Executive-level stakeholders in managed travel programs are grappling with multiple concerns about their internal company programs while keeping a watchful eye on a wide variety of outside developments that could impede domestic and international business travel in the next 12 months.
Among four key stakeholder groups—including C-suite, finance, procurement and HR executives—the majority are receiving all the reports and data sets they need to fulfill their responsibilities, and most are fully satisfied with their involvement in, and impact on, their managed travel programs.
Those are highlights of an online survey of more than 200 company executives conducted in October 2019 by BTN Group Content Solutions as part of an Executive Stakeholder View of Corporate Travel study, sponsored by SAP Concur.

While CEOs and COOs have a varied array of concerns as key stakeholders in their managed travel programs, they are first and foremost focused on taking care of their travelers.

In an online survey of 57 CEOs and COOs, a majority cited traveler safety and well-being as one of their top three concerns, followed by a strong minority who cited traveler satisfaction. Traveler concerns, for CEOs/COOs surveyed, topped cost considerations that finance, procurement and even human resources ranked as more important in this Executive Stakeholder View of Corporate Travel study of more than 200 company executives conducted by BTN Group Content Solutions and sponsored by SAP Concur.

Controlling travel costs internally and the prospect of a significant downturn in domestic and global economic markets impeding business travel are among the top concerns of a majority of financial executives who are key stakeholders in their managed travel programs.

In an online survey of 50 Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) or financial executives conducted by BTN Group Content Solutions, controlling costs to align with budgets was identified by the largest segment of respondents (44%) as one of their top three concerns.

Just over one-third (34%) of respondents said travel policy compliance, and accurate and timely reporting on travel spend, were also among top concerns directly related to their managed travel program. Defining and quantifying ROI from managed travel was cited by 30% of CEOs and financial executives surveyed as one of three top concerns.

Chief Procurement Officers (CPOs) and procurement executives would like to have more impact on shaping their organization’s managed travel policies and programs.

In an online survey conducted by BTN Group Content Solutions and sponsored by SAP Concur, half of the CPO and procurement executives surveyed said they were satisfied only “to some extent” with their involvement with, and impact on, their travel management program. Just under half (48%) said they were “definitely” satisfied with the role they played in managed travel and their impact on travel policy and programs.

When it comes to the role they play in their managed travel programs, human resource executives and Chief People Officers (CPOs) appear equally focused on cost controls and traveler safety and satisfaction.

Those are among the key findings from an online survey of 51 HR or top People officers conducted by BTN Group Content Solutions. As part of an Executive Stakeholder View of Corporate Travel study, sponsored by SAP Concur, BTN Group asked more than 200 executives in four key areas for their views on managed travel. 

Mention meeting payments and reconciliation, and you’ll often see meeting planners and stakeholders wince. Whether due to a lack of consistency or standardization of invoices, an inability to use technology to automate the reconciliation process, or the frequency of billing errors as compared with contracted; budgeted; and expected charges, few planners claim to find much value in today’s meeting payment and reconciliation process. Read more…

Selecting a travel management company is among the most consequential decisions to make within a corporate travel program. The chosen TMC will serve as the client’s primary travel service provider, so its approach to service, technological capabilities, ability to evolve with the times and its global reach will have a profound effect on the effectiveness of the managed travel program. As such, the TMC selection process is often complex, lengthy and carefully considered, given the gravity of the choice.