B2B Case Study - Global Support & Reach 2019-20 UK

CASE STUDY GLOBAL SUPPORT & REACH

ABOUT THE CLIENT This client is an award-winning expedition specialist, offering life changing responsible travel experiences, based in the UK with additional offices worldwide. Our client specialises in youth travel with a purpose; their key priorities are based around working with an ethical & sustainable travel partner, who have the ability to offer 24/7 global travel support and extensive risk management.

Whilst our client had a Global Travel Programme, they had key requirements in Africa, Asia & Latin America where they owned ground operations.

For our client safety was paramount, they needed a robust risk management and communication platform for them to be able to support and automatically risk assess their travellers.

Prior to partnering with Travel Management by STA Travel, the client managed this service inhouse. This operation consisted of two travel bookers looking after more than 2,000 travellers.

This inevitably caused issues with their cost visibility, efficiency strategy & data insights.

Having just two bookers working across a large operation like this left the company open to human error and booking errors.

OBJECTIVES

TIME SAVING

Customers were heavily reliant on internal bookers, subsequently they had no data on policy compliance, traveller’s behaviour, expenses or accountability. Each booking required numerous manual touches, which inevitably led to inaccuracies and a decrease in productivity. This led to frustration from bookers & travellers.

STRATEGY

The client felt that their travel programme, while growing, lacked control and strategy. With no expertise in travel management they required a global partner who had the ability to offer an end to end solution, providing a consultative, proactive approach at every turn.

DUTY OF CARE

Being reliant on internal bookers meant they had no access to a 24/7 Global Travel Help Service to support their travellers while in high risk countries.

This left the client open to risk and left travellers feeling uneasy. They had no way of tracking the itineraries of their travellers for the purpose of risk management. This was a key priority for the client and for Travel Management by STA Travel.

GLOBAL REACH LOCAL SERVICE STA Travel have hundreds of stores, operating in sixty markets, with services that span from corporate travel to group travel. The global power

of STA Travel means all our clients receive a localised service, whilst receiving the advantage rates only a global company can leverage.

IMPLEMENTED SOLUTIONS STA Travel works closely with clients to ensure that their needs and expectations are met every step of the way. Solutions included comprehensive account management, bespoke reporting, traveller

tracking and accurate carbon footprint data. As with every account, implemented solutions are completely tailored to the needs, requirements and the demand of the client.

KEY OUTPUTS PRODUCTIVITY

CUSTOMER SATISFACTION

Using the expertise of our offline team, the client was able to utilise the previous internal travel bookers in other areas of the business. It was highlighted that the use of Travel Management by STA Travel could highly increase the productivity of the workforce at our clients’ establishment, whilst improving standards of service and fulfilling duty of care requirements.

STA Travel have provided the client with an inhouse, UK/US based 24-hour support team, who are educated in the account needs, requirements and challenges that may occur. The Travel Help Team are industry experts with backgrounds from airlines, point of sale and crisis management. They have a weekly schedule of departures to review, so in the event of any incident they already have an awareness of which groups are travelling where, allowing them to respond efficiently & effectively.

The results: The client could utilise the additional workforce to drive increased business, which resulted in a 49% passenger volume since the start of the contract.

COST SAVING Due to pre-existing relationships and expert knowledge of STA travel bookers, we added extended value to the clients’ bookings. Improved benefits included specially negotiated terms and conditions exclusive to the client for processing date and name changes, preferred flight times, baggage inclusions, last minute bookings & amendments and of course a reduction in average pricing.

The results: Overall 31% savings against airline published fares

The results: Customer satisfaction was improved and the client had full visibility and support for their travellers and staff.

WHAT THE CLIENT SAYS ‘STA have over the years, been an integral part of us being able to deliver expeditions to 1000’s of students and independent travellers each year. It has been a relationship based on strong communication especially over the past year where we have been allocated an excellent Account Executive Natalie who has provided a very high level of support. In time, critical situations STA have always provided the best service and advice so that we are able to service and support our clients to meet their needs.’ Abigail BetteridgeCustomer & Logistics Manager.

GET IN TOUCH 0333 321 3101 businesstravel@statravel.co.uk businesstravel.statravel.co.uk St George’s House, 56 Peter Street, Manchester, M2 3NQ