Our People Our Service: Nikita
From stepping into the travel industry fresh out of school to managing some of the most intricate travel programs, Nikita, FCM Account Manager, has spent the past decade perfecting business travel management.
Navigating client portfolios
With one of FCM New Zealand’s biggest and most varied portfolios, Nikita manages travel for government departments to global organisations, each with its quirks. Some follow traditional business travel habits, while others are a little more unconventional.
I have one client with some of the most complex itineraries I’ve ever seen. Their travellers often travel to out-of-the-box international destinations. They range from business pros to families and teenagers, and more often than not, they are first-time travellers.
This means their needs go beyond the typical corporate travel experience. My role is about understanding the why behind each trip and engaging in open communication to come up with solutions that meet their goals and budgets, even when travel is booked at the last minute.
Tackling pain points
Corporate travel isn’t one-size-fits-all, and Nikita has seen how simple changes can transform a program.
For one client, their booking process was clunky and time-consuming. They were emailing consultants for quotes, which created delays and extra fees. By encouraging the use of FCM’s online booking tool, SAVI, their people can now self-serve, instantly see all their options and costs, make decisions in real-time, and send approvals through. It’s a huge time-saver and has made their program much more efficient.
Another win has been reintroducing FCM tools like Savi Select, which simplifies the decision-making process between bookers and travellers.
With Savi Select, bookers can share flight, hotel, or car rental options with travellers before making the booking. These travellers can then choose their preferences and accept with one click. For one client, it eliminated the back-and-forth emails and gave travellers more control over their experience. It’s been a big win for everyone involved.
A forum for feedback & sharing
Understanding the pressures faced by travel bookers, Nikita organises workshops to provide a platform to empower open discussions and collaboration.
Bookers in larger companies often work in silos, juggling multiple itineraries with little collaboration. By creating a space to connect, share best practices, and troubleshoot pain points, we help them streamline their processes and get more out of FCM’s tools and services
The insights from these sessions don’t just benefit clients, they also help refine FCM’s offerings.
The feedback we gather in these workshops is invaluable. It helps refine our services and sometimes even influences FCM Platform development.
Turning feedback into referrals
Impressed by FCM’s service, Nikita, one of her long-term clients, recommended another business to FCM and specifically requested Nikita as their account manager.
Their travel bookers used to independently manage travel for all senior leaders, which was time-consuming and inefficient. Now, with FCM, travellers can book for themselves, freeing up employee time and reducing stress. Consolidating their bookings into one platform has also given them solid visibility over their spend and movements and provided greater duty of care. It's been a total game-changer for them.
Building relationships that last
For Nikita, great account management is about collaboration and adaptability. Quarterly reviews, impromptu calls, in-person meetings, and bringing the right FCM subject matter experts in when needed.
No two clients are the same, and that's what makes this role so rewarding. Most industries are worlds apart, but their challenges can often overlap, and that's where our experience comes in. As the industry evolves, FCM evolves too, and it's all about bringing our customers along on that journey, and sharing information.