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.
The turmoil of the past three years has seen key players in corporate travel scrambling to stay afloat, cutting staff and budgets, and watching service levels deteriorate. The result has strained relationships across the business travel ecosystem, but perhaps none more than the one between travel buyers and their travel management companies.
For travel buyers and their corporate travel programs, getting their TMC connections back on track is a priority. In this issue, Think Tank members share their own experiences dealing with the disruptions that are driving change in the sector.
Troubled Waters
Lately, when I think of the old adage “you can’t live with them, you can’t live without them,” travel management companies come to mind. TMC’s have been integral to corporate travel management for many years. Travel managers have spent countless hours working on choosing a TMC, implementing one, and then managing the relationship with them. Now that the COVID pandemic has waned, managing a partnership with a TMC has been a bit of a headache.
The operational ramp-up to full service has taken longer than expected. So many travel consultants left the industry during the pandemic that TMCs are hard-pressed to meet any service level agreements. New consultants are inexperienced and are not capable of being consultatory. When an executive administrator at my company asked one green travel consultant for a ‘redeye flight,’ the newcomer did not know what the term meant.So, we trudge along with slowly improving service levels. Some would say that patience is wearing thin though.
– Mark Ziegler
Keep It Simple
Travel management companies should be an extension of your department and your company. Their values, work ethic and treatment of others should be aligned with your company’s core values. My advice to TMCs has always been to ‘keep it simple.’ Be transparent with people in all areas – travelers, travel managers and everyone you deal with.
Being respectful and honest in any business dealing always creates a healthy partnership. What TMCs can bring to the party is up-to-date knowledge of the industry, program development, strategic planning for growth and a deeper understanding of my program’s data. Because of the advantages they add, TMCs have always played a large role in the companies I have been a part of.
– Gloria Gonzalez
A Buyer’s Wish List
TMCs have to stop believing that they can be everything to everyone. They also have to stop selling as if they are. Every company, every program has different needs and priorities, but let me share my wish list: Global reporting on demand, great booking technology that moves from desktop to mobile, and finally, service that follows the sun. Global reporting means the ability to create custom reports without having to request them from account management or a specialty group.
Many travel managers know what data points they require, many of which aren’t covered in the standard reports of yesterday. A good travel tech stack would be configurable for global policies, but still allow companies to make changes for local nuance. Finally, too often after-hours TMC services aren’t as strong as the agents working during regular business hours. Having a global team following the sun would increase employee satisfaction and ensure that travelers would be well covered in case of any issues on the road.
– Rosemary E. Maloney
Time to Look AheadThe pandemic turned our industry upside down, exposing whatever weaknesses exist in TMC operations and in our travel programs. The lack of skilled people to bring services for our travel programs back up to pre-COVID levels is a huge problem causing long waits if travelers need assistance. If an agent has to contact an airline on a reservation, that agent and the traveler are going to be waiting quite a while.
The recent consolidations of TMCs may have yet to be fully implemented, possibly adding complications and slowing services until completed. Any manual processes (unfortunately, I have many) can also add to poor servicing. We also need new people introduced to careers in travel. I am unsure what is being done, and obviously that will take some time. But what are TMCs doing now to bring in and train people for the future?
– David Smith
