Business travellers comparing airfares on Kayak, booking their business trip on Airbnb or Bookingor even a car-sharing journey on BlaBlaCar... at first sight, the image may seem "exotic". But these habits are far from anecdotal. Visit publishers of integrated business travel management solutions are sparing no effort to roll out the most comprehensive tool possible to companies. Starting with the simple reservation self booking tools (SBT) / online booking tools (OBT) have evolved, whether via thecontent integration and regulatory standards - in particular RGPD and the data security -or through the development ofmobile applicationsof end-to-end solutions and a expense report management. For these technology players, this means investing relentlessly in order tointegrate all pricing systemsincluding those negotiated by the company and those linked to the new NDC standard (New Distribution Capability).
"Rates for airlines are increasingly marketed and take the form of packages including, depending on the options, ticket flexibility, choice of seat, baggage check-in or not, lounge access, priority boarding, WiFi, etc."Bruno Jacquemin-Sablon, Global Product Manager Online Booking Tools at CWT. Representing a significant proportion of travel in France, rail is not forgottenThis was marked by the integration of TER fares following the creation of an interface by the regions to manage the distribution of local trains. "Not all SBTs are yet distributing all rail content"However, Antoine Delesalle, Sales Director at Amex GBT, who favours the KDS since acquisition of this publisher by TMC in 2016.
give users confidence that they will find the right accommodation at the right price in line with their travel policy
Le hotel section is still being closely monitored to reduce open booking, with travellers not hesitating to book outside official channels. "From an offer centred on the major chains, the tools have integrated the inventories of hotel platforms to provide a wide choice in France and Europe."says Bruno Jacquemin-Sablon, whose agency has developed its own solution called RoomIt. He added: "We need to give users confidence that they will find the right accommodation at the right price in line with their travel policy.". "The aim is toinvolving the nomadic executive in the travel programme the company to increase adoption rate"Cédric Lefort, Senior Director Solutions Consulting at BCD Travel, which offers its customers its TripSource travel management platform, confirms this.
READ ALSO: " Travel policy: do travellers have their say?"
To extend the use of in-house booking channels, some companies do not hesitate to reward their employees via vouchers or gift cards. All the more so if the choice made is lower than the budget allocated, generating additional savings in the process. BCD Travel is working with the start-up Rocketrip on this so-called "gamification"This is very much in vogue in the United States, where financial rewards are even permitted.
With the aim of empowering travellersThe Self Booking Tool (SBT) is also a platform for communication and reminds us of the good practice - a fortiori if the destination you are visiting is a high-risk one - by providing advice and helping travellers make the right decisions.
Among the information distributed, the carbon footprint of each trip is one of the new essential elements. "The carbon footprint of travel is particularly in demand in Scandinavia, where the tool will encourage people to take the train rather than taxis for airport transfers, but also to travel if possible by train rather than by plane"notes Bertrand Blais, Vice-President, Products, KDS. This environmental concern is also growing in France where SAP Concur supports its customers in their a desire to travel responsibly. "This transition is being made without exploding the budgets. The tool then selects carriers, hotels and rental companies with an environmental approach.explains Hélène Goumard, senior consultant at Expertise Travel. In the case of a return journey during the day, it will offer a alternative conference call."
But the main enhancement made to the tools in recent years concerns the"expense" with SBT/OBTs equipped with an invoice and expense report management solution. When it's not expense report specialists such as Dimo Software which are adding a 'travel' component to their products, such as the Notilus Travel and Expense solution.
"It is impossible for an SBT not to have either an integrated solution or an open solution, the latter allowing the choice of management software independently of the former."says CWT's Bruno Jacquemin-Sablon. SAP Concur offers an open platform for delivering more content through connections with partners referenced by the company and the new players such as Airbnb, Booking and Uber, Business Table... An opening that allowsmanaging open booking andautomate the process by uploading all expenses into the tool. "We need to automate procedures as far as possible and use technology to eliminate the need for expense claims."Lydie Charpin, Vice-President Customer Solution, Amadeus Corporation, confirms this. To this end, Amex GBT has chosen an end-to-end solution in the same interface, from booking to expense claim management.for a seamless end-to-end experience"says Antoine Delesalle.
Publishers have invested heavily in improving the interface in order to offer a more user-friendly experience. ergonomics modelled on leisure websites general public. "From an SBT focused on finding the best rates, the tool is becoming 'BtoC like'. Business travellers expect the same fluidity as when they use Airbnb or Booking in the private sphere."says Bertrand Blais at KDS. Filters have been multiplied on KDS Neo, for the hotel industry in particular, with the aim of improving the user experience and quickly arriving at preferences. The same is true of SAP Concur, whose new interface aims to provide the best compromise between BtoB and BtoC. Amadeus Cytric Travel, which will also be revamped in 2019, is based on extensive travel options in the air, hotel and rail sectors. "For the hotel section, the user will find filters, stars, photos, etc. to benefit from the BtoC experience while remaining in the SBT environment."says Lydie Charpin.
take the user back to the SBT
"The user experience is paramount, with a wide choice, practical information, photos, etc., all designed to bring the user back to the SBT."adds Antoine Delesalle of Amex GBT. Publishers are trying to find the right balance between a easy to use of the tool and the fact of being complete in terms of offerings and pricing to meet the different profiles of 'business' travellers. With "occasional who need a very intuitive tool with information but little sophistication and, on the other hand, the "frequent" who have mastered the tool, but have more specific expectations when it comes to using it.
Another constraint is that users have different requirements depending on the size and the business park of the company. The SBT must therefore be able to adapt to the rules of each company and its sector of activity. "In the case of a multinational, the tool needs to respond to the specificities of each subsidiary, country or geographical area. There may be different GDSs, but also different carriers, tax rules, VAT, etc."underlines Stéphane Donders, CEO of Traveldootechnology editor for the US group Expedia. Tools therefore need to be global with local solutions. "It is not unusual for this type of company to have several technology partners. CWT works with GetThere in North America, Traveldoo, Amadeus and KDS in Europe, and Serko in Australia and New Zealand."explains Bruno Jacquemin-Sablon.
If the use of mobile has become widespread, with a digital version for each SBT, bookings via this channel are still very high. minority and remain the prerogative of the good old computer. This is due to the size of smartphones, which makes flight times and fares difficult to read. However, this medium is increasingly being used as a means of communication.virtual assistant providing practical information, allowing cancellation or modification of the trip, offering ancillary services and direct access to the business agency in the event of an emergency. "The system must be agile so that travellers can switch from one channel to another while retrieving their travel records"says Lydie Charpin from Amadeus. "The mobile app is used more for hotel bookings or when changes need to be made."says Stéphane Donders from Traveldoo. "However, it has become the preferred choice for expense reports with solutions includingExpensya allowing automated management based on invoice photos. The use of mobile phones remains modest, but is growing year on year. To attract users, it is important to offer an experience that is virtually the same as on a computer. This is what Amex GBT is achieving with KDS Neo, whose mobile version adds value to the SBT."insists Antoine Delesalle.
All operations will be carried out on mobile tomorrow
"In the future, all operations will be carried out on mobile phones, as the younger generations are used to them."predicts Cédric Lefort at BCD Travelincluding the mobile application TripSource already enables planningthe reservationthe creation ofroutesthe risk management and unforeseen during the trip.
However, some technology companies are going one step further by offering door-to-door mobility solutions with geolocation, travel information and the integration of taxis, VTCs, rental companies, electric scooters and self-service bicycles. All this can be extended to the management of company vehicle fleets, recently integrated into the Notilus tool. "Door-to-door requires significant investment to document the data from the various players involved, explains Bruno Jacquemin-Sablon of CWT.. However, to be able to move forward with this type of innovation, the tool must already be capable of reliably carrying out the essential tasks of an SBT."
"We are the only company to offer door-to-door with Neosays a delighted Bertrand Blais at KDS. "The system allows you to plan and book a number of pre- and post-carriage elements"adds Antoine Delesalle of Amex GBT. Cédric Lefort, from BCD Travel, is more cautious: "Door-to-door is suitable for people who are not used to travelling abroad. For seasoned travellers, it often seems too restrictive, limiting their freedom of choice.." "Implementation is proving complicated"adds Hélène Goumard. After a few disappointments in this area, SAP Concur now prefers to work with partners who specialise in this type of solution. "We are developing this experience in conjunction with theecoresponsibility with options to reduce CO2 emissions. SAP Concur offers travellers a range of intelligent alternatives, giving them the flexibility to"she adds.
The challenge of door-to-door travel is benefiting from the emergence of theartificial intelligence (AI) in the world of business travel. Analysis of the data collected by the SBT/OBT, in particular past bookings, helps to personalisation of the answers given to travellers. "The more data the tool has, the more AI can be used to provide travellers with tailored advice"confirms Cédric Lefort from BCD Travel. For example, the tool displays a selection of hotels based on previous stays or those booked by other colleagues. According to a study by Traveldoo and ESCAET, AI can, for example, alert employees if a travel document has expired, automatically validate a trip if it complies with travel policy, or evaluate the trip budget before departure.
Data should help decision-making and reduce the number of clicks required to make a reservation
"Data should be used to make decisions and reduce the number of clicks required to make a booking. AI helps you make the best choice"says Hélène Goumard from SAP Concur. "Artificial intelligence can ensure that the SBT is no longer even visible, as it is integrated into the employee's work tools, such as their Outlook email, which can be used from the calendar without having to connect to the SBT."concludes Lydie Charpin from Amadeus.
In the end, there is no longer any demand for simple SBT/OBT in calls for tender. Businesses, particularly large ones, want to benefit from a complete solution offering services ranging from from booking to reporting. These technological solutions are gradually becoming integrated, intelligent platformsoperating in a coherent and open ecosystem for the benefit of GDSand central hotelsand content integrators and new mobility players.
This reinforcement of the tool's value proposition, while allowing travellers a certain degree of freedom in terms of travel policy, has helped to improve adoption and reduce open booking. Publishers are continuing to invest with a view to offering the most relevant technological developments and innovations in the future.
Passenger satisfaction, a growing indicator
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