The programme consists of eight one-hour modules which are delivered monthly by Blue Cube’s account managers to travel bookers at the client’s premises over the course of a year. The first two modules cover air travel and facts such as ticket types, fare classes, overview of different airline cabin products and the best options for the client’s specific travellers. Preferred airline suppliers also take part, such as Air Canada who give demonstrations via virtual reality kits. Subsequent modules include: hotel booking basics with explanations of different hotel rates, bill-backs and best practice; UK and international rail ticket types; and itinerary planning. Training is not just classroom based as it includes the opportunity for hotel and airport site visits.
“We invested in a new online booking tool last year, BC Online powered by Atriis, an NDC IATA level 4 ready solution and although adoption levels are high with an average 85 percent of our online clients processing their transactions via the tool, their spends were still increasing, despite approval processes in place, and last-minute offline bookings were on the rise,” explains Rebecca Deadman, Commercial Director, Blue Cube Travel.
“Clients ask us to implement our online tool to reduce costs, but then their travel bookers are effectively expected to become travel agents without any prior experience. EAs and PAs are used to booking their own leisure travel with one click, but booking business travel via an online tool is completely different – there are travel policy constraints to consider, different fare types, classes of travel, hotel products. It can be a minefield for a travel booker,” says Deadman.
“We realised that clients would only truly benefit from BC Online in terms of time and cost savings, if bookers using the tool were given bespoke training – not just technical training on how to use the tool, but practical business travel product knowledge.
“This training is designed to enhance their business travel knowledge, but it also relates to their company’s actual travel programme, airline routes and hotels, so that that they feel more confident about using BC Online to make bookings for their travellers. We have already started rolling out the training to several clients and it has been incredibly well received by travel bookers as it helps them make sense of the complexities of business travel,said Deadman.
Commenting on the training, a London-based EA at one of Blue Cube’s FTSE 100 technology sector clients said: “The knowledge that our Blue Cube account manager bestowed on us was invaluable. The workshops helped cut through the jargon and common assumptions regarding airlines and class of travel. This training has given me the knowledge and understanding of a travel agent, which has made my job that much easier. I now feel that I have the skill-set to answer and problem solve any issues that arise while making online bookings.”
Tags:Blue Cube
