Consumer travelers have long been a priority among those in the travel industry, while corporate travelers have been forced to either fend for themselves or coordinate travel details through their companies’ travel departments. The latter option kept corporate travelers in the dark without much control over the way their plans were handled, which airlines they flew on, or even where they should pick up their rental cars. A survey conducted by MMGY Global indicated that about 69 percent of business travelers are responsible for making their own travel arrangements. This is much different than in the past, when the majority of business travelers utilized a corporate travel department for all of their business travel needs. There was a clear demand for a platform that employees could easily access on their own. Recently, the travel industry has begun to recognize the need for more personalized travel services for business travelers. Up until then, corporate travelers had been all but ignored. However, the same people who travel for work have become accustomed to a much more robust experience when booking leisure travel. Companies looking to expand their customer base have gotten the memo and have begun tapping into the corporate travel market. Digital BookingBusy professionals are rarely stationary and are likely to conduct a majority of their business on laptops, tablets, and smartphones. Given the tech-driven nature of corporate professionals’ jobs, digital booking is in high demand. Frequent business travelers value real-time updates, standalone travel apps, and social media integration. Ensuring that travel details are easily accessible without having to go through antiquated corporate channels not only saves time, but also gives corporate travelers a high level of control over their travel itineraries. This way, should their plans need to be adjusted based on clients’ needs, they can make changes almost instantaneously without the typical formalities. Corporate Travel Platforms Up until recently, many companies used Concur for their corporate travel needs. While the interface served its purpose, it was typically restricted to certain individuals within a company. If a traveler had issues or questions pertaining to their itinerary, accommodations, or anything else, they had to go through someone else to find answers. Recently, Concur acquired Hipmunk, a metadata-focused website, with the goal of creating a better corporate user experience fueled by innovative technology. In keeping with this same idea, American Express recently acquired the booking platform KDS. American Express hopes this move will help create a richer user experience for its corporate travel partners. Through a dedicated platform for corporate bookings, employees can adhere to various company travel policies automatically, since policies and procedures are built right into the software. For instance, if an employee attempts to book an unauthorized trip or exceeds budgetary restrictions, the travel platform would automatically prevent him or her from continuing. TripActions Offers Helpful ToolsOne such platform is TripActions, which offers a variety of helpful corporate travel booking tools, including a global inventory of flights, rental vehicles, as well as hotel accommodations. TripActions promises to deliver a flawless and modern Internet-based travel booking experience for corporate executives. While the majority of the booking process is self-directed, TripActions also offers high-level support to help travelers should they encounter any issues in the process. Much like leisure travel booking sites, TripActions also offers exclusive deals, corporate discounts, and even a savings dashboard that gives travelers an inside look at the latest savings in real-time. For finance or travel administrators, TripActions also helps to monitor business travel expenses while allowing business partners to enjoy a stress-free method of booking. For companies that still utilize travel managers, TripActions allows these users to view corporate travel at a glance and to keep track of corporate bookings without having to personally book each trip. Business travelers also can take advantage of TripActions’ rewards points, high-tech booking technology, as well as dedicated customer support should they need it. Catering to Corporate TravelersCorporate travel has come a long way in recent decades, and it is expected to become even more streamlined as time goes on. What many travel platforms are finding is that business travelers expect the same level of service they experience when booking their leisure travel, and several companies want to meet their needs. Corporate travelers place a high premium on being able to customize every trip they take, even if it’s for work.
Travel companies understand that if a business traveler has a positive experience with their booking platform, this represents a prime opportunity for repeat business. The scenario presents a win-win situation for both the traveler, who will earn valuable miles and points, as well as the travel booking companies that will earn lucrative and repeat corporate business. Comments are closed.
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AuthorBruce Eaton is the president and chief executive officer of i2 Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a hit discovery and lead optimization technology provider serving clients in the pharmaceutical industry. Categories
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