Professional Services Company
Consulting Objectives
This client engaged TCG Consulting to source its U.S. travel operations and related vendor programs, and to manage these relationships on an ongoing outsourced basis. In addition, the client assigned TCG to manage all travel related categories; to provide professional corporate travel program management and counsel; to provide strategic focus and control internal and external operations resources; and to identify benchmarking statistics on comparable and best-in-class industry travel programs.
Idea/Strategy
TCG consultants focused initially on domestic travel, with a goal to leverage the client’s domestic spending in agency fees and air travel costs, and then to apply a similar strategy to all travel spend categories. Second phase focus would include Canada, Western Europe and then worldwide within 24 months of initial commencement. TCG also worked to obtain traveler preferred vendor compliance, which would offer economic relief and program benefits to travelers.
Tactics/Tools
- Moved onsite agents from onsite locations to TMC dedicated reservation center configuration for increased service and decreased costs
- Implemented online booking technology with customized backend fulfillment capabilities
- Developed a new travel policy that focuses on travel security, safety and comfort, while increasing control and subsequent cost saving
- Provided a VIP agent for the executive travelers
- Conducted weekly status and planning meetings and quarterly performance evaluations
- Represented company with all travel vendors and acted as liaison in contract negotiations and performance reviews
- Provided Best-in-Class strategies by industry experts
Results
TCG’s client can now focus on core competencies, while TCG focuses on the travel related strategies. For a fraction of a full time position, TCG manages the strategic program agenda, generating a 40:1 ROI program savings to outsource costs. The company realizes additional savings and incremental revenue in excess of $85K (additional 4% overall savings) from sources that the company would not have targeted without TCG expertise. Introduction of online booking technologies has decreased agent requirements by half person and allowed the company to maintain existing headcount as travel budget grows 20%.
Client Profile
Scope of Services Global
Primary Business: Professional Services
Total Travel and Expense Budget: $31 million
Total Number of Expense Reports Processed Annually: 12,000