Search Travel Market Report

mainlogo
www.travelmarketreport.com
  • News
  • Tours & Packages
  • Cruise
  • Hotels & Resorts
  • Destinations
  • Retail Strategies
  • Niche & Luxury
  • Well-Being Travel
  • Training & Events
  • Who We Are
    • Anne Marie Moebes
    • Brian Israel
    • Dan McCarthy
    • Denise Caiazzo
    • Dori Saltzman
    • Kelly Fontenelle

Why Blending Biz Travel & Meetings Makes Sense

by Cheryl Rosen / November 07, 2013

For corporate clients, combining transient and meetings travel can yield more benefits than just money. Even small travel agencies can help their corporate customers by focusing on the meetings side of the house.

That’s a little advice from George Odom, the head of the new integrated travel and meetings management practice being launched for corporate customers by BCD Travel’s consulting arm, Advito.

Odom, former meetings manager of Hewlett Packard and Eli Lilly, is a well-known figure in the meetings industry. The service that he and his team at Advito offer is designed to help companies that “want to dig a little deeper, do a little more analysis and benchmarking to find savings opportunities.”

More than savings
It’s not the same old approach to meetings, focusing on just the bottom line, though that’s important, of course. Two newer themes also resonate with corporate travel buyers these days – safety and security, and service.

Traditionally, when companies considered bringing their transient travel and meetings departments together, they talked about saving money by leverage buying power with airlines and hotels to get better rates.

But in a world where airport shooters and natural disasters compete for attention, customers are focusing more than ever on duty of care, Odom said. “They want to know where their folks are and how to get ahold of them in an emergency.”

In case of emergencies
Even when meeting attendees book their airline tickets through the corporate agency, that doesn’t offer much information in case of emergency. Their tickets may say they flew to San Diego, but the meeting may actually be in La Jolla. That information needs to be pulled into the risk management system.

The added service a travel department can offer to a meetings program also is a driving force these days, he noted.  

In most companies the transient travel group also offers 24-hour customer service, while on the meetings side travelers who need assistance generally have to wait for business hours.

Opportunity for agents
Meetings consulting is a service even small travel agencies can offer corporate customers and small businesses, Odom said. Smaller travel agencies often have outstanding customer service; this is another opportunity to expand your services and help smaller groups.

“I’d say embrace this, get to understand it a little better, maximize your relationships in hotel and air,” he suggested.

Then when your existing customers have a board meeting or a sales meeting, reach out and offer to help by putting them in touch with an airline or hotel with which you have a relationship.

It works especially well in companies where the travel and meeting buyers have many other responsibilities, and appreciate any help they can get.

How many of your customers are in that category?

  0
  0
Related Articles
Memo to Travel Agents: Don’t Overlook Meetings Travel For Growth
Face-to-Face Time Drives Destination Decisions, Survey Says
Designing Meetings: Consider the ‘Why’
New Campaign Defends Meetings Industry
Strategic Meetings Management: Key to Cost Savings
Peabody Orlando to Become a Hyatt Regency
The Art of Negotiating Hotel Contracts
Aloha State Is Suitable for Serious Meetings, Pol Says
IRS Spending Fracas Triggers Damage Control Effort
Montana Travel Agency Makes Meetings a Moneymaker

MOST VIEWED

  1. Why Travel Advisors Need to Learn to Say No to New Business
  2. U.S. Passport Renewal Processing Time Now 8 to 11 Weeks
  3. U.S. Passport Renewal Waiting Time Could Soon Get Even Worse
  4. Government of Canada Updates Its Mexico Travel Advisory
  5. European Union Delays Launch of ETIAS Until At Least 2024
  6. Royal Caribbean Eliminates Sky Pad Experience

MOST EMAILED

  1. U.S. Passport Renewal Processing Time Now 8 to 11 Weeks
  2. U.S. Passport Renewal Waiting Time Could Soon Get Even Worse
  3. Why Travel Advisors Need to Learn to Say No to New Business
  4. European Union Delays Launch of ETIAS Until At Least 2024
  5. Travelers Believe That Working With Advisors Is Only Way to Get a True Luxury Experience
  6. 9 Travel-Advisor Friendly Paris Boutique Hotels to Know About
TMR Subscription

Subscribe today to receive daily in-depth coverage, analysis of industry news, trends and issues that affect how you do business. Subscribe now for free.

Subscribe to TMR

Top Stories
Corporate Travel Tool Concur To Offer Airbnb Listings
Read...
Selecting The Right Venue For Meetings And Events
Selecting The Right Venue For Meetings And Events

Look to these six trends in the MICE industry.

Read...
TMR OUTLOOKS & WHITE PAPERS
river cruise 2022
group outlook 2022
lux cruise outlook
CP White Paper
Multi-Gen Outlook
River Cruise Outlook 2019
View All
Advertiser's Voice
https://img.youtube.com/vi/BDz_-mzUmZA/0.jpg
Meet South Africa with Your Local Guides
About Travel Market Report Mission Staff Advisory Board Advertise
TMR Resources Webinars Calendar of Events Outlook/Whitepapers Previous Sponsored Articles Previous This Week Articles
Subscribe to TMR
Select Language
Do You Have an Idea Email
editor@travelmarketreport.com
Give Us a Call
1-(516) 730-3097
Drop Us a Note
Travel Market Report
71 Audrey Ave, Oyster Bay, NY 11771
News |Tours & Packages |Cruise |Hotels & Resorts |Destinations |Retail Strategies |Niche & Luxury |Well-Being Travel |Training & Events |Who We Are
© 2005 - 2023 Travel Market Report, an American Marketing Group Inc. Company All Rights Reserved | 243 South Street, Oyster Bay, NY, 11771 USA | Telephone (516) 730-3097| Terms and Conditions
Cookie Policy Privacy Policy