Consolidating vendors, driving staff participation/compliance and applying focus on cost management produces measurable results. One of our clients is an international company headquartered in the United States operating five seperate business units with an aggregate of several hundred locations nationally. Their goal was to achieve a more predictable travel expenditures forecast and implement a system for managing travel expenses.

With no definitive travel structure or policy in place we worked to understand the business in terms of the individual business units and their requirements as well as industry dynamics that impact travel response. Interviews and rough travel audits showed three primary opportunities for savings and predictability of travel expenditures:

Consolidate Vendors: The high volume of travel over relatively predictable routes indicated an opportunity to consolidate the company's travel providers. Moving in this direction enabled us to leverage significantly more power in vendor negotiations. The net result was a significant deviation from retail 'best fare' pricing that is structured to increase discounts parallel with volume.

Staff Participation: Staff participation was inconsistent and difficult to measure in the beginning. By performing interviews and factoring business dynamics that effect travelers we were able to encourage participation and compliance with the implemented travel policy by making it easier for travelers to use with online interfaces and by providing better service and more benefits that directly impacted the quality of their travel.

Cost Management Reviews: By implementing a structured review process we are able to continually understand what is being spent, respond to changes in travel requirements before they happen and use our data to drive better value with vendors.

Outcome: Our client's business is expanding and aggregate travels costs continue to decrease. Company travelers are a little more comfortable and financial mangement is in sync with travel budget requirements.