The New Distribution Capability is a technology standard with a straightforward premise: to modernize airline distribution in the agency channel.To travel management companies, however, it’s anything but straightforward. The standard’s progenitor, the International Air Transport Association, says NDC is an overdue upgrade so that airlines can bridge the gap between the manner they sell through their own websites with the methods travel agencies use to distribute fares, bundles and ancillary products in their channels. To airlines, NDC lets them send richer fare and product data to agencies and better understand who is shopping. This, they say, will let them tailor airline offers, fares and bundles to shoppers, be they corporate or leisure. The Beat this year surveyed 30 TMCs to learn how they view the NDC standard and better understand how they approach adoption and enablement.... Download Now!

For all the progress many corporations have made in recent years in deploying strategic practices and policies to help manage their meetings programs, one aspect of meetings management remains a slippery challenge: the management of small, simple meetings. Whether designed to train employees, strategize, teambuild, meet with customers or any other purpose, small, simple meetings can represent as much as 80 percent of an organization’s events, and some meetings practitioners are beginning to realize the benefits of developing a companywide strategy and exploring new technologies to better manage them.... Download Now!

Retaining high-performing employees is a challenge for companies of all sizes and in all industries, and with a persistently low U.S. unemployment rate, doing so is even more critical today. For some employees, especially those that travel for work frequently, one factor that  can be key to a decision whether to take or leave a job: corporate travel policy. This white paper will show that a policy constructed with frequent traveler productivity and well-being, and not cost savings alone, in mind can serve as an effective method not only to retain certain high-performing employees but also lure such employees from competitors.... Download Now!

To assess major tech concepts and examine how they are applied within the corporate travel ecosystem, The Beat handpicked a few dozen experts attuned to trends in technology and travel to rate the coming relevance of seven computer science and tech fields. What impact on corporate travel will the following have: the API economy, blockchain, the internet of things, machine learning, natural language processing, robotic process automation and virtual reality?... Download Now!

It may surprise industry outsiders to learn that frontline travel agents remain a vital force in corporate travel. They weren’t wiped out by the Internet. They weren’t erased by self-booking tools. And, no, artificial intelligence and bots aren’t taking over anytime soon. At most travel management companies, frontline  counselors represent the largest single employee group.... Download Now!

Contact center solutions, content aggregation, data delivery, mobile technology and chatbot tech top the most common areas where TMCs will increase spending over the next year to enhance their business, according to a poll of 30 TMCs fielded in April and May and presented in a new Beat Research Report.... Download Now!

Travel managers are often inundated with historical data on where the dollars were spent but armed with little insight to how they might better influence purchasing decisions of travelers today and into the future. How can small and midsize travel departments—with limited resources and time—use real-time data to better manage and influence travel spending?... Download Now!