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How FirstGroup gains control over its business travel expenses with TravelPerk
FirstGroup: UK’s leading private sector provider of public transport
Striving for clarity and efficiency in an opaque travel management system
- Lack of cost control and transparency: First Bus had a contract with a travel management provider, but it was unclear what value they were receiving for their money or the true cost of the service. Hotels were often chosen by the TMC based on their commission rates, leaving uncertainty about whether more cost-effective options were available.
- Absence of motivation to improve: In the past, First Bus achieved an online booking rate of about 80%, which was not bad but could have been better, especially since offline bookings were costing them significantly more money. When First Bus sought to increase their online booking rate and improve compliance, they asked their travel agency for details about the remaining 20% of bookings. However, they felt the agency dismissed their concerns.
- Little support and no useful data: As the company was spending more and more money on business travel, they knew it was time to make a change. But how do you implement changes when you don’t receive support from the experts you pay nor have insights into data you can understand and use to evaluate and evolve your travel management?
TravelPerk – full overview, flexibility and support
[Travel] is a really, really hard area to satisfy everyone, but the fact that we know that our staff can go out and travel and if something goes wrong, there is somebody at the end of the phone to help and support them, is the confidence that we need in this day and age. […] We’ve now got that confidence that we’re being supported and our travellers are being looked after.
Helen Gardiner – Buyer for First Bus, Business Travel Manager for FirstGroup_**
Useful insights and profound data
- With TravelPerk’s automated travel policy option, travel managers can implement spending caps to the system and make sure these are adhered to.
- The transparent preparation of all booking details makes it possible to identify weak points and understand non-compliance: With the help of TravelPerk, FirstGroup discovered that they were spending way too much on rail travel because employees were purchasing ticket types that were not intended by the policy.
- Detailed reports and easily understandable data, categorised by cost centres, help travel managers and team leads make data-based decisions and realise individual restrictions and changes within single departments.
- save £30,000 on business travel by First Bus.
- raise the adoption of online bookings from c.80% to 99.3%.
- reduce the booking rate of anytime return tickets, the most expensive ticket category, from 12% to 5%, saving approximately 33% on costs.
- Maintain control over first-class bookings and implement specific caps on certain locations, which they previously did not realise were necessary.
Full flexibility and freedom in every step
Proactive care – for travellers and the whole company
- Implementation and account management: A dedicated contact person supports customers from the outset, providing face-to-face calls, training, and expert services to meet individual needs. Additionally, TravelPerk offers how-to videos and training sessions for employees, making the platform even more accessible. Over 200 FirstGroup staff members have already benefited from these crucial resources.
- Duty of care and risk management: As a travel company itself, FirstGroup knows best that things can go wrong whenever people are on the road. TravelPerk provides critical incident reports and real-time information, alerting security officers immediately in case of danger. Travel managers are instantly informed if travellers are in critical areas. Additionally, TravelPerk offers 24/7 responsive support to resolve any issues.
- Drive to improve and make changes: Last but not least, TravelPerk helps FirstGroup to improve their running costs proactively. With the platform and dedicated contact support, FirstGroup is continuously saving money on business travel and becoming increasingly efficient. As the company aims for net zero by 2035, TravelPerk will also assist with sustainable travel options and carbon offsetting programs.
What TravelPerk provided
- Best in class Travel management portal
- Tailored Implementation and setup support
- Bespoke Training sessions & videos
- Customisable reporting
- 24/7 duty of care
- Automated travel and approval policies
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