Business Travel News - December 15, 2008 - (Page 25) NEWS Assessing Booking Tool Choice Continued from page 1 ed Kingdom, there are no issues. In Expert opinion as to whether to France, there have been with bookchoose a single or multiple tools is ing SNCF, the French national rail mixed, but two travel managers company, but now they are testing a whose companies use Sabre’s Get- new link. It does not solve the rail There online booking tool globally issue for us, but 90 percent of our said they consider consolidation to transactions in France are for air be paramount. and hotel, so our rail requirement is “Our policy of using single global not as big as it is for other compatravel suppliers and processes pro- nies. It is not a good enough reason vides material net benefits in consis- for us to find a separate tool.” tency, simplicity and leverage and, According to Heston, the benefits of course, cost savof a single worldwide ings,” said Keith tool are consolidated Mullineux, EMEA recontracting, air bookgional travel manager ing, hotel booking, for General Electric. data and support. She “While there may be also believes it wins certain local disadher greater influence. vantages, these are “If you partner with more than outa supplier on a broad weighed by the overbasis, you can drive all advantages.” initiatives with them French professionto a much greater exGE’S KEITH MULLINEUX al media and entertent than if you just Single tool nets benefits tainment services use it in America,” group Thomson uses said Heston. GetThere in 32 countries, predomTom Wilkinson, president of TRW inantly in the United States, Canada, Consulting, can see both sides of the Mexico, France and the United King- argument. “It really depends on travdom. Global travel manager Cindy el patterns and how much travel will Heston said travel managers should not be bookable online with only one concentrate on whether a tool meets system,” he said. “It is a lot easier to their main objectives in their major work with a single vendor, such as countries of operation. one travel management company “GetThere met those require- and one GDS. If a company already ments for us,” she said. “In the Unit- has made a lot of compromises in the interests of process standardi- ropean booking tools, such as KDS zation, it seems odd to create an ex- or Amadeus E-Travel Management, ception for online booking tools. The are better-equipped technologicalcompany would need separate sys- ly to cross the Atlantic than their tem administration functions for, U.S. rivals, but winning over the U.S. and variations in, the work flow market has remained elusive. “It has around each tool. always been a challenge to play in “On the other hand, for what I be- someone else’s park,” said Rose. “I lieve are more sophisticated com- don’t think the European tools are panies that vary services, technolo- inadequate. It is more of a marketing gy and policies in different regions or and distribution issue.” countries, it would not be much Amadeus multinational customer more difficult to administer multi- group vice president Albert Pozo ple tools,” Wilkinson said. “The pay- agreed with Rose that poor fulfilloff would be allowing travelers to ment support among American book a higher percentage of their TMCs has been the central problem, travel online. It may be good value to even though the Amadeus booking invest in multiple, best-of-breed tool can run off GDSs other than its tools in different regions.” own. “From a technological point of Travel Tech Consulting president view, Amadeus is very well-fitted for Norm Rose said travel managers North America,” said Pozo, “but it must ascertain which approach is is true that TMCs don’t have the inbest for their business. “If I were a frastructure to support Amadeus.” travel manager getting pushback, I Pozo urged U.S. TMCs to reconsidwould do an audit and ask what is er whether they should support a missing here,” he said. “Then I’d say tool for which there is considerable to the vendors, here is a service-lev- demand in Europe. el agreement to deal with these isSince the world is waiting for sues. If you don’t fix it, American tools to finthen we will go some- For the latest breaking news, ish playing catch-up in see btnonline.com/bn where else.” Europe and European Rose said a single booking tool tools to gain traction in the United would aid the pursuit of globally con- States, Pozo views the single versus solidated management information, multiple vendor debate as a quesbut he doubts this would be achieved tion of time. “The long-term strateunless the company also has a glob- gy should be to create efficiencies al travel policy mandate and ad- through a single solution and deep vanced consolidation of such other integration,” he said, “but companies intermediaries as card providers. need to consider interim tactical Several sources said that the Eu- steps to provide local solutions.” ■ Budgets Stay Low Continued from page 1 travel transactions, including aggressive pushes toward remote conferencing and meetings and travel reductions and freezes, are expected to continue. “In the United States, there is no question it’s going to take a little while. People aren’t resetting their budgets in the first quarter to normal levels,” said BCD Travel executive vice president of global business solutions, sales and marketing Louise Miller. “The days of having an annual budget and quarterly forecasts were pretty important, but I think we’re down to monthly forecasts.” HRG CEO David Radcliffe following the company’s half-year results for the period ending Sept. 30 said, “None of us have seen anything tional Business Travel Association survey publike this before. For the first time in 38 years, I am lished in October said they expect business travbeing cautious in how I am reading the following el to decrease for the rest of 2008 and into 2009. quarter.” After a 10.8 percent revenue growth FCm Travel Solutions in a 2009 outlook statefor the period, HRG’s October ment released this month and November client revsaid, “Demand for corporate enues are down 3 percent. travel in the short term is likeMeanwhile, the Travel Inly to experience further redustry Association projects a ductions, particularly in soft2.7 percent business travel deening markets, such as the mand decline next year folUnited States and United lowing this year’s estimated 4 Kingdom. However, as more percent decline (BTNonline, companies improve their poliBCD’S LOUISE MILLER cies, travel activity could staOct.30) EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT In an Egencia survey of 500 bilize later in 2009.” business travelers fielded in International transactions October and released last month, 46 percent ex- in October dropped 13 percent year over year, pect to travel less next year, and 49 percent of according to ARC’s travel agency sales summaContinued on page 26 230 business travel buyer respondents in a Na- “People are not resetting their budgets in the first quarter to normal levels.” Business Travel News www.BTNonline.com Monday, December 15, 2008 25 http://www.btnonline.com/bn http://www.BTNonline.com
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Business Travel News - December 15, 2008 Business Travel News - December 15, 2008 Contents Inside Track Profiles In Travel Mgmt Forum Aviation Lodging Ground Transportation Travel Management Meetings Today Washington Wire Business Travel News - December 15, 2008 Business Travel News - December 15, 2008 - Business Travel News - December 15, 2008 (Page 1) Business Travel News - December 15, 2008 - Business Travel News - December 15, 2008 (Page 2) Business Travel News - December 15, 2008 - Contents (Page 3) Business Travel News - December 15, 2008 - Inside Track (Page 4) Business Travel News - December 15, 2008 - Inside Track (Page 5) Business Travel News - December 15, 2008 - Profiles In Travel Mgmt (Page 6) Business Travel News - December 15, 2008 - Profiles In Travel Mgmt (Page 7) Business Travel News - December 15, 2008 - Profiles In Travel Mgmt (Page 8) Business Travel News - December 15, 2008 - Profiles In Travel Mgmt (Page 9) Business Travel News - December 15, 2008 - Forum (Page 10) Business Travel News - December 15, 2008 - Forum (Page 11) Business Travel News - December 15, 2008 - Forum (Page 12) Business Travel News - December 15, 2008 - Forum (Page 13) Business Travel News - December 15, 2008 - Aviation (Page 14) Business Travel News - December 15, 2008 - Aviation (Page 15) Business Travel News - December 15, 2008 - Lodging (Page 16) Business Travel News - December 15, 2008 - Lodging (Page 17) Business Travel News - December 15, 2008 - Ground Transportation (Page 18) Business Travel News - December 15, 2008 - Ground Transportation (Page 19) Business Travel News - December 15, 2008 - Travel Management (Page 20) Business Travel News - December 15, 2008 - Meetings Today (Page 21) Business Travel News - December 15, 2008 - Meetings Today (Page 22) Business Travel News - December 15, 2008 - Meetings Today (Page 23) Business Travel News - December 15, 2008 - Meetings Today (Page 24) Business Travel News - December 15, 2008 - Meetings Today (Page 25) Business Travel News - December 15, 2008 - Washington Wire (Page 26) Business Travel News - December 15, 2008 - Washington Wire (Page 27) Business Travel News - December 15, 2008 - Washington Wire (Page 28)
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