Michel Dieleman Travel manager, France Télécom Group

Present in 220 countries, the France Telecom group has 60,000 potential travellers who make 180,000 trips a year. Its travel manager, Michel Dieleman, has just been named "travel manager of the year". While the number of trips has increased and the cost of services has risen, the group's annual travel budget was around €100 million in 2007, compared with €130 million in 2003. Of the 100 million, France's share is 70 million euros.

How has the France Telecom Group's travel policy been able to be streamlined over the last four years?

Michel Dieleman: It's true that between 2003 and 2007 we made great strides in terms of business travel management. Whereas we used to work with around 110 travel agencies, we now have just one: Carlson WagonLit Travel. Despite the cultural and organisational differences resulting from our presence in many countries, our unifying and global approach has enabled us to overcome these disparities.

In the past, the absence of a common travel policy, properly applied, was a handicap when negotiating with suppliers. Now, with this policy in place worldwide, we are able to negotiate effectively. Buying at the best prices means substantial savings on the Group's travel budget.

What progress have you made in terms of processes?

M. D. : Heterogeneous ordering methods have been replaced by automated management tools deployed in major countries: France, the UK and the USA. In 2006, we introduced a travel request tool, Etap-on-line's Ulysse software package. Then, last November, we integrated Amadeus' e-travel SBT into Ulysse, with the support of our integrator Cap Gemini Consulting. From day one, this self-booking tool achieved an adoption rate of 40 %, which is without doubt the best result in France over such a short period and given the scale of the scope concerned. By the end of March, this rate should exceed 60 %.

Another rationalisation concerns accounting processing. While these were heterogeneous and inevitably costly, we have seriously reduced them by adopting high-performance means of invoice processing and payment: introduction of Crédit Mutuel and Mastercard corporate cards, and dematerialisation of invoices.

In your opinion, what are the other key elements of this success?

M. D. : On a human level, a network of international correspondents enables us to relay directives from the travel sector. On a technical level, we have a central and unifying communication and information tool. The Group's travel website is available in four languages and is updated daily. Finally, effective cooperation has been established between travel management and the head of travel purchasing in the France Télécom group.

Do you think this strategy could be transposed to a smaller company?

M. D. : What we have achieved over the last four years can be reproduced in most large groups, but also in SMEs and SMIs. To do this, the first task of a travel manager is to convince the company's top management and to unite all the stakeholders in the business. These include human resources, finance, purchasing, IT, etc. The travel manager must also bring together the other project stakeholders: the solution providers, the integrator, the travel agency, and the suppliers of accommodation and corporate cards.

There's no doubt that a high level of motivation and commitment is essential.