Value deters clients from going direct
Agents and suppliers are
seeing a definite trend
toward direct bookings
but smart TMCs know where
to add value.
TNW’s sister publication,
eTNW recently ran a survey
on corporate travel to which
131 agents responded.
51% of respondents said
said they had noticed an
increase in corporates
booking air travel direct
through the supplier; 66%
said this was the case for
accommodation bookings.
On the other hand, only 41%
of respondents said they
were experiencing direct
booking behaviour in car
rental.
One of the main factors
that seems to affect
whether or not a corporate
will choose to book direct
relates to whether the
client is booking a local or
international itinerary, with
72% of agents saying that
corporate travellers are
willing to book local travel
direct but not international
travel. Another significant
factor is the complexity of
the itinerary in question
– 89% of agents said
corporates would not book
more complex itineraries
direct through their
suppliers.
For the most part, suppliers
agree that there has been
a general trend towards
corporates approaching
them directly. City Lodge
Hotel Group’s divisional
director for sales and
marketing, Peter Schoeman,
says this is particularly the
case for small to mediumsized
corporates. “Bigger
corporates still tend to use
agents as their travel needs
are more difficult to manage
that those of smaller
companies.”
It may also depend on
the country where the
accommodation is being
booked, comments group
ceo for Cresta Hotels,
Glenn Stutchbury. “For
Botswana, most corporates
still prefer to book through
their travel agents as it
is easier for them to get
both accommodation and
flights from one source.
With Zimbabwe and Zambia,
corporates seem to be doing
both, going through agents
and sometimes going direct,
especially for last-minute
reservations.”
Many suppliers are left
with little choice but to allow
corporates to book through
whichever channel they deem
fit. As the Birchwood Hotel’s
founder and director, Kevin
Clarence, comments: “We
were traditionally a businessto-business
operation.
Initially we tried to allow
agents to be our main sales
arm but this brought in little
revenue, particularly in terms
of accommodation. As a
result, we had no option but
to go direct to corporates as
a sales approach.”
However, other suppliers
maintain they are still
business-to-business
operators, as is often the
case with tour operators.
Annemarie Lexow, sales
and marketing manager for
TravelVision maintains that
agents are the company’s
only access point of sale
to the direct public as it is
still a traditional wholesale
operator.
Making the cut
Agents argue that the direct
booking trend only applies
to instances where TMCs
are not delivering real value.
Claude Vankeirsbilck, chief
sales and marketing officer
of Tourvest Travel Services,
says there is no indication of
a trend towards corporates
cutting out the services of a
“value-generating” TMC.
“In fact, just the opposite,
judging by the new
customers we at Tourvest,
through our operating brands
American Express Global
Business Travel, Seekers
Travel, Maties Travel and
Indojet Travel, are bringing
on board.” He says there
is enormous value in
Tourvest’s online travel
management solution, which
counters any value in going
direct to the supplier.
Wally Gaynor, md of Club
Travel, agrees and says there
will always be situations in
which a new procurement
manager will want to try
new options but that the
reality in trying to deal direct
with multiple suppliers
(airlines, hotels, car-hire
companies) is not so easy.
“The reality usually hits
home very quickly that the
perceived savings are not
there and the management
of the relationship is time
consuming and costly.”
However, as well as for
the obvious value, whether
corporates book direct will
also depend on the nature
of their travel programme.
“It is dependent on the
volume of spend, number
of travellers and complexity
of travel programme,” says
Maria Martins, director of
Programme Management
for Carlson Wagonlit Travel
South Africa.
She says most of the
agency’s clients want to book
direct but by using CWT’s
online booking tool. “In this
way, while reducing costs
and having direct access to
reservations and their travel
policy, preferred suppliers
and rates are also applied.”
When do corporates go direct?
GENERALLY, says
chairperson for the
Global Business Travel
Association, Howard
Stephens, corporates will
decide to go direct based
on their size. While for a
smaller company it might
make sense to book direct,
much larger corporates
would have to set up their
own travel departments in
order to take the place of
the TMC if they chose to
go this route.
Howard says a buyer’s
reasoning for wanting to
deal direct with suppliers
might relate to the client’s
fear that the TMC is
putting deals through its
own preferred suppliers
rather than getting them
the best possible deals.
“Buyers want to make
sure deals are put through
the right channels,” he
says. This also relates
to whether or not the
suppliers used by the TMC
are of a certain standard.
It will ultimately always
come back to the bottom
line agrees, CWT’s Maria
Martins. She points out
that self service through
an online booking tool
provides a quick, efficient
solution with full visibility
of all possible fare options
for air travel rates for
accommodation and ground
transportation. “It is
proven that when travellers
make their own selection
they choose cheaper fares,
due to visual guilt,” she
says. “And with the instant,
automated approval
process in place, linked
to an online booking tool,
managers can ensure the
lowest fare options are
taken.”
Costs are also cut
through the lack of booking
and service fees, which
can add quite a bit to the
overall cost, says City
Lodge’s Peter Schoeman.
“Take a Road Lodge for
instance. A R550 room
night could become a
R750 room night after
booking and service fees.”
Greater control over
bookings is another
motivator for direct
bookings. “Flexibility over
weekends and holidays
as well as immediate
answers are some of the
reasons why clients might
choose to deal direct with
suppliers,” says Cresta’s
Glenn Stutchbury. He
points out that if an agent
is only available during
the week from 08h00
to 17h00 and an urgent
situation arises, the
corporate client cannot
afford to wait for business
hours.
“Technological
advancements have
simply made it easier for
individuals to make their
own reservations for
flights and hotels,”
he says.
The Birchwood Hotel’s
Kevin Clarence agrees,
saying that, ultimately,
when booking direct, the
client would have more
control over making sure
their requirements are met,
at the same time reducing
inefficiencies brought
about by barriers to
communication. “From our
experience, having another
party involved in the
chain of communication
can lead to confusion,
particularly when it comes
to booking conferences.
The marketing manager or
PA contacts the agent and
the agent then contacts
us. By the time the
corporate’s requirements
have reached us, there can
be important elements lost
in translation.”
Ensuring your value
ULTIMATELY, it should
be easy for agents to
demonstrate their worth to
corporates, because a good
TMC will compensate for
the cost of its fees through
the money it saves its
client.
“Unless a client has
minimal spend, few
travellers or a very simple
travel programme, the
value provided by a TMC
offering a full suite of travel
products, management
tools and programme
management, still realises
overall cost reduction and
business benefits to the
corporation and to the
travellers,” says CWT’s
Maria Martins.
Suppliers are quick to
recognise the value that a
good travel management
company brings to the
equation. “TMCs provide
the sort of end-to-end
solution, which includes
visa and other services
that corporates require,”
says Edward Frost, regional
commercial manager for
South and East Africa,
British Airways. “This is
particularly true in the case
of complex bookings and
multi-sector trips.”
City Lodge’s Peter
Schoeman agrees that the
value agents bring to the
equation relates primarily
to process flow. “It can
be easier to deal through
a travel agent if you are a
company with a lot of travel
requirements. Accounts can
also be easier to handle
through an agent,” he adds.
The relationships that
agents bring to the equation
are equally important. As
Cresta’s Glenn Stutchbury
points out, agents are
the experts. “They have
destination knowledge and
established relationships
with suppliers that a
corporate might not have.”
All of this doesn’t mean
agents won’t lose clients,
says Club Travel’s Wally
Gaynor, however he says
sometimes clients have
to leave their TMC to realise
their worth. “We have lost
accounts only to regain
them when they next go
out to tender. We recently
had a client who decided to
book a group direct through
an airline and was horrified
to discover that the airline
was not available 24/7.
The clients soon discovered
cheap can be expensive.
“The bottom line is, if you
know your stuff and charge
a fair price for what you do,
you will be fine.”
Top tips to show value
INDUSTRY experts have
combined their collective
knowledge to provide
agents with top tips for
making sure corporates
appreciate the value they
bring to corporate deals.
Make it personal, says
Club Travel’s Wally
Gaynor. “Know your
client, know their likes
and dislikes and give
them what they want but
also what they need.
Offer suggestions and
offer alternatives, charge
a fair price and be able
to justify what you do.
Often only when there
are problems do clients
actually realise the value
of a relationship with a
human being who cares.
When the chips are down,
try asking a computer for
help, or for that matter try
and get hold of someone
at an airline in times of
crisis.”
Share information that is
not known to the general
public and advice that the
customer probably didn’t
think of when searching
and comparing bookings
online, says TravelVision’s
Annemarie Lexow.
Be proactive and flexible,
says Cresta’s Glenn
Stutchbury. “Office hours
no longer apply. Agents
need to be available all
the time for their key
clients. Thanks to mobile
devices and technology in
travel, this is possible for
those who are prepared to
change with the changing
times.
The Birchwood Hotel’s
Kevin Clarence says
agents need to have a
full understanding of the
supplier’s offering and
the client’s requirements
to be able to construct
a deal that suits both
parties. Corporates have
very little time to give
and agents who prove
themselves reliable
and trustworthy are a
convenient time-saving
option, he says.
Newsflash
Professional Passenger Services has launched a new online
booking management tool, Tousca, to assist the travel
industry in sourcing superior suppliers of shuttles and
chauffeurs. The system went live on May 1. Tousca also
enables small- and medium-sized enterprises to function
professionally, explained Dorian Toussaint, ceo of Professional
Passenger Services. “The Tousca system is a single system
wherein any corporate, travel aggregator and online booking
tool can locate all their approved shuttle and chauffeur
suppliers, each with their own unique rates and offering,
and with our API will be able to embed the technology
into any online booking tool so that using Tousca will be a
seamless experience,” he added. Tousca is not an Uber-type
offering as it operates in the prebooked transport arena.
The technology is geared for worldwide use and Dorian said
he is looking at neighbouring countries as well as India,
Malaysia and Australia.
How to pitch for
corporate accounts
FOR an independent agent,
the idea of pitching for a
corporate account can be
daunting. Especially since,
most often, there is a lot
of research and paperwork
involved.
Lorrae Olofsson, director
of EQ Travel, an eTravel ITC
that manages a number
of different corporate
accounts, provided TNW with
advice for newcomers to the
corporate travel scene.
She says agents who
are considering taking on
corporate accounts should
be mindful of the fact that
this would be a difficult
endeavour without the
support of a consortium.
This has a great deal to do
with the fact that buying
power is an important
consideration when dealing
with corporate customers.
Other key services agents
should be sure they can
provide before venturing
into this space include
reporting, which can be
linked back to the agent’s
accounting processes.
Lorrae says they also need
to ensure they have all their
certificates in order and
up to date, including audit
and tax clearance, BEE,
Iata and Asata. “Corporates
will want to see all of
these documents and will,
in fact, conduct their own
due diligence on you,” she
cautions.
It’s worth noting that
corporates are also
generally looking for an
agent/small agency with
entrepreneurial flair as well
as one that can provide
significant value. Her
advice to agents preparing
to tender for a specific
corporate account is to do
their homework and find out
exactly what that company’s
needs are. “Sometimes the
client wants frills that they
don’t actually need,” she
says, adding that combining
your expertise as an
agent with comprehensive
research will often give
you a better idea of what
the corporate needs than
they have themselves. She
says this then becomes a
highly attractive proposal
to corporates, who are
ultimately looking for a
good consultant who can
save them money.
Going to tender
Unfortunately, there is no
one-size-fits-all solution
when prepping for the
tender process. Lorrae says
tenders come in all shapes
and sizes and that the
online applications often
require agents to upload all
requisite documents.
She says it’s a good idea
for agents to pick and
choose tenders according
to those they think will be
a good fit for their service
offering. “For example, if the
company is looking for an
in-house consultant, don’t
even bother.”
The research process
that follows the application
can be time consuming
and involves asking the
corporate a lot of questions
to be able to establish what
they really need. Lorrae
says a good example of this
would be establishing needs
when it comes to reporting,
and whether in the current
economic climate clients
actually need 16 different
people handling this
function, as they might think
they do.
Going to tender with the
backing of the consortium is
also a big help, says Lorrae.
She notes that it also helps
to take on board the right
partners, particularly when
it comes to the client’s
particular technology needs.
“The technology offering
is a very important part of
the tender. In particular,
corporates want to know
how you can help them
streamline their payment
process.”
Strict SLAs
When putting together the
actual agreement with their
prospective clients, agents
also need to be sure they
protect their own interests. In
particular, Lorrae says agents
should ensure that strict
service level agreements are
in place, leaving no room
for “scope creep” putting
agents in a position where
they are also providing a
secretarial service for which
they are not being paid.
“Agents should be very clear
on what the remuneration
model will look like, signing a
financial agreement upfront
which specifies that each
transaction that is completed
after hours has a specific
fee.”
She notes that some
corporates want to organise
the agreement to have a
management fee as well
as a service fee but in this
case, the fee should then
increase should the volume
of transactions increase.
It’s important that the
prospective client provides
the agent with an accurate
projection of their business
volumes and transactions
so that they can put together
an accurate financial
agreement.
It’s also important for
agents to know where to
pitch and when to let the
tender go. “Never undersell
yourself,” Lorrae cautions.
Helpful tips
Lorrae has the following
advice for agents looking to
clinch the agreement:
Make your presentation
punchy. Don’t use too many
slides.
Profile the company’s staff.
For example, if the company
has lots of millennials they
will almost certainly require
a mobile proposition.
Travel and entertainment
are two of the largest
spends for most companies
and, as such, often the
financial director is present.
In this case make sure you,
or someone with you, can
speak numbers.
Explain to them that the
value you as a TMC can
deliver will save them
money. In other words the
TMC pays for itself.
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Elite Concierge Service provides a dedicated concierge, available to an initial group of Elite
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the Ritz-Carlton Rewards increased flexibility and peace of mind, with checkout as late as 16h00.
“We’re evolving how we engage with, recognise and reward our loyal guests,” said Thom Kozik, vp of
loyalty at Marriott International. “Loyalty is not just about our members choosing to stay with us. We
want to make their travel more seamless and personalised and we also want to deliver memorable
experiences that go beyond the stay.” Marriott Rewards are available for stays in all 100 Protea Hotels
and African Pride Hotels.
Meeting must focus on expreriences
THE International Association
of Conference Centres (IACC),
the global professional
association representing smallto
medium-sized meeting
and conference venues, has
published the first research
of an initiative that aims to
determine future industry
needs.
IACC Meeting Room of
the Future was developed
to explore what the perfect
environment needs to
deliver exceptional meeting
experiences, with the first set
of research unveiled in New
York recently.
The research report
highlights that the meetings
industry is transitioning at
a rapid pace. “While the
overall objectives and goals
of meetings have generally
remained constant, there
are clear indicators that
the adoption and use of
technology, the physical
design of meeting space and
the emphasis on experience
creation will become
increasingly important,” said
Mark Cooper, IACC ceo.
“Compounding the pressure
on meeting planners to
adopt and incorporate these
tangible meeting elements
is the increased requirement
to demonstrate the value of
meetings to their leadership,
peers or clients while
simultaneously operating in
an environment of shrinking
budgets. It is critical for
meeting venues to respond
accordingly and provide those
elements that are increasingly
sought after and important to
the overall meeting objectives.”
He said the impact of
meeting venues on delegates’
productivity, creativity and
ability to respond to new ideas
and thinking was becoming
better understood.
According to the report,
75% of responding meeting
planners said that their current
role involved more “experience
creation” versus two-to-five
years ago, while over 77%
of respondents reported
that access to interactive
technologies such as tools
to encourage audience
participation, collaborative
communication platforms and
others, were more important
now. A total of 47% said
flexible meeting space was a
priority.
Mark said using these
indicators as a road map
for future trends, meeting
planners were predicting
an increased emphasis on,
and need for, select venue
elements. Currently, the
flexibility of meeting space
is the most important venue
element when evaluating
meeting space followed
by access to interactive
technology and networking
spaces adjacent to the
meeting/event space.
What do buyers look for in a TMC?
WHICH elements in the
corporate travel service
offering are most important
for TMCs to focus on? TNW
asked chairperson for the
GBTA, Howard Stephens, for
his advice on exactly what it
is corporates seek out in a
prospective travel partner.
Technology is an important
part of the TMC’s offering.
Howard points out that, as
a specialist, the TMC often
has access to far more
sophisticated technology
than the corporate and as
this technology does not
necessarily have to be kept
in-house with the corporate,
advanced technology can
easily provide agencies with
the edge they are looking for.
Key, says Howard, is for TMCs
to process travel queries
using technology to fulfil
this requirement, freeing up
consultants to focus on hightouch
aspects of travel.
“TMCs need to reinvent
themselves through both the
technology they provide and
their negotiating power,” he
advises. Negotiating power is
an important consideration
for corporates when deciding
on a TMC to partner with.
While Howard says it can
sometimes be problematic
when negotiating through a
TMC as most TMC technology
is linked directly to their own
list of preferred suppliers, it
can also be highly beneficial
for corporates, especially in
cases where the TMC is able
to negotiate a better rate
for the corporate than they
themselves can access.
Industry knowledge
In light of this, benchmarking
of the best average rates is
advantageous knowledge that
TMCs can bring to the party.
“During negotiations, TMCs
can definitely assist with
industry-type knowledge of the
best average rates that are
currently being offered in the
market,” says Howard, and,
in so doing, the agency can
assist its client to negotiate
best possible rates.
Information on and tracking
of spend is important to
corporates trying to cut back
on their travel spend. Howard
comments that it’s particularly
important for the TMC to be
able to tell its clients what
they are spending and where.
TMCs also need to
demonstrate their superior
travel knowledge to the
corporate – for example, he
says, in more specialised
areas like Africa, what do
corporates need to know?
Emergency services
Duty of care is becoming
an increasingly important
area for corporates and, as
such, Howard says the ability
on the part of the TMC to
provide a back-up emergency
service offering is a big selling
point. Most important for the
corporate, he says, is how to
get their people back if there
is an issue. “TMCs need to
know who the travellers are
and be able to get them out.”
Equally important is access
to a 24-hour emergency call
centre. Howard notes that
generally corporates also want
access to executive members
of the TMC in an emergency
situation. A dedicated key
account manager is another
important consideration
and this person should
be available in emergency
situations to meet with the
corporate to discuss the best
course of action.
Dedicated management
An individual within the TMC
who can provide the client
with dedicated focus is also of
significant value. Howard says
corporates value the top-level
expertise and support that
comes with an offering like this
and will be prepared to pay for
the dedicated attention.
In line with this, a
consultancy-based service
is also a strong selling point
for agencies. He says many
corporates are looking for a
travel partner who can act as
an adviser both on the travel
and conferencing front and
who is able to ask the right
questions. “For example, who
are your travellers and what
are they trying to achieve?”
Accurate pricing
Pricing is always going to
be an important area for
corporates and it’s very
important for the TMC’s
pricing to be just right. Howard
explains that the price needs
to compare favourably with
the cost of the corporate
managing travel themselves.
While corporates are willing
to pay for a service that is
valuable to them, the cost
charged by the TMC also
cannot be excessive.
This is where technology
again plays an important
role as it will enable the
TMC to charge a cheaper
price for processing travel
bookings and then charge
extra for the consulting
service they provide.
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of the company’s employees has travelled in the same month.
Agents can enter each time they enrol a company with an
employee travelling that month. There are four prizes on offer
each month. The draw for May happens on June 17 and for June
on July 15. To enter, agents need to enter the code OBZAPD16
when they enrol a company. Agents can find out more about
On Business at https://onbusiness.britishairways.com/web/ba.
Integrate ‘bleisure’ into corporate policy
THE bleisure trend
(combining business and
leisure) is taking South Africa
by storm. An increasing
number of corporates have
indicated that they are ready
to spice up their business
trips with some leisure time.
According to a survey
recently conducted by
Thompsons Travel among its
most loyal corporate clients,
more than two-thirds (67%)
of respondents have already
combined business and
leisure trips in the past. And
they’ve enjoyed it so much,
they’re keen to embark on
other bleisure trips in the
next three years.
Let’s face it, with so many
professionals adopting an
‘always on’ working style –
toting their business mobile
devices everywhere they
go – blurring lines between
business and pleasure just
makes sense.
Businesses have definitely
seen the positive impact
bleisure can have on the
motivation, satisfaction
and productivity of their
employees. However, many
companies have yet to
address the subject in their
travel policies.
There are a few reasons
why companies should
consider integrating bleisure
into the corporate policy.
Firstly, there’s the prickly
issue of who will foot the bill
when the employee decides
to change into his swimming
trunks for a few days on the
beach after his meetings are
done and dusted.
Although the vast majority
of South African corporate
staff (83%) say they are
happy to pay for their leisure
extension out of their own
pockets, it’s better to outline
all the details clearly in the
travel policy to avoid any
confusion.
Another important issue
to address is travel risk
management. Who is
ultimately financially and
legally responsible when the
traveller extends his or her
business trip and there is an
emergency ‘off the clock’?
According to a recent
Collinson study, almost a
third (31%) of companies say
employees aren't protected
during those bleisure days
by the company’s travel risk
policy. It’s a scary thought
that employees could be
spending added time abroad
in the misguided belief that
they are protected when
they’re not. And therefore, it
is important that this issue
is addressed in the corporate
travel policy.
10 top tips
How can clients include
bleisure in their corporate
policy? Here are 10 tips to
help them get started:
1 Clients should announce
company-wide that they
will be adding bleisure
guidelines into the
corporate travel policy.
2 They should establish
clear guidelines for what
is considered leisure
and what isn’t. These
guidelines can be the
basis to indicate who
will pay for what.
3 Clients need to
establish clear
processes and tools
to separate business
expenses from leisure
expenses.
4 They should add
guidelines from the
company’s insurer
or broker on what
exactly is, or is not,
backed by the terms and
conditions of
the company
insurance policy.
5 If the company
decided to cover
the employee during
leisure days under
the company’s risk
management policy, it
should stipulate that
employees will only be
covered for travel that
doesn’t represent a
significant departure
from their original travel
itinerary. High-risk
destinations should be
off limits.
6 If the company
provides insurance
for employees during
their leisure break,
employees must
agree to adhere to
certain duty-of-care
measures, such as
risk assessment and
tracking.
7 The client should
consider limiting the
number of days that
can be taken for leisure
purposes to contain the
risk to the individual
and the company.
8 Advise clients to
decide whether
there are any limits
to leisure travel
activities. They
should outline which
activities are off
limits for business
travellers, even during
the extended days of
their trip.
9 Companies must
give clear guidelines
on where corporate
travellers can book
their additional leisure
days. Employees
should be advised
to use the corporate
booking tool or to
speak to the TMC.
10 Clients should share
special holiday deals
or leisure add-on
options with their
employees. Our
study showed that
more than half of
companies
don’t communicate
these specials with
their staff.
Discounted rates!
City Lodge offers Clicks Club Card holders discounts when
staying at hotels within the group. Clients can get 5% off
from Monday to Thursday and 30% off rack rates from Friday
to Sunday. The group also offers its Spouse on the House
weekend rate and its TeamScheme group weekend rate, which is
applicable to group bookings for four rooms or more where two
people are sharing.
SMEs tap into technology to save on travel
WHILE large corporate companies
have a designated travel person or
department, as well as a sizeable
travel budget, the same cannot be said
of smaller businesses. However, this
does not mean that they cannot make
the most of the latest technological
solutions, especially if they have
partnered with the right TMC.
Technology plays a pivotal role in
assisting SMEs to compete with
other national and international
organisations. A study commissioned
by Microsoft and undertaken by the
Boston Consulting Group found that
information and communication
technology gave smaller businesses a
competitive advantage.
The study comprised 4 000 SMEs
in the US, Germany, China, India and
Brazil, and found that entrepreneurs
who were early technology adopters
increased their annual revenues 15%
faster than their competitors. Another
important benefit of properly utilising
technology is that it helps buyers and
SMEs save time, as it alleviates a great
deal of admin.
Tourvest Travel Services has realised
that the vital SME market segment
can benefit from powerful cost-saving
tools that were initially developed for
the larger corporate market. This is
according to Tourvest Travel Services
chief sales officer, Wayne Muirhead.
“These solutions allow SMEs to access
a wide range of low fares and prices
across all travel categories (air, car and
hotel) for domestic and international
travel,” he says.
Tourvest’s technology solution offers
the following:
Online approval – all bookings need
to be approved before tickets are
issued. The benefit is that buyers can
hold the availability and price while
waiting for the travel authoriser to
approve.
Online quoting systems that enable
bookers to compare various flight
options.
24/7 support and service
from trained travel experts and
consultants.
Policy control to limit the choice the
SME employees have when booking
travel in line with travel budgets.
Simple reporting to track spend by
traveller, cost centre, access to online
invoices and statements.
“This solution incorporates ease
of set up and implementation, while
simultaneously catering for simple
business rules and negotiated vendor
deals. Our strategic and preferred
vendors have provided content and
pricing to meet these target market
objectives,” says Wayne.
Move with mobile
Meanwhile, he says mobile is where
the world is moving, and to ensure
clients have access to Tourvest’s
travel solution wherever they are, it is
accessible through the web and smart
devices. “Clients that use the product
save in excess of 30% on their travel
bill, and we have rolled this product out
to over 50 SME clients.”
Meanwhile, Wayne says the SME
market has been largely serviced by
airlines, car-rental and hotel companies,
which offer standard public fares to
both the leisure traveller and the SME
market.
“OTAs also provided the SME market
with online comparisons of rates across
various vendors,” he adds. However,
the corporate market makes use of
traditional travel consultants, TMCs,
and technology, as well as the use of
sophisticated online travel management
companies to assist them manage and
control their large travel spends.
The latest technology solutions for
SMEs include high-tech online travel
management solutions, according to
Uniglobe Travel ceo, Mike Gray.
These solutions include the following
features:
Online and mobile requisitioning and
trip planning.
Online and mobile requisition
approval.
Online booking systems.
Online ticketing and itineraries.
Mobile itineraries that are updated
in real-time with trip delays, changes,
weather, and extra information like
maps, as well as ground travel
alternatives like Uber, taxis, rail and
bicycles.
Online travel management reports,
which include duty-of-care, passenger,
and security reports.
Mike says the best solution for an
SME includes all of these features.
“Other simple solutions can be
implemented, which only incorporate
some of these features. These simpler
solutions should be used when a travel
buyer is only seeking an approval
system or an itinerary solution.”
Wings Travel Management Business
Development head, Corporate subSaharan
Africa, Kim Parker, says a
simple solution allows SMEs – who
would normally make an Internet
booking directly with airlines, hotels
and car suppliers – to consolidate and
manage their travel on an easy-to-use
technology platform that assists with
travel policy management, approval
workflow and reporting.
Brichwood launches new product
BIRCHWOOD Hotel and OR Tambo
Conference Centre has launched
a new product for corporate
travellers looking to make use of
the property’s conference facilities
while saving on accommodation.
ValuStay@Birchwood is a
designated portion of the
Birchwood - located close to
the reception area. It is made
up of 96 of the hotel’s smallest
rooms. Birchwood director,
Kevin Clarence, told TNW that
these rooms have showers
only – no baths – and are
priced appropriately from about
R525pps, but they still offer
guests access to all of the hotel’s
facilities.
“We launched this product
to serve the demands of our
price-sensitive clientele who
said they liked the property but
needed a better rate on their
accommodation,”
he said.
“We can now say we offer a
four-star product in Silverbirch@
Birchwood for the discerning
individual business traveller,
a three-star product at the
Birchwood Hotel itself which
caters for large groups and a
two-star product in ValuStay@
Birchwood,” said Kevin.
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