Consolidation continues in the business travel market. Sodexo is to integrate the solutions developed by two business travel specialists: iAlbatros and Xpenditure.
The first player, which specialises in hotel reservation technologies, recently distinguished itself by developing for Havas Voyages a new booking tool. The second has set up a tool to automate the management of business expenses, allowing employees to photograph their receipts anywhere, in real time.
Their acquisition by Sodexo will add to these technological strengths a global strike force, through the French group's presence in 80 countries. " This alliance gives us the opportunity to become a global player in the enterprise segment. "says Boris Bogaert, Managing Director of Xpenditure.
This integration will give rise to the creation of a new dedicated entity within Sodexo, which intends to offer " a comprehensive service solution (...) for all the Group's customers, from SMEs to major corporations ". The stated aim is to " create an optimised business travel and expense management experience for companies and their employees ".
" Our customers are looking for integrated solutions that deliver efficiency gains and improved experiences for their employees. ", says Denis Machuel, Managing Director of Benefits and Rewards at Sodexo.. " Xpenditure and iAlbatros are the perfect answer, with their technologically disruptive, easy-to-use solutions designed to simplify the overall experience of the business traveller. ".
Moncef Khanfir, Managing Director of iAlbatros, sees this development as ". an accelerator for the development of our business. [It] will help us achieve our goal of delivering an enhanced travel booking experience to more businesses around the world. Together, we are convinced of the strong potential of this market. "he adds.
