Corporate Travel Management

Global Engineering Company with over 51M global business travel expense per annum

Prior to managing travel program

• Travel policy compliance was very low
• Reporting was very basic and didn't provide a true indication of total cost
• Once reporting was available total travel spend exceeded $6,000,000 over initial data, indicating an overall spend of $20,000,000 in Australia alone
• Spend was fragmented which limited negotiations with suppliers
• Internal travel booking process was not compulsory and therefore inconsistent
• Almost 59% of airfares were in the higher non refundable booking classes
• Consultants were processing itineraries rather than consulting with travel bookers and giving  appropriate advice

After implementation of travel program managed by Birgit Werner

• Birgit conducted a GAP analysis in conjunction with the Travel Management Company (TMC)  to understand travel patterns, identifying opportunities for improvement and travel spend optimisation – a saving of $763,000 was achieved after the first 3 months of travel program implementation
• Training sessions provided to all Travel Coordinators in four Australian locations
• Birgit conducted quarterly internal surveys to monitor feedback on service provided by TMC
• A process audit was held by Birgit along with a TMC project specialist
• Overall booking processes and an internal online booking form were implemented
• Birgit encouraged the company to review their contract with Qantas resulting in a new agreement with doubled discounts on flexible airfares.  Qantas also paid a $50,000 bonus being withheld due to missing documentation of prior contract.
• All current airline contracts were reviewed and renegotiated where necessary
• Virgin Blue and Cathay Pacific preferred agreements were implemented
• Fees paid to TMC were restructured enabling the company to pass on booking fees for client bookings
• Non refundable fare usage increased to 71%
• Birgit implemented a Travel Coordinator incentive measuring ‘Best fare of the Day’ and advance booking percentages
• Reporting was increased to include trip details, billable vs. non billable booking percentages and booking behaviour pattern by each office
• Airfares and domestic hotel program were benchmarked by the advisory service of TMC
• Monthly travel scorecards were implemented. The scorecards measured cost per mile, cost per ticket, overall travel spend and booking patterns
• A corporate card program was implemented to further streamline hotel and car hire bookings as well as enable a stricter authorisation process. Birgit was strongly involved in the implementation, change management and training for the new program.
• Suitable Online booking was sourced and will be implemented in 2009, this will result and further reduction of cost and higher policy compliance
• Cost per mile reduced from .52c to .36c between July 2007 and December 2008
• Overall cost decreased by 30%

Once the Global Recession took hold in Australia the travel policy was reviewed and further adjustments made to drive down travel spend. Reports were supplied weekly to all Directors and the CFO.

Travel spend was reduced by a further 40% by the end of March 2009.

Verbal reference available upon request.

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Retail Travel: STA Travel Carousel, Western Australia

STA Travel Carousel, a suburban shopping centre branch, was in its second year of operation but not achieving any of its targets and making a loss of 70k. With four very capable staff members and lots of walk by traffic the branch had the potential to exceed the set goals, targets and KPI’s.

Using excellent people skills Birgit was able to coach staff members to convert quotes and enquiries into sales. A strong business structure, booking and follow up procedures were introduced and followed by all consultants. Birgit introduced small incentives to encourage her team to achieve all of their set goals every week. Team building was a major factor to turning this loss making branch into a profitable business. Due to increased and strategic marketing and business development more customers were driven into the branch and more sales made.

The branch became the number 1 office in Australia and made a profit of 40k within the same year.

Her staff were able to participate in educational trips to due high sales turnover with suppliers and airlines.

Birgit Werner won the Branch Sales Manager of the Year Award in 2004.  In addition to the annual award Birgit Werner was also named BSM of the 1st quarter in 2004 and rewarded with a trip to Japan.