Not every square technology peg will fit in the round hole of your travel program’s needs
By Travel Buyers Think Tank, Mark Ziegler
In my forty years in the travel industry, I have never been more overwhelmed with questions around the distribution of travel than I am now. The basics of finding the travel services needed and then booking them is much the same as it always has been, but it seems getting there is going to be a minefield in the future.
Yes, I have a global travel management company and use various global distribution systems around the world. My company uses a global online booking tool. Notwithstanding, here in no particular order is a list of complicating factors that I have to consider before determining how my travelers receive the services they need.
• Traveler well-being • Safety and security • Demand management • Artificial intelligence • Sustainability • Virtual payments • Expense reporting and management • Cryptocurrency • Blockchain • New distribution capability • Mobile applications • Fragmented distribution channels
While the core premise of finding, booking and ticketing travel services has not changed all that much in all these years, technology continues to complicate the process. My list may not be complete, but these are the ones that are foremost in my purview. Some have been around for quite some time, but others are very new. It remains to be seen how many more complexities travel managers will have to plan for both in the near term and in the not so distant future.
Technology is supposed to make things easier. It does not always do that. Your strategy, technology choices, and program direction have to be determined in order to chart a course for your travel program. Suppliers want to sell more. Today’s communication tools make it that much easier to lure corporate travelers away to book direct in defiance of corporate travel policy. My advice: Always try to choose simplified solutions for your program to maximize satisfaction and build compliance.
Too much choice can be a blessing or a burden. For example, travelers always complain that they can get better hotel rates “on the Internet” or directly with hotels. Loyalty status influences that belief. My company expanded the choice of hotels by making third party hotel rates available in our online booking tool. The next thing I know, travelers are complaining that they get lower rates but do not earn loyalty points with those rates. Another solution is to use recursive search programs that rebook lower rates when found, but these also present challenges if the traveler refuses to accept them or their loyalty status interferes with company policy.
Finding the right balance is tricky and requires deep insight in order to satisfy traveler needs. Networking, internal advisory groups and continued education will assist you in determining the appropriate path to follow to discover the best distribution channels for your corporate program. And do not forget to consider your company culture as you work to make the right travel distribution technology choices. Managing a single, global online booking tool may be more comfortable for your travel team but may not provide all the best choices for your travelers in different regions.
Take your time when choosing the distribution technology for your program. The speed of change in technology will continue whether you make a choice quickly or do so at a more measured pace. By the time you implement a technology, I can guarantee that a new solution will have come along about the time you complete your project. Carefully consider your company needs, culture and support when you choose distribution technologies.