Meet Pascal Jungfer: Pascal Jungfer, CEO of AREKA Consulting

What are the main expectations of SMEs when it comes to travel?

Pascal Jungfer - The fact that these companies are small does not mean that they are less demanding when it comes to service. Their managers want a booking portal linked to local travel agents in the event of a problem. In reality, there are still a lot of offline relationships, via the agency. SMEs also need a good expense management tool, with solid hotel content, centralised payment and reporting. All of this, plus a bit of bleisure, because this is a population that works a lot and wants to make the most of a trip.

Do these small companies now have a travel policy?

P. J. - I'd like to say yes, but I don't think so. It all depends on the size of the workforce. Between 40,000 and 200,000 euros, the travel budget is generally not managed. More often than not, it's a question of unwritten rules, of common sense. That's why the tools and automation of the booking portal are so important.

Are suppliers' offerings sufficiently tailored to SMEs?

P. J. - They have always failed in this market because they have not been able to solve the equation of the commercial cost of sales. The world of SMEs brings together a myriad of companies, from gas meter manufacturers in Burgundy to Parisian law firms... Expectations and habits are not the same.