book, they would be able to see their impact on the project’s goals/budget – with just a few clicks of course!
Another would be bleisure options, providing a much easier method of calling out vacation days on a business trip and a way to add true “bleisure” options to a business trip, all without screwing up the expense report. Lastly, OBT support from a name instead of a ticket number.
– David Smith
New Day, New Priorities
NetApp, like many companies, is stepping up its efforts to be socially responsible and environmentally friendly. The pause in travel has given us time to reevaluate some of our priorities. The company issued its first ESG report in 2021. Environment, social responsibility, and governance have been high profile for the last couple of years. Of course, there is a practical reason for some of this also. Companies are learning that they must meet the minimum ESG requirements of some of their customers in order to win their business. The principals of ESG have taken on a new importance in business that they otherwise might not have were it not for the pandemic.
Because NetApp books 85 percent of its travel via an online booking tool, the needs of our travel program have expanded. Our wish list must include accurate, up to date health requirements for international travel. An informed traveler is a happy traveler, not to mention the need to address the company’s duty of care obligations. In addition to health information, exact and real carbon emission information should be readily available to travelers so they are able to make travel decisions with visibility into their impact on the environment. This is not to say that all travelers will make their travel choices based on the information provided, but it should be there for those who do.
– Mark Zeigler
