Traveller Centric Travel Management

Chris Slagle National Sales Director, CWT Solutions Group Carlson Wagonlit Travel

Traveller Centric Travel Management Agenda

• • • • How did we get here? What is it?

Key first steps Building a communication strategy • • Examples What can I do today?

Traveller Centric Travel Management

Three Revolutions of Travel How did we get here?

• The 1 st - led by introduction of centralized CRS/GDS systems – The idea began in 1959 – an IBM/American Airlines collaboration they named Semi-Automatic Business Research Environment (SABRE) • – Travel Agent access began (with Apollo) in 1976 and grew to eventually include car/hotel content.

• 2 nd - led by the Internet – Focus and momentum began in the early 2000’s – making content widely accessible 3 rd - currently led by Travellers – Mobile, social media and crowd sourcing – Traveller and travel information is available anytime, anywhere and in any language

Traveller Centric Travel Management

What is it?

• It’s about acknowledging the movement of the traveller to the center of the buying decision – That they have access to more information in the form of content, alternatives, and social feedback than ever before – The same information provides a new level of confidence in buying choices without referencing corporate policy or guidelines • Challenging the norm – Traditional ‘one-size fits all’ policies are less effective in today’s environment – shift to an Adaptive Travel Policy • Shifting paradigms – Greater movement towards ‘duty of care’ and considering the needs and wants of today’s traveller

Traveller Segmentation

Acknowledging that not all travellers are the same. Although they have commonalties, their experience plays a major role in how they make decision

Traveller Segmentation Analysis

Experience Demographics Type of travel

Identify traveller segments behaving well Leverage the knowledge of those travelers to help other segements Locate segments that need to be managed differently

Traveller Centric Travel Management

What is it?

• It’s about acknowledging the movement of the traveller to the center of the buying decision (more info/choices/access) • Challenging the norm (move to Adaptive Travel Policy) • Shifting paradigms (duty of care / traveller satisfaction) • Segmentation (re-thinking traveler behaviour) • Improving the communication strategy – Taking advantage of new systems, analytics and methodologies to improve compliance, savings and traveller satisfaction

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F O C U S S T R A T E G I C Vendor Strategy Assessment Solidifying Vendor Agreements Traveller Behaviour Monitoring On-going Vendor Optimisation Advanced Communication Strategies BEST PRACTICE

• Key First Steps – Identify the Initiatives Focus on the Travellers – What are their buying behaviours telling you?

– What is driving compliance / non-compliance?

 Lack of knowledge of Travel Policy?

 Have they found a ‘better’ supplier?  Is there a forum for their feedback?

• Where are the opportunities for improving compliance savings? – Advance Purchase?

– SBT / OBT compliance?

– Lowest Logical Airfare?

– Hotel booked with Air?

– Preferred vendor compliance?

Key First Steps – Identify the Initiatives (con’d)

• Data & analysis creates a stronger platform – Work with your TMC and vendors to gather data – Employ deeper analytics to improve visibility of opportunities • – Calculate the impact of traveller behaviour and compliance Align your discoveries – Update the Travel Policy – Don’t stop there  Create initiatives  Build a communication strategy

• Build a communication strategy Improving communication throughout the organisation – It’s about sending contextual information to an individual traveller – But also about creating a unified sense of purpose • Who are the key stakeholders? – Procurement – Finance – E-team – Business Unit Leaders – Travellers • Navigate varying levels of management understanding – You are the travel expert. Trust your instincts – Team up with other departments’ expertise but stay in the lead!

– Rely on your TMC to assist you to bring visibility to data & strategy

Build a communication strategy (con’d) • Understand that messaging needs to differ based on the recipient – Management / Business Unit Leaders  Be concise and specific  Impact of Missed Savings / Compliance  Results will extend their travel budget – Traveller  Provide broader comprehensive information – it’s about them  Create opportunities to capture their feedback  Drive towards improving the accessibility of the information: Portal, Mobile, etc.

 Make the impact of their behaviours “real”

What are some of the existing and emerging support tools?

• • • • System generated compliance messaging Traveller Segmentation Analysis Travel Stress Index Scorecards • Reward / Gaming components

Source: As reported by GBTA Foundation Benchmarking Tool and therefore may be subject to change

Traveller Scorecard

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Traveller Scorecard

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Traveller Scorecard

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Traveller Scorecard

Possible gaming element!

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Traveller Scorecard

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Traveller Scorecard

Possible gaming element!

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Traveller Scorecard

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Traveller Scorecard

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Traveller Scorecard

Possible gaming element!

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Traveller Scorecard

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Business Unit Comparative Matrix

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What can you do today to move towards Traveller Centric Travel Management?

• • Review your vendor strategies Work with your TMC and/or internal teams to quantify the financial benefits of behaviour change • Open channels of communication with your travellers • • • • Consider re-thinking your traveller mix / segmentation Create initiatives – start small, build success Align your Travel Policy with those changes Develop a broader communication strategy • • Discover what tools and support are available from your TMC Stay current – leverage this emerging technology for change

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