What do clients want from a TMC?

TRANSPARENCY features

high on the agenda of

qualities that corporate

travellers and travel buyers

are looking for when

choosing a TMC.

During a customer panel

discussion Kele Mohale,

travel manager of Liberty;

Merril Isherwood, specialist

travel manager of SARS;

Howard Stephens, retired

travel manager of Nedbank;

and Richard Whitfield of

T-Systems South Africa,

agreed that a corporate

travel procurement manager

would not hesitate to pay the

price for the TMC’s services

as long as the TMC could

demonstrate its value. “The

corporate will pay as long

as they understand what

value they receive in return,”

Kele said. She added that

it was important that TMCs

be transparent about the

costs. “If your client finds

out you’ve been lying about

overrides or commissions,

he’ll start wondering what

else he’s not being told,”

she said.

True value comes in many

different forms, depending

on who the client is,

Richard said. As a travel

professional, the TMC should

be able to interpret the

data it obtains and advise

the corporate accordingly.

“We rely on you as the

travel industry experts to

advise us. If you see we

are spending too much

money on the wrong booking

methods, come and advise

us. Tell us how we can save

money and bring down our

travel spend. That is where

we’ll start to see value in the

TMC,” he said.

Howard added that TMCs

should engage with their

clients on a strategic level.

They should look at their

clients’ expansion and

advise them on the best

way forward for their travel

policies and decisions.

“Build relationships with your

clients. Don’t do everything

by email; sit down and talk

to your clients.”

Clients can and will

use technology to do the

simpler things faster and

more efficiently, for example

booking a domestic ticket.

However, they still needed

the TMC’s expertise when

they were faced with

lost baggage, visas and

destination management,

said Merril. “Spend time on

those issues. Clients want

you to align yourself with

them on a strategic level and

understand what is required

to enable them to reach

their goals and objectives.