An Arlington telecommunications association wanted a travel
program that was high-tech and high-touch that would save on fares and fees. In
2002, they selected MacNair Travel Management to implement a program to provide
top-shelf support and quality technology that would drive high online adoption
rates, save money through policy creation and enforcement, and offer a wide
range of fare savings opportunities. We implemented several important features:
we implemented GetThere, an industry leading online reservation tool, we
provided comprehensive kickoff meetings and on going training to introduce the
association staff to MacNair’s team and technology, we helped update and enforce a new
travel policy that clearly defined when online should be used, we helped the association
justify their new travel program and policy decisions with data and best
practices, and we instituted reporting system to include a central credit card
reconciliation process that made their finance department giddy with
excitement.
Results:
The association's
average ticket cost in the last year (we tracked from April 2013 through March
2014) was $415, which was far below the national average for the same timeframe
of $545*, providing a per-ticket savings of $130. Based on its ticket count of 402,
the association saved $52,260. Of these 402 transactions, 93% were online.
The association's online adoption rate has increased by 30% since their first year with us
in 2002 – that year the percentage was 63%. Since each on-line transaction
saves $20 in fees over the industry average for full service transactions, the association
saved a total of $7,460 on fees. Thus, the association saved $59,720 in the past year
in combined airfares and fees. Twelve years later they are still finding a
savings with us and still going strong.
*Numbers
are based on national averages provided my Topaz International and GBTA
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