Business Travel News CT 100 2008 Resource Guide

Cisco Putting Social Networking To Work T through which travelers could opine on preferred vendors or question policy. Through the tool’s messaging capabilities, travelhe adoption of Web 2.0 technology ers who book a trip for an internal meeting are into its managed corporate travel prooffered four travel alternatives, including Cisco’s gram has eased the massive change TelePresence facilities and its management process for 66,000 WebEx employees, help to significantly shrink Webconferencing tools. Thereafter, managerial internal travel and provided Cisco approval is required to allow such a trip. Previously, Systems’ travel and meetings team a real-time approval was required for all travel. automated conduit from its customers—the Cisco “We were managing to the rule and not to the traveler population. Director of travel, meetings & exception,” said Lichtenstein “To be successful, if events Susan Lichtenstein, who joined Cisco in somebody is following the rules, we need to let August 2007, has overseen the new communicathem keep going and give great metrics to report tions initiative for the $458 million global travel proback to managers. Now, instead of getting approval gram by leveraging internal resources, actively proon 100 percent of the tickets, maybe we get ducing content and building a travel management approval on 20 percent, but it’s much easier to concommunications framework to promote policy and tinue to improve the program when you see what preferred vendor compliance. the exceptions are.” After rolling out a new Cisco’s travel team quickened its pace using the global travel policy for the social networking approach by providing online training first time in 10 years in April, through Webinars and video on Cisco has phased one demand and reaching out to region into the new policy monthly and continued to thousands of travelers without deploy its online booking tool. e-mailing, making phone calls Within the first month of the or traveling to all corners of the policy rollout, the travel forum globe. became the most viewed site For example, Cisco recently became one of the in the San Jose, Calif.-based SUSAN LICHTENSTEIN first corporations to deploy company, receiving about CISCO SYSTEMS an online booking program in 10,000 hits. In the policy Russia. “We are able to comsection alone, there were municate with all of Russia at 6,000 views. one time through our Web 2.0 technology, instead Lichtenstein administrates her own weekly blog of sending 10 people there to train them,” with three running topics, such as obtaining a visa. Lichtenstein said. A travel team member answers posts within a 24hour period. If a topic question is posted multiple Social networking within a managed travel program environment has been slow in taking off for times, it is compiled into a message thread or the frequently asked questions page. many corporations, as such issues as the cost of administration and enabling travelers to comment The new policy married with the social networking format has driven down internal travel and furnegatively on preferred vendors or policy are at the forefront of the debate, but Lichtenstein said the ther standardized travel processes globally, which applications’ growth is inevitable. has aided in a companywide savings goal of more “Generation Y is here and this is the way people than 20 percent of global travel costs. communicate today,” she said. “Don’t be afraid to Lichtenstein drew not only on the Cisco travel and meeting and events team, which merged last year, do this internally in your company. People want that instant gratification. They want a place they can go but also leveraged a cross-departmental team from corporate communications, marketing, internal projon their time, 24/7. They want responses immediect managers and IT to help build the forums and ately if they can have them. They want to be heard administrate the process. and talk to people in the company, not just me. They Lichtenstein also had Cisco’s preferred online want to talk to each other.” ■ booking tool, GetThere, add feedback applications By Seth Harris By Seth Harris 16 September 8, 2008 www.BTNonline.com Business Travel News “ “ We are able to communicate with all of Russia at one time through our Web 2.0 technology. http://www.BTNonline.com

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