What makes 3mundi unique?
Jordy Staelen - 3mundi is the 3th generation of business travel agencies, after those of the offline world, and then in the 2000s the promise of technology, which was supposed to solve all our customers' needs. Ten years on, technology has indeed taken care of 80% of these needs, but there are still 20% that remain complicated to predict. We have taken the best of the two previous generations, integrating the latest technologies available on the market and adding an essential human touch. As a result, we can now generate savings of between 20 and 25% on international air travel.
So is there room for a new player in the TMC world?
J. S. - In my view, we are fortunate to be in an ideal position. The bulk of the market is 'taken over' by the big players, who have good technological knowledge, but whose quality of service is not necessarily flourishing. This is logical, since they have had to make the transition from offline to online, with internal consequences. We have access to the same technologies as these large TMCs, while being organised with a proximity that is reminiscent of small neighbourhood agencies, a quality of service that is extremely important to our customers. Technology is only a means, not an end.
Who are your customers?
J. S. - When we first came onto the market, it was start-ups that put their trust in us, but we signed up our first major account after just six months, and we now work with some big names, particularly in the automotive sector.
What are your strengths in attracting these major groups?
J. S. - The trend is towards "glocal", that balance between global and local. The most mature customers are no longer looking to rely on a single global service provider. They want the best in each country. Travel managers can therefore rely on medium-sized local service providers who are highly motivated to provide the best possible service. There is no longer any logic in seeking uniformity between companies in China, Brazil and France.
What are your growth targets?
J. S. - It's simple: to multiply by five in five years. It's not just an ambition, we're going to put it into practice. Given our current order book, our profitability and our investment capacity thanks to the recent fund-raising, the objective is a logical one.
Are you planning any new openings?
J. S. - We have a number of takeovers of structures of our size, and are opening offices in Luxembourg, Belgium and the Netherlands. Here again, it's a question of adapting to the specific characteristics of the local market. Customers have different expectations, as do the ways in which we work and support them.
How do you see 2013? Do you anticipate a reduction in business travel?
J. S. - Anyone who stops investing in business travel is showing a sharp reduction in growth. If they don't travel, someone else will. So I don't believe in a reduction in the number of business trips, but in better control thanks to offers like ours, so that you can travel just as much at a better price. Our job is to adapt to the company and its own approach. That's what makes our solution so valuable: human skills with the ability to make judgements. Technology can't answer everything, it has its limits. Just as statistics without analysis are useless, that's why our service includes a cross-referencing of data, a real reflection.
How much can business travel costs be reduced?
J. S. - You can't expect frequent flyers to be fit for meetings in the morning after a 12-hour flight in economy class. It's possible on an occasional basis, not five times a month or more. And it's not profitable for the company in the long term. If the negotiator is not in shape, the company will lose money. It's not a very good calculation. I think we're heading towards an intelligent compromise for everyone, which takes into account the traveller's comfort in an interested manner so that it is efficient, while sparing the company's finances.
What are the next challenges for business travel?
J. S. - Genuine visibility of all business travel-related expenditure, and management of MICE, since the two aspects are linked.
Do you include MICE in your offering?
J. S. - We work locally with partners who have this expertise, and we are looking into the possibility of external growth, either by buying out a company specialising in the field, or by creating a new company from scratch, with a preference for a MICE department. We're very much in demand in the MICE sector, because we want to apply our added value in economic terms to this sector. We are very sensitive to this demand. 3mundi's primary vocation remains the management and optimisation of business travel, and we want to continue to grow and take market share in this sector, by being a natural alternative to our competitors.
