At time of launch newcomers in the travel industry, often collectively known as disruptors, don't always consider fitting into traditional infrastructures. They've developed a product or service that solves a problem, they know the (usually direct) market to go for and they make it simple to search and book.
Complexities arise when they decide to start working in established systems such as corporate booking tools and it's this that Ryanair is coming across as it dips its toes into negotiations with travel managers.
The low-cost carrier's chief marketing officer Kenny Jacobs told me the airline has started to negotiate corporate deals in the last 12 months. Most of the businesses are based in Dublin or in the east of England where employees are already booking Ryanair due to low fares and proximity to Dublin and Stansted airports. Deals have also been struck in Germany but it wouldn't be inconceivable to see others arranged in countries where Ryanair has a large market share including Spain, Italy, Belgium and Eastern Europe.
But at the same time Jacobs wants to build loyalty and keep in contact with travellers directly. He sees nothing wrong with business travellers, which make up 27% of Ryanair's passenger numbers, booking direct and receiving perks through the frequent flyer-lite myRyanair club. Travellers that sign up for myRyanair can save their personal and payment details for future bookings and get customised deals. In the future it could become mandatory for passengers to sign in to book and there are no current plans for a 'myRyanair for business'.
These two strategies contradict each other; we all know that in managed programmes travel managers want visibility on booked flight details. Ryanair does have GDS agreements so buyers can see booking information if the traveller books via a TMC but it is yet to integrate with the likes of Concur, although discussions have started.
Travel managers know there is more temptation for travellers to book direct and it can be difficult for travellers to know what the best action is. One European travel manager says she always asks her employees why they have booked outside of the tool and tweaks her own communication if required. However if there was an emergency or flight delay, such as those experienced recently by British Airways or Delta passengers, this travel buyer is happy for travellers to receive as much information as possible from multiple sources as the supplier can often send information quicker than her TMC.
Direct campaigns aren't reserved to newcomers, we all know recent attempts from Lufthansa and hotel chains, but the noise is a distraction from travel policies and will continue to be a nuisance to compliance. Anthony Drury thinks travel managers need to think carefully about their communication strategies, but getting the right content is important too.