Business Travel Executive, October 2017

COVER STORY Taking on the World 28Business Travel Executive OCTOBER 2017 Blaauboer executive vice president business management at HRG North America I would challenge travel executives to determine the length and depth of knowledge and experience he says How long has this TMC been truly global Blaauboer notes that a genuinely global firm should be able to think and strategize globally manage regionally and have boots on the ground locally With the latter it pays to ask how long has a potential partner been in a given country Only those with a significant previous presence can be expected to be familiar with a regions local nuances A major factor to consider is international scale Scale is essential in todays world Mahoney says If you dont have scale then it is difficult to have the right technology and resources Furthermore its crucial to examine what control and influence a TMC has over its network since that ultimately drives success Local expertise is also important for adapting programs to a local markets nuance Growth potential and financial transparency are also important You want a partner with a footprint that not only matches yours at the time of the search but also one that you can grow into Blaauboer says He notes that a look at emerging markets for your organization can be a helpful step in this direction Evaluating a potential partners priorities can also prove enlightening You should be able to determine where a TMC derives a majority of its revenue he says In addition innovative technology is a key element to look into when identifying a global TMC provider according to Robertson Because no two travel programs are the same its important to look closely at technology resources he says He notes that Egencias test and learn approach allows the company to be nimble and make continuous improvements based on feedback Blaauboer asserts that the ideal partner is a technology innovator You want to look for a company that challenges the status quo he says Being on the cutting edge means developing technology that may not go along the grain of the rest of the industry On the other hand Smith says he has not seen a lot of innovative creativity in this area from TMCs With all the state of technology possibilities at this opportune time I cant understand why there is not a better product offering for a corporation wanting to go global he says It seems like the global part of the relationship rests more on the travel managers to hold together than it is a real service offering from the TMC At the same time he adds he realizes that some TMCs are establishing agencies in countries where they do not currently have a presence to attack this problem In determining technology demands as well as other needs Robertson says a solid first step is to conduct an audit of your organizations current travel operations Then think through what the travel program will need a year from now as well as five and 10 years ahead This approach will help determine what kind of TMC will be able to grow with the company he says Audits can provide informative insights into your organizations goals scale and budget all of which are crucial areas to have knowledge in to identify the right partner for your business He adds that research is important when considering any TMCs as a partner Look for providers that have an integrated global ecosystem with in house customer service and support teams as opposed to multiple non integrated solutions and outsourced representatives Robertson says A firm that offers the potential for quickly adapting to your needs should be given strong consideration Look for a global TMC that demonstrates its creativity right out of the gate Blaauboer says Among other things this means it already knows about your company and wont have to be spoon fed BTE