CASE STUDY
Global media company transforms its business travel programme
Key Highlights
A leading global news and media organisation needed a new travel management company to guide them through significant business travel challenges. The client identified several inconsistencies in their travel programme in these areas:
- Pricing
- Customer service
- Risk management
These inconsistencies resulted in leakage (travellers booking outside of the managed travel programme) and a compliance level of just 42%. At these levels, travel data could not tell the real story, giving the organisation no clear insight into their travel and expense spending.
Business travel challenges
Navigating through a maze of travel management hurdles, the organisation encountered several critical challenges:
- Difficulty tracking travellers, impacting contingency plans in the event of disruptions
- Challenges assessing the company’s environmental impact from travel
- Inadequate travel management data for identifying savings and efficiency improvements
- Diminished leverage in supplier negotiations due to fragmented travel booking
Travel management priorities and solutions
FCM consulted with the company to identify and understand its key business objectives and priorities. These included:
- Consolidation
- Effective booking process
- Traveller tracking
- Data analysis to identify missed savings
We then carefully considered the best booking solutions and worked with the client to create a customised transition plan that included:
- Streamlining the booking process
- Updating and mandating the travel policy
- Enhancing traveller and travel arranger training
- Implementing effective traveller tracking
- Improving reporting and data analysis capabilities
Communication = a successful travel programme roll-out
FCM led a structured approach to implementation based on our experience managing transition plans with other clients. Weekly calls and monthly face-to-face meetings were held to maintain project momentum.
Engaging the travelling community was a key part of the new programme’s roll-out, including:
- Active engagement with travellers and key stakeholders
- Tailored pilot group training with feedback incorporated into the project plan
- Traveller and travel arranger roadshows to explain the transition and policy updates
- Online booking tool training, including education on company benefits and key use cases
Client testimonial
The implementation process was smooth and structured, with a partnership of our and FCM’s staff working together to introduce: new travel policy, online booking tools and re-examining reporting to make sure meaningful data could be used strategically. The partnership approach ensured our bookers were able to influence and provide vital feedback of the new booking process whilst creating a platform to establish buy-in and resulting in successful training and roll out.
Head of Workplace and Sustainability, Media Company
Tangible results
Through enhanced processes and a mandated travel policy, the global media company’s business travel programme transformed. They established a robust travel programme that ensured excellent customer experiences, measurable savings, and much stronger compliance.
The company significantly enhanced travel efficiency by balancing automated systems and expert consultant support. Online adoption soared to 85%, with the remaining 15% related to more complex bookings requiring a travel consultant.
This centralised booking resulted in more robust data capture for reporting, analysis, and negotiation leverage. It also served as a springboard for the creation of an environmentally conscious travel policy.
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