One of the highlights of Illuminate 2022 was hearing from Graham 'Skroo' Turner, Chief Executive Officer, Flight Centre Travel Group when he spoke with Tom Walley, Global Managing Director, Corporate Traveller, during a frank discussion about resilience, business growth and planning for the future.
2022 was the year that corporate travel in New Zealand roared back to life and 2023 demand is shaping up to be supercharged. Corporate Traveller saw all bookings increase, with trans-Tasman bookings up 209 per cent year on year and international bookings up 419 per cent. That’s a lot of demand and corporate travel buyers are expected to lean heavily on their TMCs to grab the best deals and to adopt processes which will set them up for success. With a slew of new tech enhancements, and a heightened focus on travel program value, Corporate Traveller is diving into the new year boots and all.
Here’s what our corporate travel experts have to say about the year ahead …
Keeley Alton, General Manager, New Zealand
What surprised you most about corporate travel in 2022?
The speed at which our customers returned to the skies once borders opened. The pent-up demand was very real, and it was powerful watching our people manage the complexities of international travel and helping customers navigate continually changing government and airline restrictions.
What are the emerging trends for NZ’s corporate travel in 2023?
I think business travellers will be undertaking more multi-stop trips and combining leisure travel with their business travel in support of responsible travel.
What's your corporate travel resolution for 2023?
Incorporate exercise and wellbeing when I travel.
Personal New Year's resolution for 2023?
Be kind, be strong and be bold.
Angie Forsyth, Head of Sales & Customer Success, New Zealand
What trends to you expect to see in your role in 2023?
What we’re hearing from customers is that they see the value of partnering with a TMC more and more – and we like to think of ourselves as their trusted advisors. Businesses are looking for assistance and guidance to ensure every dollar is well spent, and they want robust duty of care in place for their people. They are also looking for support on their sustainability journey and most importantly, customers want reliable and friendly service.
What do customers want, and need, from a TMC in 2023?
Our customers repeatedly stress the importance of having market-leading technology, backed by the best people. Having a true blend of people and technology, means customers can choose to engage and save in the way - or ways - that best suit their needs. Also knowing your TMC truly understands your business, and can add value to your travel program, is key.
What does the role of customer success look like in 2023?
Our goal is to ensure customers are seeing and getting value in everything we do for them. This could mean helping them consolidate their travel program in 2023 for overall visibility of spend, assisting with compliance to drive savings or helping to build sustainability goals and strategies into their travel program. We want to focus on collaboration to strengthen partnerships built on trust where we become an extension of our customer’s team – and most importantly, our customer success managers are focused on continuing to deliver results year on year.
How does the human support of customer success fit into an increasingly automated world?
Automation is an important part of any successful travel program, but nothing replaces a friendly smile and a voice at the end of the phone when you really need help. If the last three years has taught us anything, it's that there is power in strong partnerships and consistent service when things really go crazy. We believe the blend of the two is where the magic happens and that's why we continually invest in technology and in our people in 2023.
What's your corporate travel resolution for 2023?
Get back out into the big wide world and reconnect with my wonderful Corporate Traveller leadership team from across the globe, to share ideas and strategies on how we can continue to evolve and elevate what we bring to life for our customers and prospect customers in 2023.
Lisa Hooper, Customer Experience Leader, New Zealand
What are the most significant changes you have observed in corporate travel since the start of COVID-19?
From an operational point of view, one of the biggest changes is how well we have all adapted to remote working BUT still how important the need for face-to-face meetings still is! Once borders opened and restrictions started to ease, the demand for travel was back in full force. It's been a bumpy ride with the impact of schedules and availability seeing an increase in pricing –and now there are so many more factors now to consider when booking a business trip. Our customers are focusing a lot on duty of care, knowing their people are safe when they’re away for work is key.
Much is spoken about ‘the new normal', what does it mean for you and the business travel managers in your team?
Virtual working is the norm for our people now. We have gone from small teams based in the same city to larger teams spread out across the country. One of the key advantages is we can now hire the best person for the role, regardless of where they are based.
What's your corporate travel resolution for 2023?
My personal resolution is to not slip into old habits. Moving into 2023 I want to make sure I’m planning thought-out trips and slightly longer trips to cover what I need, but less often – and I want to enjoy the time I am away by really valuing the face-to-face contact. Also booking flight times that fit in with home life (and policy) that allow for a more balanced schedule.
What is your personal New Year's resolution for 2023?
Move everyday - aim for 10k steps a day and have fun doing it! Taking my boys for a surf, the dog for a run or a social game of tennis. I need to keep it varied and get the whole family involved.
