Business travelers are stepping through a gateway into a different travel experience – but are we ready for it?
The history of technology is, generally speaking, one of advancement, thesis and synthesis, one idea that begets another; the long and tortuous path that took electricity from parlor room trick to useful power, or the methodical compilation of data that creates a modern drug. However, there are moments in time when forces come together in such ways as to divert the entire course of human endeavors. The introduction of the sextant which enabled more reliable transoceanic navigation, and the steam engine which launched the industrial revolution, are two such instances that come to mind.
Today we are in the midst of another such inflection point in technology – the instant, seemingly always on and universally available access to information and communication. Recent research from CareerBuilder identified seven major trends that have significantly influenced job creation over the last seven years. What do these trends have in common?
"At the heart of different factors shaping labor market dynamics today is this idea of constant connectivity," said Matt Ferguson, CEO of CareerBuilder and co-author of the study, entitled The Talent Equation. "The ability to connect with people or data anytime, anywhere speeds up technology innovation and medical advancements, bridges global markets and local communities, changes lifestyles and consumer expectations, and gives people more control over when and how they work."
The research found the major contributor to changes in the work environment is technology, and the pace of innovation continues to accelerate. According to the report, “from an endless selection of apps to inventions in machine learning, artificial intelligence, robotics and 3-D printing, technology is introducing new possibilities for business and everyday life.”
Tech Threat or Promise? Perhaps nowhere are these technology-driven changes in workplace attitudes having a greater impact than among those employees whose jobs take them consistently on the road. Smartphones, tablets and laptops have become indispensable appendages for virtually every road warrior, and connectivity is far and away the most highly sought feature both in accommodations and in modes of transport. And the expectation is, the more technology we have, the better our business travel experience will be.
However, while US consumers – and especially business travelers – are confident of the potential of emerging technologies to improve their travel experiences, business travelers abroad remain much more pessimistic. According to a new study by Egencia, the business travel arm of Expedia, Inc., there are surprising differences in the perceptions and confidence levels of global business travelers on the impact of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and virtual reality on corporate travel.
The research, from the 4th edition of Egencia’s Business Travel and Technology Survey show more than half (55 percent) of US business travelers believe such advancements as artificial intelligence can improve their travel experiences. When asked whether there’s a risk that AI and VR could end mankind as we know it today, nearly two-thirds (62 percent) rejected the notion. But while US business travelers remain cautiously optimistic that emerging technologies can improve their business travel experiences, they recognize the need for balance between technology and human interaction.
However when compared to other regions, business travelers outside the US have lower confidence levels and are far less optimistic about the use of technology overall. The poll of some 4,500 business travelers in regions such as in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Norway, Sweden, the UK and Singapore found lower confidence levels in how AI advancements can improve their business travel experiences in the future. Less than half the respondents in the other countries surveyed believe AI advancements will improve their travel experiences; in Sweden and Norway the total was 37 percent, followed by 41 percent in the UK and Germany, 42 percent in Australia, 44 percent in Canada and France, and 47 percent in Singapore.
On the other hand, when asked whether AI and VR could end humankind, these respondents were far less likely to see the technologies as a threat, with 72 percent of business travelers in Norway saying no – compared to 70 percent in Sweden, 67 percent in the UK, 64 percent in Canada and Germany, 61 percent in France, and 60 percent in Australia and Singapore.
"The adoption of new technologies is increasingly happening on the consumer side, ahead of the corporate world. AI and VR are no exception and are very much in their infancy. However, similar to disruptors in other technology-led industries, investments in new technologies that create simplicity and improvements in experience will ultimately win over business travelers and drive significant change in the overall industry," said Michael Gulmann, chief product officer at Egencia.
"There is a fundamental shift already happening in the traveler mindset that companies need to anticipate travelers' needs and simplify all aspects of business travel, regardless of how a traveler chooses to interact with travel companies,” Gulmann continued. “As such, there is a balancing act for travel companies to ensure they offer the latest technology, alongside the ability for travelers to connect with a live person anytime, anywhere."
SHORT STORIESFAA Seeks New Laptop BanThe Federal Aviation Administration is now seeking a ban on laptops in checked bags because of fire concerns. New safety tests show that the rechargeable lithium-ion batteries found in laptops could overheat in a condition called thermal runaway, posing a fire risk when packed next to flammable items in checked luggage.
The results are outlined in a report from Federal Aviation Administration submitted to the International Civil Aviation Organization, the UN agency that issues non-binding air safety guidance to the international community. In addition to the FAA findings, the ICAO proposed ban has already won the backing of the European Aviation Safety Agency and aircraft manufacturer Airbus.
Delta Offers Free MessagingDelta is offering free mobile messaging on its Gogo-enabled flights on planes with two or more cabins. The carrier says it is the first US global carrier to offer the service. Travelers will be able to access the feature through Delta’s WiFi portal page. Delta passengers can message via iMessage, Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp. The service is available only for text messaging and does not support sending photos or video files.
Rocketrip and Altour Announce PartnershipTechnology platform Rocketrip has formed a partnership with Altour enabling Altour clients to leverage technology to tap into new travel options that, the companies say, will unlock greater cost savings than would have been available through conventional travel procurement and expense management practices alone.
Rocketrip combines real-time market data and availability, historical travel patterns of an individual, complex policies, and Altour’s negotiated rates to determine a traveler’s customized Budget to Beat. For every dollar saved under the custom budget, the traveler keeps half.
EmpireCLS Partners With etouchesEmpireCLS Worldwide Chauffeured Services has announced a new partnership with etouches, a global provider of cloud event management software and sourcing solutions. The companies say the partnership will enable meeting and event professionals to arrange luxury transportation services to and from their meetings and events.
David Seelinger, CEO of EmpireCLS, said the partnership “adds to etouches’ end-to-end solution with the various integrations EmpireCLS has in place.” EmpireCLS provides transportation services for hotel brands, meetings, events and travelers in more than 700 cities. Etouches’ platform focuses on event sourcing, registration, marketing, logistics, engagement, mobile and data analytics for more than 1,300 customers, according to the company.
FCM Launches FCM ConnectFCM Travel Solutions has launched FCM Connect, an integrated global technology platform that gives clients access to multiple tools. At the core of the new product is the FCM Connect HUB, a single sign-on platform that gives customers one connection point to all of FCM’s technology tools including: Analytics, Approve, Booking, Secure, Expense and Mobile. HUB is customizable for companies in both the configuration of tools used and interface design.
The solution, said Marcus Eklund, global brand leader, “has been designed for the modern traveler, booker and program manager and addresses their desire to be more connected to the entire booking, travel and management journey.”
Chrome River Launches ProsperChrome River Technologies has launched Chrome River Prosper, an online platform that ties sales and account management teams’ travel and entertainment information from Chrome River Expense with customer account and sales opportunity data from their Salesforce and other CRM solutions, via a set of map-based dashboards.
The capability will enable sales and finance leaders “to accurately analyze expense ROI by spend type, customer account and sales team member.” Sales managers, according to the company, can then use this data to allocate travel budgets more effectively and eliminate one-size-fits-all expense budget cuts, as well as gain visibility into where to best deploy assets to drive future revenue.
Lola App Aims at Road WarriorsLola, a travel planning app, has been repositioned and relaunched for use by frequent business travelers. Started by Paul English, one of the founders of Kayak, Lola uses a combination of artificial intelligence (AI) and travel agents to provide personalized options, hotel loyalty points and “live” personal assistants any time of day.
The program’s artificial intelligence, according to the company, creates a personal travel algorithm that customizes travel for individual road warriors, using unique identifiers to match them with their travel choices. Lola says it “will never push paid results,” but only show results based on stated and past preferences.
SafeTravelRx Launches SafeTravelRx, powered by risk management company iJet, has launched SaaS, an app aimed at the small- to medium-sized business market. The app is designed to harness the power of iJet risk management and security systems with proprietary medical alert technology from SafeTravelRx, according to co-founder and CEO Ron DiLeo. The technology not only dispatches emergency medical assistance but transmits medical information, emergency contact information and both geolocation and street address when activated. That capability is then added to iJet’s systems.
SafeTravelRX will be operating pilot programs through select TMC’s and GDS immediately with formal launch expected by year end. It is available on both Apple and Android devices.
BridgeStreet Partners With SiteMinderBridgeStreet Global Hospitality has partnered with SiteMinder, a cloud-based platform for hotel distribution, providing more visibility for BridgeStreet’s serviced apartment network. Through SiteMinder’s platform, accommodation providers of all categories can integrate their property management system directly with their selected distribution channels to enable a two-way flow of room rates, availability and inventory in real-time.
“The special use of technology is putting serviced apartments at the forefront of business and leisure travel,” according to Sean Worker, BridgeStreet’s CEO, adding that technology will make serviced apartments, homes and extended stay hotels more easily accessible to business travelers and corporate travel managers.
Concur TripLink Now on United App The United Airlines-Concur TripLink capability is now available on the carrier’s mobile app. Last January, United became the first airline to go live with TripLink, which connects trips, travelers and itineraries across multiple channels. The integration allowed users to connect their Concur account with the airline.
Originally available only on United.com, the solution is now available via United’s mobile app on iOS and Android. Corporate bookings made on both United’s website and the mobile app are automatically synced with Concur, providing immediate visibility into traveler spend and monitoring bookings for policy rules.