SilverDoor’s Partner Engagement Day aims to align the business priorities of property operators with client demand, providing a unique opportunity for suppliers to hear what business travellers want and need directly from clients. The event includes panels and sessions with senior corporate decision-makers to discuss key themes influencing business travel and global mobility today.
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170 influential industry figures from our supply chain and client-base gathered at the Ham Yard Hotel in central London for 2023’s Partner Engagement Day. Six expert speakers joined senior members of SilverDoor for interactive panel sessions on the topics most influencing buying behaviour and booking habits of the day.
The agenda featured:
- A Client Spotlight panel on Trends and Challenges Facing Business Travel and Global Mobility with Gabrielle Chateauneuf of Agiito, Tobias Simons of ABB, Stephen Lascelles of Willis Towers Watson and Michelle Bishop of Gallagher.
- A Clients as Catalysts discussion on Leading the Way to Sustainable Travel and Mobility with panellists Linda Rafferty (K2 Corporate Mobility) and Sian Ellis (EY).
- A Wellness Focus session with Phil Learney of HMN24 on how to optimise our sleep-wake cycle for improved performance and productivity.
Check out our video snapshot of the day: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2z4jCWibmUA
|Online, live availability and instant booking capability is fast becoming a non-negotiable for corporate clients.
Panellists unanimously confirmed the strong corporate appetite for live inventory with instant booking availability. Booking platforms in the serviced accommodation sector are starting to compete with technology of the established hotel sector, but operators must increase their online inventory with live rates to start dominating the space.
All panellists agreed that improved technological capability has positive knock-on effects for all aspects of global travel programmes. Michelle Bishop (Gallagher) emphasised the demand for management information using data gathered from online booking tools, and Agiito’s Gabrielle Chateauneuf added that better communication is needed throughout the supply chain – such as for streamlined billing processes.
With so many layers to a single booking – client, booker, agent, operator, end client – some things can be lost in translation. Bill back arrangements, for example, aren’t always fed back through the chain meaning guests are asked to pay for a billed back booking upon arrival. Communication and collaborative solutions are key to guest satisfaction.
|Sustainable accommodation is still often the least cost-effective option which is starting to motivate companies to increase rate caps and allow bookers to make greener choices.
Corporate travellers clearly want to make environmentally friendly decisions. Sian Ellis reported that the EY sustainable travel approval tool (STAT), which prompts users to use greener transport options, influenced a 64% increase in use of rail over air travel and a 72% drop in same day trips after launching.
Both panellists reiterated that any sustainability progress is positive and that collaboration throughout the supply chain is key for sharing knowledge and reaching ESG goals quicker. Linda Rafferty of K2 urged smaller operators to learn from mature brands and, while sustainability efforts are weighted increasingly heavily in corporate procurement, the means of a smaller operator to fulfil certain demands is taken into account.
|Cost and location prevail as primary driver of corporate procurement, says WTW’s Stephen Lascelles, but health, safety and sustainability are never ignored.
Buying decisions are often heavily influenced by the flexibility of booking terms and agreeable cancellation policies, so operators should be lenient where possible to retain clientele. We all know, however, that cost is the top consideration in buying behaviour, but WTW’s EMEA & APAC Travel Manager emphasised that this doesn’t negate the importance of health, safety and sustainability considerations. Instead, the expectation is that the supply chain has already done their due diligence in terms of health, safety and sustainability, so the buyer is able to focus on prioritising cost reduction.
|There is an important need for flexibility in travel programmes to allow travellers a degree of autonomy, but this can call safety and security into question.
ABB’s Tobias Simons maintains that cost shouldn’t be the main concern – easier said than done in the current economic crisis, he admits – and recalled instances where the importance of traveller safety and well-being was bought to the forefront. All panellists agreed that travellers must have choice, but businesses must be able to track/predict their travellers’ choices to ensure their safety.
Travellers are more commonly requesting family members to join them on business trips, but does this additional traveller then become the responsibility of the company? Corporates are increasingly expecting flexibility as a job perk, but the safety of travellers relies on a structured and policed programme. Intuitive traveller tracking technology and effective internal communication is key to keeping guests safe and fulfilling proper due diligence.
|Humans are the only mammals to interfere with their biological body clock – a healthy sleep-wake cycle is vital to maximising productivity and performance.
Most people today suffer from symptoms of ‘social jetlag’ where modern lifestyles make us out of sync with our body’s natural rhythms. Phil Learney laid out a few simple techniques to optimise your sleep-wake cycle and improve performance:
- Light up your life: being exposed to natural sunlight first thing when you wake up increases serotonin production and improves productivity throughout the day.
- Hydrate before you caffeinate: drink water first thing and try to save your first cup of coffee until 60-90 minutes after you wake up to see the performance-enhancing benefits of caffeine rather than the negative effects.
- Read don’t scroll: try to refrain from using your phone in the first 60-90 minutes of your morning to reduce exposure to blue light. For morning mental stimulation, do some reading or move your body instead.
He also suggested scheduling your most cognitively demanding tasks for the morning as this is when your brain is most engaged. Winding down at least 90 minutes before bed with reduced screen time and dimmed light will increase your chances of a quality night’s sleep, while just two alcoholic drinks can reduce sleep quality by as much as 40%.
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If you would like specific topics or trends to be discussed at future Partner Engagement Days, or you would like to be a guest speaker/panellist, get in touch with us at [email protected].
