Technology is transforming the service model of corporate agencies.
Agencies specialized in corporate travel are making a great effort to adapt their services to the new needs opened up by technology. Chatbots, virtual reality, predictive analytics, gamification, new booking protocols, data security, blockchain… All these factors put the focus on traveler satisfaction and open important challenges for the business model on which the intermediation has traditionally been based.
The role of the travel agent in business travel is changing rapidly. Until recently, their role was focused on the more transactional aspects, but technology is forcing them to take on a consulting role around the new services demanded by companies;new services that companies demand, according to the conclusions of the special sessions on trends held by Forum Business Travel in Madrid and Barcelona.
“The impact of technology on the business model that agencies use for their client companies is evident”, according to Richard Wolf, a consultant at BD Sky, with more than 15 years of experience in travel management and keynote speaker at the sessions. In his opinion, “today, the needs of the travel manager are different and agencies have to anticipate and respond to them”.
The market is becoming so complex that agencies have to resort sometimes to third-party services. In any case, “they must be the technological partner that accompanies the travel manager at all times, offering innovative solutions and products and helping in the implementation processes;, adds the expert.
Óscar García, co-founding partner of Forum Business Travel, detailedó in the conference the technological innovations that are changing the management of corporate travel:
-Predictive analytics: Algorithms that process data are serving to find the most suitable dates and places to hold a meeting, avoiding concentration peaks when rates skyrocket. It is even being used to anticipate flight delays.
-Blockchain:
The technology arising from cryptocurrencies is finding many applications in business tourism and travel in general; for example, in contracts with suppliers, due to the security guarantees it provides.
-Immersive technology: The possibility of knowing the product in depth before booking it, with solutions such as mixed reality or chatbots that assist the traveler with artificial intelligence, is improving the user experience before, during and after their trip.
But what is the role of the travel agency in all this? According to the conclusions of Forum Business Travel, “is an integrator of technology, processes and objectives, because its potential as a supplier is greater than the rest, given the position it occupies in the value chain. The future of the agency is shifting from logistics to strategy and consulting.
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