Commentary
With Thanks To Our Editorial Board
A subcommittee of The Company Dime‘s Buyers Council, the Editorial Board is charged with reviewing ideas and Op Ed columns submitted for consideration by outside contributors, suggesting topics and collaboratively writing viewpoints of its own. Current members are Pedro Ceron, Kelly Christner, Nicole Del Sesto, Prashanth Kuchibhotla, Steven Mandelbaum and Harriet Washburn.
Op Ed
In their Op Eds, industry leaders contribute commentary for publication to the business travel audience outside our paywall. We task these contributors to focus on opinion, analysis and education rather than marketing. We do not accept payment for submissions. Since starting this program in 2018, we’ve published more than 100 Op Eds by dozens of guest authors. You are encouraged to contribute to the dialogue by commenting on posts. Want to go a step further and become a contributor? Email us for more details. There is no charge for participation, but it does come with some requirements. Thanks to all our authors!
Op Ed: Atyab Bhatti On Getting *A Little* Technical With AI, Part Three: What We Know And Don’t Know About The Inner Workings Of Transformers
SkyLink CEO and co-founder Atyab Bhatti delivers his third slightly high-tech post about artificial intelligence. In recent years, large language models (LLMs) and generative AI systems built on transformer architectures have taken the world by storm with their impressive natural language capabilities. From engaging in human-like dialogue to crafting content to even coding, these systems “understand” language…
Op Ed: Jeff Klee On The Fork In The Road For Global Distribution Systems
AmTrav CEO Jeff Klee has some advice for GDSs looking to maintain their positions as pre-eminent corporate travel tech providers. He suggests they embrace new data formats, expand content aggregation into more corners and make things simpler for users. The story of Kodak is a cautionary tale about a once-great company whose leaders misunderstood its…
Op Ed: Atyab Bhatti On Getting *A Little* Technical With AI, Part Two: Personalization
SkyLink CEO and co-founder Atyab Bhatti is back with another slightly high-tech post about artificial intelligence. Artificial Intelligence is changing the way we approach personalization across industry verticals, including corporate travel. By leveraging generative AI, organizations can provide personal, delightful experiences for their travelers, enhancing satisfaction while meaningfully reducing costs. Machine learning is an AI…
Op Ed: Jonathan Hamblett On Chasing Corporate Travel’s SMB Market
Industry veteran Jonathan Hamblett responds to Cornerstone Information Systems CEO Mat Orrego’s Sept. 12 Op Ed about lessons learned from selling business travel and expense management solutions to small and medium-sized businesses. Hamblett positions himself as a little more hopeful than some readers and shares his lessons as a founding team member at Upside Travel,…
Op Ed: Mat Orrego On Lessons Learned From Chasing Corporate Travel’s SMB Market
Mat Orrego, CEO of Cornerstone Information Systems, shares some pointers that might help new entrants or other tech companies in travel or expense management as they pursue the small and medium-sized market. The small and medium-sized business (SMB) market within corporate travel is an enticing prospect for many companies in our space. This segment seems…
Op Ed: Atyab Bhatti On Getting *A Little* Technical With AI, Part One: LLM Overview
SkyLink CEO and co-founder Atyab Bhatti provides this overview of some key concepts to kick off a series of slightly high-tech posts about artificial intelligence. Notorious for its multiple complexities, corporate travel is slowly bowing to the transformative capabilities of artificial intelligence (AI). A breakthrough in that revolution is generative AI, an innovation backed by…
Op Ed: Matthew Newton On Removing Algorithmic Bias In Pursuit Of Equitable Travel
Having seen up close the dangers of algorithmic bias in artificial intelligence, CWT’s Matthew Newton has some suggestions for risk mitigation. Artificial intelligence is being deployed at scale in business travel management, with algorithms changing the game for service consistency, efficiency and cost-effectiveness. But this watershed moment threatens to unleash a monster. Algorithmic bias in…
Op Ed: Scott Gillespie On The Case For Carbon-Acceptable Airfares
Consultant Scott Gillespie of tClara has spent a lot of time examining high- and low-value trips, and advocating for travel policies that account for that distinction. It’s not just about cutting down on wasteful spending; he also implores companies to consider business travel’s environmental impact. In his latest contribution, Gillespie does some math to depict…
Op Ed: Jeff Klee On Not-So-Unintended Consequences Of Traditional TMC Pricing
The always vocal Jeff Klee, CEO of AmTrav, revisits the thorny issue of travel management company pricing. Even travel buyers who feel it needs to change and would like to address longstanding issues of trust aren’t sold on the potential solutions. A friend of mine had a “WTF” moment the other day and called to…