The rise of mobile is being clearly seen in the corporate travel space with 89% of respondents in a new survey feeling that the channel is having a moderate or significant impact on corporate travel programs.
The Real Impact of Mobile report by Travelport and the Association of Corporate Travel Executives found that while only one in four corporates currently has a mobile policy for its travel program, 57% intend to adopt one.
“For years, people have enjoyed a flexible booking and leisure travel experience thanks to mobile technology – and now they expect the same at work,” the report said.
But it stressed the differences between the implementation of mobile in the leisure and corporate sectors, with the latter more concerned with controlling costs and ensuring staff work with a corporate travel policy.
“Giving employees mobile access to corporate travel services means putting buying power directly into their hands,” it said.
It also stressed that mobile is not a “definitive solution” and should instead be used as part of a multi-channel travel strategy. However, its benefits as a channel for itinerary management and real-time flight updates make it an invaluable resource for executives on the go, along with its suitability for last minute booking.
It is also an “excellent channel” for getting information about visas, immunisations, weather and destinations to corporate travellers, according to the report.
But allowing executives to use such a program to book ancillaries can make it difficult to keep track of spending and ensure compliance with a company’s travel program and therefore advised corporate travel managers to be actively involved in the development of mobile policy.
“Mobile can then become a hugely valuable asset to your business, keeping your employees informed and giving them unparalleled flexibility when travelling to and within their destination.”
