The majority of buyers will target traveller behaviour over the next couple of years to achieve savings, a study from ACTE has found.
Some 84 per cent of respondents said savings would be achieved through demand management and compliance.
The Evolution of Travel Policy: A Global View on the Future, which surveyed more than 350 global corporate buyers to explore the future of travel policy, found 52 per cent said savings were the primary driver of their managed travel programme, followed by duty of care (23 per cent) and traveller service (23 per cent).
Commenting on the findings, Caroline Strachan, VP of global business consulting at American Express Global Business Travel, said: "Demand management is the bedrock of a strong managed programme so it’s hugely significant to see that travel managers are embracing the traveller and traveller service.
"Clearly, they understand the future’s going to be traveller-centric. What’s less clear is whether travel managers feel they have the right technology and tools needed to deliver this future.”
Communication
The study showed that the balance between savings and service is expected to change significantly over the next couple of years as buyers look to traveller behaviour rather than supplier cost reductions to drive savings.
However, it also shows the communication tools to drive compliance are often missing - 44 per cent of respondents said they have no formal systems in place for gathering feedback from their travellers.
“Communication is critical for building relationships, engagement and compliance. The research suggests there’s scope for travel managers to upgrade their communications systems and practice,” Strachan added.
While 75% of buyers surveyed see improved traveller service as a route to savings, few organisations have measures in place to justify these improvements to procurement or finance leaders. It found 21 per cent of respondents use traveller productivity metrics, 9 per cent use work-life balance metrics and just 5 per cent use stress reduction metrics. However, 12 per cent said they plan to introduce stress reduction metrics in the next 1 - 2 years.
ACTE executive director Greeley Koch said the study confirms a major shift among buyers who are putting a stronger emphasis on supporting the traveller in meeting corporate objectives as opposed to savings alone.
Among the traveller considerations featured in the research are initiatives for improved traveller service:
· Pre-trip messaging: 30 per cent of organisations have already deployed these services, and 27 per cent aim to introduce them in the next 1 – 2 years.
· Mobile booking: 29 per cent of organisations have mobile booking today. A further 30 per cent of buyers plan to implement within 1 – 2 years.
· Mobile Apps for in-trip changes: Deployed in just 16 per cent of organisations today, but over the next 1 -2 years, 31 per cent plan to implement.
ACTE surveyed 350 buyers from around the world during two weeks in August. It also hosted focus groups with buyers to help design the research. The research was unveiled at the ACTE conference in Paris.