INSIGHTS
Our People, Our Service: Elyza
Meet Elyza, one of our Inside Account Managers at FCM New Zealand. She’s been with Flight Centre Travel Group for 3 years and has already made a huge impact. With a background in travel and a genuine love for customer success, she’s quickly moved through roles and landed her dream position in corporate travel.
Being an Inside Account Manager is an awesome job. The flexibility at FCM, the opportunity to help clients with their travel needs, and the strong relationships we build make it so fulfilling. This role is very much about customer service and providing value, which keeps me coming back every day. I also love travel, so sharing my love for travel with other people and helping customers achieve their travel goals is a win-win.
Building relationships that matter
Some time back, we listened to customer feedback and to better service their needs we introduced a new Account Management business model that will ensure they receive the appropriate support and attention. The result of that was the introduction of an Inside Account Management role and Elyza was the perfect candidate for the role.
Travel may only be a small portion of the client's day-to-day responsibilities, but their travel still matters, and that's where I come in. These businesses need help to manage their travel programs, and I'm here to ensure their experience is smooth and cost-effective.
Elyza's job doesn't include booking flights and hotels; instead, she focuses her time on building strong, long-term relationships.
I'm constantly checking in, providing reviews and insights, and keeping clients up to speed with any changes. Their programs are always front of mind for me, ensuring clients feel supported and valued.”
"I spend a lot of time looking at their booking and travel habits to see what value I can provide. If I notice a peak in offline bookings, I step in with online adoption refresher training, which provides faster booking completion and decreases fees. Customers always appreciate the support and insight they receive as they may not have the time or resources to focus on it.
Solving pain points
One of Elyza’s favourite parts of the job? Tackling tricky travel problems.
I work with a lot of Trans-Tasman clients, and sometimes standard systems don’t work for them. One client needed New Zealand travel approvals to be actioned by someone in Australia, without giving them full system access. The client just wanted to hit approve or decline. I pulled in some FCM experts, and we came up with a solution. The desired outcome was implemented efficiently, and the client appreciated that we could tailor our system to fit their needs. This isn't a common request. However, I pride myself in going above and beyond, and that is what makes the job so rewarding.
Cutting costs, maximising value
Elyza’s takes a hands-on approach to finding solutions for clients, especially when it comes to cost savings.
Hotel costs can be a common struggle, and this is what I found early on with one of my customers. They did not have the time or resources to look into the trend of their hotel bookings themselves. I noticed the above-average spend and took a closer look at their booking behaviour. Turns out, employees were choosing expensive hotels without realising the impact.
I pulled together data on rate caps and common price ranges to help minimise their hotel spend. After discussing this with the client, we implemented a rate cap that saved up to $50 per booking. The project exceeded expectations. Not only did they save money, but it also gave me the opportunity to negotiate better hotel rates on their behalf and help them better manage hotel spend moving forward.
When urgent travel hits
Elyza also manages clients with last-minute, high-priority travel in industries where travel may result in events like urgent investigations. This type of travel requires fast and efficient responses.
One of my client's requires travel to investigate transport accidents and road safety, sending their staff off for weeks and months at times. Long term accommodation and last-minute changes are required for these people which comes at a cost, so their travel program needs to be solid. It's important that the team and I ensure there are sufficient rates and booking options that work for their budgets and travel requirements. Accidents happen without warning, so it is important to have the best options available at short notice.
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