Mobile technology to revolutionise corporate travel. Tuesday, 27th May 2008 Source : Amadeus

Recent report reveals a wide range of benefits from mobile technology for corporate travellers and travel managers -companies to benefit from improvements in productivity, efficiency and savings.

A report by Amadeus and the Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) has found that mobile technology is set to transform the entire travel experience for business travellers by improving access to information and services to ease their trip and by enabling corporate travel managers to increase travel policy compliance.

The 'Upwardly mobile' report, unveiled at the ACTE Global Education Conference in Washington, saw 72 corporate travel managers from across the globe surveyed on their views of how mobile technology is impacting business travel. In addition, more than 30 interviews with both corporate travel managers and technology experts were conducted.

The findings show that mobile technology will revolutionise business travel, allowing travellers to book and amend flights, make hotel reservations, as well as to complete expense forms while on the road, and in doing so, increase their flexibility, welfare and productivity. Mobile travel technology can also provide travellers with other time saving features, such as flight check-in, virtual room "keys", as well as electronic boarding passes sent directly to their mobile device.

As a result, employees will need to spend less time on travel-related tasks in the office, instead performing them while travelling. Implemented across the entire business, these functions will deliver substantial cost savings for companies through increased productivity and efficiency.

Upwardly Mobile also found that mobile technology will help the corporate travel manager meet travel policy requirements, delivering improvements in employee security during business trips - 100% of respondents said 'tracking and communication of travellers for security purposes' was a major benefit of mobile technology.

Up-to-the-minute security alerts or advice about delays or disasters that might affect corporate travellers can be automatically sent via simple, timely SMS text message and travel managers meanwhile will be able to track employees using GPS systems enabling them to account for all of their staff in the event of an emergency.

Mobile technology will also help travel managers to promote policy compliance while on the road, the report found. In the case of a cancelled flight, employees will be able to instantly access approved supplier lists, ensuring that they follow company policy rather than choosing costly alternatives, further reducing company costs.

The report highlights the importance for travel managers to begin consulting with the IT and HR departments within their company, in order to implement a mobile strategy into their travel management programme and take advantage of current and future offerings.

Upwardly Mobile shows however, that while travel managers are aware of these benefits, they have so far made little progress in implementing changes. Some 80% acknowledged the role of mobile phones with enhanced features to improve corporate travel but despite this, very few have integrated these services into their travel programmes.

Commenting, Frank Palapies, Corporations Head of Department of Amadeus said, "The Upwardly Mobile report shows conclusively that the benefits of mobile technology are significant, from increases in productivity of travellers, to improvements in safety and tracking of staff. Most importantly, it will bring a great increase in the welfare of business travellers. The findings prove the potential of mobile technology to transform corporate travel forever for both the business traveller and the corporate travel manager - it is the next logical step in travel technology. "