Creating a Frictionless Travel Experience · TRAVEL EXPERIENCE FOR EMPLOYEES INSTEAD OF CUTTING ......
Transcript of Creating a Frictionless Travel Experience · TRAVEL EXPERIENCE FOR EMPLOYEES INSTEAD OF CUTTING ......
FOR COMPANIES AROUND THE WORLD, ENHANCING THE TRAVEL EXPERIENCE FOR EMPLOYEES INSTEAD OF CUTTING CORNERS ON COST PROMOTES WORKPLACE SATISFACTION, ORGANIZATIONAL LOYALTY, AND OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES.
Creating a Frictionless Travel Experience
Contents
03 | Introduction
05 | Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA)
10 | North America (NAM)
15 | Asia-Pacific (APAC)
20 | Latin-American Countries (LAC)
Companies that leverage travel-centric programs and reduce traveler friction can realize value-driven benefits that often exceed revenue savings.
High-performing organizations realize that less traveler friction equates to more productive journeys. The Sabre and GBTA global study on traveler friction shows that quality of travel is critical to business success.
While travel programs that rely on cost-saving tactics (like negotiated air, hotel, car, and rail rates) can deliver significant ROI, the benefits of a traveler-centric program that boosts employee well-being and job satisfaction can often outweigh the savings of a cost-centric program.
| 03INTRODUCTION
Traveler friction impacts employees’:
Engagement
Productivity
Business outcomes
Emotional and physical well-being
| 04INTRODUCTION
Global travelers’ job satisfaction is influenced by the organization’s:
• Travel policy• Booking and reservation process• Travel safety and security policies and initiatives• Employee well-being policies for travel• Expense-reporting process• Pre-trip approval process
Employees’ traveling dissatisfaction can cost the organization in:
• Attrition and talent-acquisition• Loss of knowledge• Business outcomes
of their annual salary
300%The cost of replacing a senior-level employee:
Global travelers agree that their business travel experiences drive their business results and job satisfaction.
SOURCE: CENTER FOR AMERICAN PROGRESS
Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA)
Pain Points | Top Priorities | Travel Management Solutions | Key Takeaways
| 05EMEA
| 06EMEA | PAIN POINTS
The greatest challenges to traveler well-being are work-life balance and productivity.
of travelers have booked a trip out-of-policy to lower stress
41%HIGH ANXIETY
Primary areas of dissatisfaction:
Primary areas of satisfaction:Most difficult aspects of business travel:
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47%
42%40%
34% 34%
Booking/reservation process
Pre-trip approval process
Expense-reporting process
80+20+C76+24+C73+27+C
80%
76%
73%
28+72+C30+70+C28+72+C
Employee well-being policies for travel
Travel policy
Travel safety and security initiatives
30%
30%
28%
Time spent in transit is the greatest in-trip pain point Preparing an expense report is
the greatest post-trip pain point
62+38+C62%
| 07EMEA | TOP PRIORITIES
Travel safety and efficiency are travelers’ top priorities.
39+61+A
34+66+A
28+72+A
28+72+A
26+74+A
24+76+A
10+90+A
Travelers’ experience is
influenced by:
39%
34%
28%
28%
26%
24%
10%
Airplane/train Wi-Fi
77%
More than three-quarters of travelers purchase at least one of these amenities to improve their experience:
Convenient, comfortable hotels
Non-stop flights
Booking flexibility
54+46+C54% 40+60+C40%
Hotel high-speed internet
Seat upgrade
International mobile calls/texts
Early boarding
Airport lounge access
Black-car service
*Bleisure: Only around 1 in 5 travelers prioritizes bleisure amenities such as the ability to extend the trip for leisure or bring family or friends
20+80+C20+80+C19+81+C15+85+C14+86+C11+89+C
20%
20%
19%
15%
14%
11%
Travel safety and security initiatives
Pre-trip approval process
Employee well-being policies for travel
Expense-reporting process
Travel policy
Booking/reservation process
Travelers’ satisfaction with business travel is influenced by:
One of the big trends we are seeing, when we talk about traveler well-being — probably specific to Europe — is
about health and safety. A lot of people think policy is about cost control, but in today’s climate, we’re seeing policy is less about cost control and more about risk control. So we definitely get involved, to ensure that travelers are as ready as they can be for the destinations that they’re going to — and that the documentary evidence of that is available.”
ANTOINE BOATWRIGHT, HILLGATE TRAVEL
55+0+51+0+48+0+47+0+39+0+35+0+29+0+27+0+19 + ++++19Travel managers can make technology and amenities available to travelers and leverage decision-support tools to alleviate pain points.
Travelers want information about:
| 08
Transportation
Travel documentation
Destination
Safety
Health
Travel add-ons
Reminder to book hotel/car
Relevant cultural insights
Reminder to submit expense report
Aiport Map
EMEA | TRAVEL MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS
As a travel management company, I have two customers. One is the head of procurement,
who could be in human resources, or in finance — it depends on the organization of the customer. And the other customer is the final traveler. And we always have to manage the two sides of the relationship. Each time a traveler goes abroad, it creates anxiety, stress. So the first thing is that we have to be very reliable.”
ERIC RITTER, VOYAGEXPERT
49+51+C
37+63+C
35+65+C
33+67+C
49%
37%
35%
33%
Automated information on travel destinations
Itinerary-management apps
Mobile payment capabilities
Safety-tracking apps
Travelers’ experience would be enhanced by these technological amenities:
28+72+C
28+72+C
18+82+C
13+87+C
28%
28%
18%
13%
Customized traveler profiles
Mobile expense reports
Live chat for travel-policy inquiries
Wearables
Providing information and services such as viewing the total time of transit and comparing options for the traveler improves the booking experience and fosters productive business results.
Sabre leverages in-house and third-party resources to provide the technology, content, and tools that help travel managers enhance the traveler experience.
55%
51%
48%
47%
39%
35%
29%
27%
19%
19%
0 25% 50%
| 09EMEA | KEY TAKEAWAYS
83% of travelers feel that their travel experience impacts their job satisfaction.
Implementing traveler-centric programs and policies raises morale and attracts new employees.
• Measure traveler experience regularly and implement a plan, do, act strategy
• Integrate well-being objectives into the business-travel program strategy
• Move from low fares to best fares
• Address traveler safety with the right capabilities
• Create an environment where travel managers can ask for assistance from TMCs
• Leverage technology to optimize the traveler experience
Traveler well-being should be considered a key performance indicator for a travel program.
consider travel programs and policies to be important (33%) or very important (17%) when choosing a potential employer
50% NEW JOB POTENTIAL
An important role of the TMC is to analyze their corporate customers’ business travel and suggest
alternatives and improvements to their travel policy, based on spending behaviors and suppliers agreements. We help them find the best balance between the cost and the quality of services in full compliance with the corporate business strategy.”
ENRICO RUFFILLI, UVET GLOBAL BUSINESS TRAVEL
| 10| 10
North America (NAM)
Pain Points | Top Priorities | Travel Management Solutions | Key Takeaways
NAM
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48%
42% 41%
37%33%
| 11NAM | PAIN POINTS
The greatest challenge to traveler well-being is work-life balance. Frequent business travel
increases a professional’s physical stress load by
12%
HEALTH FACTOR
of travelers book a trip out-of-policy to lower stress while traveling
51%HIGH ANXIETY
Primary areas of dissatisfaction:
23+77+C26+74+C
Travel safety and security initiatives
Employee well-being policies for travel
23%
26%
Most difficult aspects of business travel:
SOURCE: JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL MEDICINE
69+31+C69%
| 12NAM | TOP PRIORITIES
Travelers highly prioritize convenience services.
Travelers’ experience is influenced by:
Class of service (road warriors only)
Convenient, comfortable hotels
Non-stop flights
63+37+C63% 47+53+C47%
34+66+A39% Hotel high-speed internet 38+62+A38% Airplane/train Wi-Fi
When booking, travelers purchase:
57+0+53+0+45+0+34+0+31+0+25+0Travelers want information about:
Transportation
Destination
Travel add-ons
Travel documentation
Safety
Health
57%
53%
45%
31%
25%
0 25% 50%
34%
34
Travel managers can leverage cost savings with streamlined travel processes.
| 13NAM | TRAVEL MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS
51+49+C42+58+C41+59+C39+61+C31+69+C
51%
42%
41%
39%
31%
Automated info on travel destinations
Mobile expense reports
Itinerary-management apps
Mobile payments
Safety-tracking apps
Travelers’ experience would be enhanced by these technological amenities:
91+9+C
62+38+C
59+41+C
91%
62%
59%
24/7 support for travelers
Automated expense-management tools
Ability to book flights based on convenience,
not cost
Travel programs improve well-being by providing: 56+44+C
45+55+C
37+63+C
12+88+C
56%
45%
37%
12%
Business-class travel on longer flights
Preferred hotels with fitness facilities or access to one
Traveler satisfaction measurements to mitigate pain points
Subsidized memberships with preferred suppliers
Travelers use mobile apps for booking, trip information, itinerary management, expense reporting, safety and security information, and mobile payments.
Top 5 Travel App Categories:
Airline Lodging Transportation
Online booking Restaurants
By analyzing how often travelers pay for amenities and services out-of-pocket, travel managers can see the cost to the company and then leverage the information during supplier negotiations to bring added value to the travel-management program.
| 14NAM | KEY TAKEAWAYS
84% of travelers believe the quality of their business travel impacts their business results.
Travel managers can incorporate strategies into their corporate wellness programs to help offset business losses sustained due to poor traveler experiences.
59% consider travel programs and policies to be important (31%) or very important (28%) when choosing a new employer
NEW JOB POTENTIAL
of travelers expect to receive information and products based on personal preferences
83% PERSONAL TOUCH
Business-traveler jet lag causes corporations to see a reduction in productivity of
20%
OFF THE CLOCK
Travelers lose an average of 6.9 hours of work productivity per trip due to stress — that’s an average cost to the company of
$662
LOST PRODUCTIVITY
SOURCE: SABRE PERSONALIZATION STUDY, 2016
SOURCE: CWT STUDY
SOURCE: JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL MEDICINE
| 15| 15
Asia-Pacific (APAC)
Pain Points | Top Priorities | Travel Management Solutions | Key Takeaways
APAC
| 16APAC | PAIN POINTS
79% of travelers are generally satisfied with traveling for work at their current job.
Japan was less concerned with:
26+74+C27+73+C27%
Changing a flight or train reservation during trip
26%
Changing a lodging reservation
during trip
25+75+C25%
Working away from the office
Most difficult aspects of business travel:
Australia was less concerned with:Ti
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Travelers want information about:
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Safety
Transportation
Destination
Travel documentation
Health
Travel add-ons
APAC | TOP PRIORITIES
Technological amenities that promote convenience and comfort are a top priority.
Travelers use their mobile devices for:
48+52+A46+54+A
37+63+A47+53+A
43+57+A30+70+A
49%
46%
43%
42%
38%
35%
Travelers purchase these amenities to improve their travel experience:
Hotel high-speed internet
Airport lounge access
Airplane/Train Wi-Fi
Seat upgrade
International mobile calls/texts
Early boarding
Automated info on travel destinations
Itinerary management
Making payments
Safety-tracking apps
Expensereports
63% 54% 47% 38% 38%
61%
58%
56%
54%
49%
49%
0 50%
APAC travelers want automated information, itinerary-management apps, and mobile payment capabilities. Travelers also appreciate automated trip-information notifications when possible.
Top 3 business travel considerations are convenient hotels, non-stop flights, and paid time off.
| 18APAC | TRAVEL MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS
Primary areas of satisfaction:56+46+40+39+36+33+3256% 46% 37% 35% 33% 31% 30%
Convenient, comfortable
hotels
Non-stop flights Booking flexibility
Paid time off for long trips
Carrier type Class of service Bleisure
70+63+++++62++++++62++++61++++++60 Booking/reservation process
Pre-trip approval process
Travel safety and security initiatives
Travel policy
Employee well-being policies for travel
Expense-reporting process
70%
63%
62%
62%
61%
60%
0 50%
Travelers’ business-travel satisfaction is influenced by:
50%
25%
0
Because most pain points take place in-trip, travel managers who focus on comfort and well-being will provide the greatest contribution toward creating a frictionless travel experience.
| 19APAC | KEY TAKEAWAYS
87% of travelers feel that the quality of their business travel impacts their business results.
90% agree business travel impacts their overall job satisfaction.
are slightly more likely than older travelers to say their travel experience impacts job satisfaction to a great extent.
Millennials
China
Korea
Australia
Reversed in India
42% vs. 32%34% vs. 14%39% vs. 28%64% vs. 66%
of travelers consider travel programs and policies important when choosing a new employer
60% NEW JOB POTENTIAL
Low-frequency business travelers are less likely to agree than road warriors.
Millennials are more likely to agree than older employees.
China
Japan
Korea
Australia
19% vs. 31%
9% vs. 22%
7% vs. 16%
17% vs. 28%
China
Korea
Australia
39% vs. 15%
19% vs. 8%
31% vs. 17%
Latin-American Countries (LAC)
Pain Points | Top Priorities | Travel Management Solutions | Key Takeaways
| 20LAC
| 21LAC | PAIN POINTS
93% of travelers say they are satisfied (46%) or very satisfied (47%) with their business travel.
Most difficult aspects of business travel:
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65+60+52+47+44+33+31+24
Travelers want information about:
| 22
Transportation
Destination
Safety
Travel documentation
Travel add-ons
Health
Relevant cultural insights
Reminder to book hotel/car
LAC | TOP PRIORITIES
68%
68%
65%
60%
52%
47%
44%
33%
0 25% 50%
Travelers’ experience is influenced by:
69+64+52+51+48+42+39+31Convenient, comfortable
hotels
Non-stop flights
Booking flexibility
Paid time off for long trips
Ability to extend
business trip for leisure
Carrier type
Class of service
Ability to bring family or friends along
69%
64%
52% 51%48%
42%39%
31%
Convenient, comfortable hotels are key to a frictionless experience.
75%
50%
25%
0
69%Booking
63%Trip-information consolidation
58%Making payments
57%Safety-tracking apps
56%Itinerary management
50%Expense reports
Travelers use their mobile devices for:
Mobile expense reports
Customized traveler profiles
Live chat for travel-policy inquiries
Wearables
Automated information on travel destinations
Safety-tracking apps
Mobile-payment capabilities
Itinerary-management apps
One of the most cost-effective ways to reduce traveler friction is to improve communication.
| 23LAC | TRAVEL MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS
66+34+C
55+45+C
53+47+C
45+55+C
66%
55%
53%
45%
Travelers’ experience would be enhanced by these technological amenities:
43+57+C
37+63+C30+70+C
25+75+C
43%
37%
30%
25%
67+33+C 24/7 support to travelers
Business-class travel on longer flights
Automated expense-management tools
Traveler satisfaction measurements to mitigate pain points
Ability to book flights based on convenience, not cost
Preferred hotels with fitness facilities or access to one
Travel programs improve traveler well-being by providing:
14+86+C14% Subsidized memberships with preferred suppliers
43+57+C42+58+C36+64+C33+67+C21+79+C
67%
43%
42%
36%
33%
21%
Travelers purchase these amenities to improve their experience:
48+52+C38+62+C36+64+C
Hotel high-speed internet
International mobile calls/texts
Airplane/train Wi-Fi
48%
38%
36%
63+37+C56+44+C56+44+C
Black-car service
Hotel high-speed internet
Early boarding
63%
56%
56%
30+70+C28+72+C23+77+C19+81+C
30%
28%
23%
19%
Seat upgrade
Early boarding
Airport lounge access
Black-car service
52+48+C52+48+C39+61+C37+63+C
52%
52%
39%
37%
International mobile calls/texts
Airplane/train Wi-Fi
Airport lounge access
Seat upgrade
Companies fully reimburse for:
| 24LAC | KEY TAKEAWAYS
71% say that their travel experience impacts their job satisfaction to a great extent.
An overwhelming majority of business travelers indicate that the quality of their business travel experience impacts their business results somewhat (28%) or a lot (67%).
Travel managers can reduce friction by simplifying and clarifying the booking/rebooking processes and by streamlining expense report processes.
95%
of travelers consider travel programs and policies to be important (39%) or very important (27%) when choosing a new employer
66% NEW JOB POTENTIAL
Completing expense reports is the greatest post-trip pain point for travelers. 42% of Latin America-based travel programs offer automated expense-management tools to minimize time spent submitting expense reports.
ALLEVIATING TRAVEL FRICTION
Creating a frictionless travel experience benefits the employee and the company.
The business-travel experience is key to successful business transactions for companies around the world. Alleviating the stress and difficulties of travel and providing benefits and amenities that employees value shows employees that their business travel experience is important.
By prioritizing the business traveler’s experience, companies can foster organizational loyalty, a dedicated
team, and a positive work environment while offsetting the loss of productivity and revenue that can occur when the travel experience is poor. That’s why Sabre promotes traveler-centric journeys by offering a suite of solutions designed to provide convenience, comfort, information, and safety.
| 25CONCLUSION