Author Archives: Jay Campbell
As interesting as the next new thing can be, sometimes it’s the boring old stuff that needs attention. Core processes, data capture, spend management. Yawn. When Germany-based Conichi hit the market four years ago, its mobile app leveraged beacons and personalization, and facilitated digital hotel room door opening. The company’s focus is different now. Conichi still provides some of those… Read More »
Despite the priority of safety and security for business travelers, few employers comprehensively vet the hotels they use. It’s time-consuming and expensive. Two new organizations are helping with the task, joining the longer-established Safehotels Alliance. Ugosafe hopes in September to launch its evaluation program covering Africa. It’s an initiative of Paris-area hospitality security company S2H (Smart Security for… Read More »
Sabre intended to sunset its old traveler profile system by 2013, but Stars is still shining. The company of late told travel management company users they would be charged if they did not set a date for migration to the new(er) Sabre Profiles. “We have not charged anyone to date,” said Sabre Travel Network vice president of product management… Read More »
Boston-based LogMeIn roughly tripled its revenue and employees via acquisitions since sourcing pro Jean Johnson joined the tech firm nearly two years ago. As director of global procurement, Johnson consolidated from seven travel management companies to one. Frosch’s mobile technology helped distinguish it from other bidders. LogMeIn also is rolling out Concur Travel as part of a travel program… Read More »
Chatbot maker 30SecondsToFly accepted an unspecified investment from eGlobalfares, a dozen-year-old fare search tech provider that serves a few hundred travel agencies globally. The deal also extends 30Seconds’ strategy to market to travel management companies. The partnership enables eGlobalfares customers to offer public and proprietary fares through the Claire chatbot to business travelers. Claire is available by SMS,… Read More »
CCRA’s Dic Marxen sees corporate travel agent salaries rising by double-digit percentages because of the profession’s aging workforce and dearth of new labor. He wasn’t surprised to see Travel Leaders Group this month create a scholarship program for military veterans. Marxen had a similar idea three years ago that died at the feet of federal bureaucracy, but he isn’t… Read More »
No one spends more on travel for work than the U.S. military. Its mission to modernize how it goes about that has taken a new turn now that the U.S. Department of Defense is looking for its next partners. Defense expects by the end of September to select vendors for travel booking, expense management and travel management company support.… Read More »