Which application do you use most frequently when travelling on business?
Aurélie Krau - Just Google Maps, for basic information. I don't really usebusiness applications. I'm tired of having to download dozens of applications. I do it out of curiosity, but that's about it. When there are services to added valuethe app is naturally downloaded. For example, an initiative like the mobile check-in offered by hoteliers such as Marriott. Air France's application is also evolving well, and is starting to send push notifications to specify, for example, on which carpet to pick up your baggage at the airport. But I'm still waiting for the real revolutionary application.
Why does business travel always lag behind leisure in terms of technology?
A. K. - I've been asking myself this question for two years... Suppliers aren't really responsible: they innovate, but I think there's a lack of education and open-mindedness in the company. Technology and data sharing still scare people.
Is the gap narrowing between leisure and business offers?
A. K. - Yes, the gap is clearly closing, even if the specificities of business travel remain unavoidable. Volumes are not the same, and this means that we have to put in place specific solutions. process more rigorous than in leisure. But it is possible to make them more flexible.
Where should the impetus come from?
A. K. - Internal influencers, in particular buyers. But inevitably, the movement will come from travellers. It's already started with the collaborative economy. In terms of suppliers, I think we need to look outside the business travel industry. Airbnb was created by people who don't travel, just like Uber. These are players who think in terms of needs rather than business constraints. L'user experience is the basis of our thinking, and a business layer will be added at a later stage. The real revolution will come from theartificial intelligencewhich will no longer require as much interaction with the phone. Everything will be transparent. This is the spirit that AirPlus wanted to convey at the start of the new academic year, through the theme of silent technology and true artificial intelligence. It's going to happen, but it's still scary.
Are the major business travel suppliers keeping pace?
A. K. - Innovation cycles are becoming shorter and shorter, driven by new entrants. As a result, by the time a major player releases an innovation, it is often already obsolete. That's why some of them are setting up in-house labs, or subsidiaries that are more or less separate from the company, with a start-up spirit to remain flexible. This is the case with companies like FCM and Accor. KDS already had this start-up philosophy by default: it remains to be seen how this will evolve as it becomes more flexible. joined a major group. There are virtually no independent players left in the business travel industry: Amadeus has bought Cytrix, Egencia Traveldoo, SAP Concur, American Express KDS... So there will be a place for de new entrantswhether they already exist or not.
The future isn't about applications: it's about voice control, artificial intelligence, seamlessness and machine learning.
Where are we heading in terms of connected business travel?
A. K. - I am a great believer in Bots. In two or three years' time, the time for apps will be over. Travellers are tired of downloading apps for anything and everything, and space on their phones is saturated. A bot is a single point of entryThe future does not lie with applications, but rather with voice commands, artificial intelligence, the Internet and other technologies. seamlessthe machine learning : the tool learns user preferences, to save time.
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What place will be left for the human element if the bot replaces the travel agent or travel manager?
A. K. - We'll never be able to automate everything at 100%, but that's the big question. We're entering a new phase. With the arrival of onlineAt the time, it looked like the SBT was going to replace the travel agent. There will always be things that can't be automated, complex cases, VIP service. Whenever a new channel comes along, it's scary. That said, we have to be honest: the human element is diminishingThe travel agent profession is undergoing profound change. This phenomenon has been underway for several years now, but it has never been more true than with the rise of bots. The profession will evolve, not disappear.
What's in it for the company?
A. K. - What does it lose if it doesn't adapt? The company gains in terms of booking efficiency, cost control and adoption of the travel policy. The passenger satisfaction is also a crucial parameter, particularly for human resources. In some sectors, it is now crucial to be able to present oneself as a "professional". The Best Place To Work "It's no longer the company that dictates the rules. It's no longer the company that dictates the rules: the passenger regains control.
Hasn't the business traveller become a spoilt child, yearning for total freedom, with no constraints imposed by the company?
A. K. - There's a bit of that, it has to be said. But some travellers also see travel as a constraint. A father will want to get home on the first available flight. If his company asks him to postpone the return journey to save on the price of the ticket, he won't be satisfied. Personally, every trip, even the shortest, gives me the opportunity to visit a new destination: I make the most of it! Despite everything, there is a awareness of the issues involved in securityespecially in the current climate. Unfortunately, it has come to this point for travellers to understand that business travel involves certain risks. obligations to the company. However, it will be simpler by giving them the tools they like, by simplifying procedures.
The real revolution will come when we stop making so many differences between business and leisure travel.
And what about the Travel Manager?
A. K. - The problem with the buyer or Travel Manager is that they are seen as the ones holding the stick, who only send emails when there are things to rectify or instructions to give. They should look at what's happening in terms of new technologies to understand the mechanisms, to regain control. Messages will get across better internally if the discussion is informed and constructive. We need to vary communication methodsusing corporate social networks for example. Employees don't want to plough through a 200-page travel policy! We need to adapt to the needs and habits of the younger generation.
Isn't this a generational problem?
A. K. - Yes, and that's why players like Accor set up Shadow Comitees, think tanks that mix the generations. There is no single channel of communication: we need to segment the message internally, to understand who needs the most assistance or freedom.
How can we reconcile the requirements of the company with the needs of the traveller?
A. K. - We need to leave travellers who need freedom to their own devices, offer an SBT to those who need more controls, and generally trust travellers: they won't do just anything! The real revolution will come when we stop making so many differences between business and leisure travel. The approach is too segmented, particularly among suppliers. How does an airline know whether I'm a business or leisure traveller? I simply want to be recognised as a traveller.
Also in this dossier: Connected travel: the age of anticipation
