Five questions to include in your next travel RFP
CEOs around the world have identified ‘hiring the wrong employee’ and ‘collaborating with the wrong business partner’ as the two biggest mistakes their businesses could make, according to a survey conducted by Inc. Magazine.
To avoid appointing the wrong Travel Management Company (TMC) for your business, start by creating a solid travel RFP and by asking insightful questions. To help identify the right provider for your business needs, consider including the following questions in your travel RFP:
1. How are you helping South Africa’s transformation efforts?
In the South African political and economic context, the TMC you appoint should have a minimum Level 2 B-BBEE certification.
When choosing a supplier, a company's BEE level is influenced by supplier levels. And, the higher that rating, the more a business can claim towards its procurement spend.
The math is simple: by choosing a BEE Level 6 partner, only 60 cents out of every rand spent counts towards your BEE scorecard. However, when appointing a Level 1 company, for every R1 spent with that supplier, your business can claim R1.35 against its preferential procurement scoring.
A B-BBEE certificate not only offers economic benefits, but it also shows a company’s commitment to transformation.
2. What is on your technology roadmap?
How often does the prospective TMC release new products, enhancements or upgrades? Does the business regularly incorporate customer feedback into its development cycle?
The technology offered by a TMC should deliver innovation in functional areas such as simplified booking; real-time information on bookings; policy compliance; service-level monitoring; issuance of travel and weather alerts. Being better connected, travellers and bookers feel in control, and that gives programme managers the feedback they need to elevate their travel programmes.
FCM continually takes into account feedback via its Client Advisory Group, which is used to develop new concepts and features for its various travel programmes. That might mean leveraging data differently or introducing new technology.
3. Do you have an experienced team to help solve challenges?
Does your prospective TMC have the right team in place to deliver on its promises, regardless of the complexity of the itinerary or the number of travellers?
Is your next meeting in the middle of the desert? A credible TMC should be able to organise the right visas, transfers and flight connections and pre-empt any challenges that come with organising an event in a remote location.
Whatever the demand, your appointed TMC needs to have the workforce and resources to be able to accommodate irregular demands and requirements.
4. Are you available after hours in times of emergency?
Emergency channels and short response times are vital when it comes to corporate travel. Whether your traveller experiences a flight disruption, is struggling with health issues or simply lost his or her luggage, your TMC must be available around the clock to solve mishaps.
A dedicated team that operates a 24/7/365 after-hours emergency service and customer help desk is non-negotiable
5. Who will be in charge of my account?
Smaller corporate travel agencies sometimes use third-party call centres, which means you probably won’t be talking to the same person each time you call.
Appoint a TMC geared with an experienced team and led by a dedicated Account Manager who knows your wants and needs and who will act quickly to solve problems. The travellers in your company will benefit from knowing they have a highly individualised escalation point for critical travel issues at every point along their journey.