Bringing competition and rewards into travel programs is a debatable practice. Some don’t see reason enough to incentivize employees for following the rules. Others see room to drive engagement and policy compliance in a fun, employee-centric way — and save money at the same time. For those leaning toward the latter mindset, Philips Latin America…
Technological prowess can set up a company for success, but usually not by itself. The best-performing companies don’t lose sight of what customers need or how employees can deliver it, and that means cultivating a culture to empower both groups. ARC vice president and chief information officer Dickie Oliver offers tips to companies trying to…
The dynamic world of corporate travel keeps all involved on their toes. It’s not just the nature of travel — delays, cancellations and a multitude of other complications. It’s also the business of travel. Travel management practitioners must consider how new processes, evolving supplier strategies and emerging technologies impact their programs. As such, Brandon Strauss…
As the managed travel community gets a better grasp on what NDC is and why airlines are gung-ho about it, the focus turns to enabling. For travel management companies, the linchpin for corporate travel programs, there’s much to consider. Mary Ellen George of Tramada Systems lays out the different ways TMCs are approaching NDC development…
Duane Futch during a 40-year career has been an aviation and travel management executive. He’s currently CEO of Global Travel and Aviation Solutions, a consultancy he founded, and an industry speaker. Through all those experiences he’s discovered that many travel management professionals lack well-rounded views of the hows and whys of corporate governance and executive…
Reauthorizing the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration is never easy. Many times in the past, Congress punted and settled for an extension. This year, a new multi-year bill finally worked its way through both the Senate and House of Representatives. The American Society of Travel Advisors has been all over it, engaging with policymakers to lobby…
The debate on how to appropriately incorporate artificial intelligence into everyday life will become more intense as the robots get smarter. There are moral as well as practical questions, but also safety concerns. First written down by Isaac Asimov 75 years ago, the first of Three Laws of Robotics states that “a robot may not…
Dashboards and other methods of visualizing data have gained popularity in travel management. With the reams of data that a travel program generates, any way to better sort through and make sense of it is welcome. PredictX North America EVP and managing director Tom Tulloch thinks data visualization has a place in corporate travel, but…
Corporate travel veteran Steve Reynolds is a hotel rate wonk, and you’re the beneficiary. Read on as the Tripbam founder dissects the arguments surrounding dynamic versus fixed rates, just as many corporate programs are in the thick of securing preferred pricing for next year. Our industry has been discussing the potential for years: Why not…
There are lots of buzzwordy technologies coming to the fore. We use many of them in our everyday lives whether or not we realize it, and they are making their way to corporate travel. Some real-world applications already are in play while other use cases are just now starting to emerge. Lumo chief commercial officer…
There’s a common concern that as professionals from older generations wrap up their careers, the corporate travel profession won’t find enough younger talent to fill all those positions. Many expect the deficiency to hit both travel agents and corporate managers. Travel industry veteran Vic Pynn is focused on addressing the problem. He’s worked for American…
There are many lessons to learn by looking through travel program data. The more you dig, the more insights you’ll pick up. Travel Leaders Corporate president Gabe Rizzi lays out some of the genres you should read up on and describes how each can help optimize travel program management. Corporate travel managers today have a…
There is a lot of talk about overhauling aspects of the managed travel ecosystem. Decades-old technology in some cases is giving way to open systems meant to more efficiently connect buyers, suppliers and intermediaries. There’s no shortage of ideas, but there isn’t as much action as some would like to see. TravelCast Consulting managing partner…
The New Distribution Capability furnished by the International Air Transport Association is several years in the making. At least a few more are required for the industry at large to realize the intended benefit — more control for airlines in how they create and retail their services across the spectrum of distribution channels. AmTrav CEO…
Innovation is a common topic in The Company Dime’s From The Field series. While some welcome new ideas more than others, anyone can be confused by their influence on the intricate business travel technology ecosystem. Mary Ellen George of Tramada Systems argues that things are getting more complicated and offers some guidance — handy checklist…
