BCD Inform Series Policy Press Release

New technology will soon transform corporate travel policies, according to BCD Travel’s second of six Inform research papers

UTRECHT, The Netherlands – Oct. 30, 2018 – Today’s travelers don’t look at policy documents, can easily book outside of company guidelines and see no motive for following the rules. Yet, companies rely on travel policies to achieve the greatest return on travel investment and to keep employees safe on the road. How do corporate travel managers overcome that challenge?

By implementing new technology to replace today’s static, predefined policies with dynamic, intuitive and personalized behavior management engines. That’s the conclusion of a new report, Emerging technology and travel management: Policy, published by BCD Travel, a leading business travel management company.

“The days of using travel policy as a blunt instrument are numbered. Technology is already changing travel policy by giving corporate travel managers the ability to nudge travelers toward compliant choices via much more dynamic, flexible, sensitive, and personalized methods,” said Mike Eggleton, Senior Manager Analytics and Research at BCD Travel. “This paper clearly explains how digital technology ties-in to managed travel and how we expect it to affect the corporate travel industry in coming months and years.”

The second in a six-part Inform research series by BCD Travel, the travel policy report aims at helping travel managers take advantage of new and emerging technologies expected to profoundly improve their corporate travel programs. Each report in the series examines how machine learning, blockchain, bots and chatbots, virtual and augmented reality and the Internet of things promises to transform a specific facet of the corporate travel industry.

Policy explains how those technologies can be used to effectively implement travel policies to steer travelers toward policy-compliant choices while improving savings and security, quality service, consistency and traveler wellness. It contrasts the current approach to travel policy with the future technology driven approach. It also explores challenges of utilizing technologies, such as compliance with the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Other report highlights:

• Clear definitions for each technology explored and “what it all means.”
• A “travel manager checklist” offering suggestions for how to think about emerging technology, keep up with its developments and implement it.
• How each technology can be harnessed in travel policy to improve compliance, lower risk and save time and money.
• A timeline for expected uses of technology in travel policy today, tomorrow and the day after

The third report in the Inform series, focusing on communications, will be published in December.  To receive all six reports as they are published throughout 2018 and the first half of 2019, visit www.bcdtravel.com/inform/ and subscribe to our move blog.