Business travel working practices
Procedures and documentation for selling products and
services
The business travel agents work in the same way as a retail agent
for individual customers, even though they will purchase the
individual components of a holiday, rather than packages.
If a business traveller wants to use different airlines, the agent
can use GDS to book effectively the necessary segments of the
trip, mixing the airlines of one ticket and making sure that the
connecting times work out.
Procedures are quite different when dealing with the corporate business. Business travel
agents aim to wine large accounts and manage them. Large accounts have a manager, who is
responsible for managing all the business travel. He or she should review the services
provided at the regular period and suggesting improvements when needed.
The first stage of the retail is to listen to requirements, but understand the business
objectives of the customer as well. A large corporation looking for a business travel agent
will expect the business scheme to be analysed, in terms of cost cutting or better service to
be provided.
Commission levels and sales targets
They are closely linked together. Agents receive
commission from suppliers for bookings and as
suppliers (airlines and hotels) try to cut costs,
commission levels decrease. Agents have to
compensate for cuts in commission levels by
charging business travellers for their services, as do
retail agents. Business travel agents are set sales
targets by their company and they will receive the
bonus payments if they reach the targets they are set for.
Front office and back office
Department Independent business travel National business travel
agents agents
Sales Front Front
Finance Back Back
IT Front Back
HR Front Back
Management Front Back
Procedures and documentation for selling products and
services
The business travel agents work in the same way as a retail agent
for individual customers, even though they will purchase the
individual components of a holiday, rather than packages.
If a business traveller wants to use different airlines, the agent
can use GDS to book effectively the necessary segments of the
trip, mixing the airlines of one ticket and making sure that the
connecting times work out.
Procedures are quite different when dealing with the corporate business. Business travel
agents aim to wine large accounts and manage them. Large accounts have a manager, who is
responsible for managing all the business travel. He or she should review the services
provided at the regular period and suggesting improvements when needed.
The first stage of the retail is to listen to requirements, but understand the business
objectives of the customer as well. A large corporation looking for a business travel agent
will expect the business scheme to be analysed, in terms of cost cutting or better service to
be provided.
Commission levels and sales targets
They are closely linked together. Agents receive
commission from suppliers for bookings and as
suppliers (airlines and hotels) try to cut costs,
commission levels decrease. Agents have to
compensate for cuts in commission levels by
charging business travellers for their services, as do
retail agents. Business travel agents are set sales
targets by their company and they will receive the
bonus payments if they reach the targets they are set for.
Front office and back office
Department Independent business travel National business travel
agents agents
Sales Front Front
Finance Back Back
IT Front Back
HR Front Back
Management Front Back
