They are exactly 187 travel managers who took part in the question and answer session with BCD Travel. 187 witnesses to the evolution of the profession, for better or for worse, one might be tempted to sum up. According to the results of the survey carried out by the TMC, travel managers spend the majority of their time.... managing relations with their clients. business travel agency (53%). The strategy of travel policy (47%) and the communication with mobile workers (47%) are also part of the travel manager's schedule. Finally, the reporting and supplier management are also time-consuming (43%), according to the results of the BCD Travel survey. The authors of the report also note that " In recent years, priorities have shifted towards cost control, data analysis, sector changes (such as NDC) and technology. ".
What about the famous "scope" of travel managers? One thing is certain, the field of possibilities has widened in recent years. Nearly 8 out of 10 travel managers (79%) say so. Only 19% of those surveyed report a stable trend, and a marginal proportion (2%) report a narrowing of their field of action. In concrete terms, in addition to travel management (93%), travel managers are very often in charge of expenseMICE and duty of care. One travel manager in five (18%) is also responsible for vehicle fleet.
The profile of a travel team is often limited to a workforce of four to six employees in a third of cases, and more than a dozen managers in a quarter of the companies surveyed. In one out of two cases (46%), these teams are supported by external consultants. In most cases, the teams in charge of travel management report to purchasing (39 %), finance (19 %) or human resources (11 %), which, according to BCD, underlines the close alignment between travel management and the company's budgeting functions.
The survey published by BCD also highlights the diversification of activities and contacts faced by travel managers. According to the travel agency, " as travel managers face new challenges, their role has expanded to include travel sourcing (68%) and payment and expense management (51%), with some taking on procurement or management tasks beyond travel ". The most recurrent interactions within the company concern the finance teams (58%) - with whom travel managers exchange information on a weekly or even daily basis - and purchasing (43%).
Ultimately, the eminently strategic nature of the position can be seen in its central role in multidisciplinary projects. The BCD study notes that " cross-departmental collaboration is on the rise, with 71% of travel teams involved in multi-departmental projects, reflecting an increased strategic role in company-wide initiatives. In recent years, engagement with finance, sustainability and security teams has increased the most, aligning travel management with cost control, environmental responsibility and the duty of care. ".
Jorge Cruz, BCD's Executive Vice President of Global Sales and Marketing, explains: "BCD is a global company. This survey shows just how essential travel managers have become to business success. They manage complex stakeholder relationships, drive sustainability and make data-driven decisions that align with wider business objectives. ".
And what about professional fulfilment? According to TMC, travel managers are generally satisfied with their work : " Despite these challenges, travel managers are satisfied with their level of authority, stakeholder support and work-life balance, although career development remains an area for improvement. "summarise the authors of the report.
Finally, it should be noted that, although results are still too often slow to make themselves felt Within the traveller population, the dynamic is there: travel is more than ever associated with the environment. According to the BCD Travel survey, the Sustainable development is the area with which travel managers' interactions have progressed the most in recent years, along with finance and security.
