OP ED: Making The Most Of Auto Booking

I'm often amazed when I hear people in the industry compare desktop booking products to automated teller machines. They like to say there was resistance to ATMs when they were first introduced, but the fear and mistrust

associated with the new technology was soon overcome by the convenience they afforded. Of course, everyone uses ATMs today, and eventually people will embrace and use desktop booking products with the same enthusiasm. But let's face facts: ATMs are simple, uncomplicated devices, while desktop reservation systems must hold a vast amount of information about users and the user company's T&E policy. There are many levels of choices offered and many more steps involved in booking a trip than withdrawing cash from an account. While the good systems are user friendly and make the process relatively easy for the traveler, they simply cannot be compared to ATMs--with one exception.

ATMs are great for simple, straightforward transactions like withdrawals or deposits. But for the more complex transactions, we still turn to professionals: tellers trained to help us do it right.

Desktop reservation systems also are effective for straightforward transactions, like point-to-point or repeat trips and shuttle tickets. For the more complex requests--multi-leg itineraries and international travel, for example--it has been our experience that travelers still get the best results when they turn to professionals: agents with years of experience who can help them make intelligent decisions and book their trips at the lowest cost.

Don't get me wrong. Desktop reservation systems and their automated cousins, expense reporting systems, hold great promise for the business world. They offer opportunities to increase convenience and productivity, and decrease costs. As they evolve, they will become even more sophisticated tools. But, unlike ATMs, which are virtually plug-and-play--and not because of familiarity and acceptance, but because of function--desktop reservation technology is a complex process that requires a deliberate, strategic effort for successful rollout.

That said, here are some early lessons we have learned from working with our clients on achieving the best this technology offers.

* Ask yourself some tough questions before you begin. Does your company value convenience over cost or vice versa? How stringent is your travel policy? How rigid is your company with respect to compliance? Are you prepared, by design, to mandate use of preferred suppliers or do you want to give your travelers options that may not be in the best interest of your bottom line? Answering these and other questions will help you define your objectives and guide your provider in deploying the technology to achieve them.

* Flexibility is key. People want choices. While you want to encourage travelers to make maximum use of the technology to gain optimum cost savings, you also want to provide the option of working with an agent.

* Immediately accessible support is critical. Make certain that the company providing the technology can offer live support to travelers when they encounter difficulties or have questions. E-mailing questions and waiting for a response will not work and will turn travelers off.

* Your test group must be representative of your company. You need feedback and buy-in from travelers from all walks of life within your company, from laptop-toting cyber dwellers and frequent flyers to high-level managers who don't have PCs on their desk (and rarely leave them), as well as assistants who also make their arrangements. Make sure every group is represented and, more importantly, that both those individuals eager for change and those reluctant to embrace new technologies are included.

* Follow-up and training are essential. Implementing new technology is an investment that, like any investment, will pay off if you make it wisely. You can't expect to hand your travelers a brand-new technology and then sit back and reap the benefits. Work with a company that will make sure your travelers fully understand the product's benefits and know how to use it, and that will guide them every step of the way.

* Don't sacrifice service for technology. I can't emphasize this point enough. All the technology in the world will not keep your travelers happy if the service component isn't there at the outset. And early positive experience will go a long way toward achieving buy-in and cost savings later on.

* Don't expect miracles overnight. It presumably took years to build your travel program into what it is today. Give automated systems a little time to yield their benefits. Remember, it is only natural for your travelers to begin using desktop reservations systems for browsing first and booking second. If your travel technology provider is savvy, it will work closely with your travelers, support them fully and move them efficiently from the first stage to the next.

Remember, travel technology is evolutionary, not revolutionary. Unlike ATMs, your travelers will not accept desktop reservations systems overnight. Be patient. One day, in the not-too-distant future, they will be an integral part of how you manage travel, not only saving your company money, but providing your travelers with real value and convenience.


<I>Jeff Harrow is president and CEO of Travel One, a Mt. Laurel, N.J.-based travel management company.