Back at the start of the year, to mark our 100th anniversary issue, we carried out a reader survey to make sure we were still in tune with your needs and what you’re experiencing in your ever-changing roles.

In that survey, we asked you what would make your jobs less challenging, and the top answer was ‘better technology’. 

We also asked you what your biggest focus would be for the year ahead and high on your list was ‘data analysis and reporting’ and ‘implementing or improving technlogy’. 

So, with this in mind, we carried out another reader survey in July, this time focussing specifically on technology, to get a deeper understanding of your tech needs and whether these needs are being met.

We wanted to know whether you’re getting what you need to do your jobs effectively, whether you’re getting the right data, what you want from your online booking tool, your views on the growing use of Artificial Intelligence in the sector, and more.

While progress is clearly being made – and the pace of development is getting faster – there is still some disatisfaction with business travel technology, as surveys by our friends at ITM and other associations also show.

The point of these surveys, of course, is to raise awareness of any issues and to bring about change, so TMCs and technology providers please take note. 

My TMC/technology providers are giving me  the technology I need to  do my job effectively

Over half of buyers feel adequately supported by their technology providers but when 31.9% disagree, this represents a significant level of dissatisfaction.

“This suggests that nearly a third of respondents believe their technological needs are not fully met, potentially impacting their job performance,” says Scott Wylie, Chief Technology Officer at TripStax.

“For me it is clear that the days of TMCs just taking tech solutions off the shelf have passed and any sales process needs to be far more consultative to ensure needs are met.”

Wylie notes that the 14.9% neutral response indicates a segment of the workforce is ambivalent, possibly reflecting variability in technology experiences or the relevance of technology to their specific roles. 

“Overall, while the majority express positive sentiment, the substantial minority expressing dissatisfaction indicates room for improvement,” he adds.

I get the right data from my TMC/technology providers to get the most out of my travel programme

These findings were echoed by a recent pulse check of ITM buyers which showed the majority of buyers (72%) primarily use their TMC data for decision-making purposes.

“However, 17% have created an in-house solution and 7% are consolidating travel and expense data via a third party,” observes ITM CEO Scott Davies.

“The key takeaway was that travel data analytics is a complicated area, with no ideal solution yet to help buyers resolve the challenges of how to consolidate travel and expense data not only via their TMC, but from multiple other sources such as OBTs, expense systems, credit cards, HR systems, and third-party providers for risk management and carbon reporting.” 

TripStax’s Wylie thinks enhancing data quality and relevance could potentially shift the neutral and dissatisfied groups towards a more positive stance.

“However, unless the TMC really puts the effort in here, technology providers are often better placed as ‘the right data’ and may now require content blending from multiple sources to deliver key metrics around sustainability etc,” he explains.

Stephen Baxendale, Technology Partnership Manager at The Advantage Travel Partnership, says the richness of data is fast improving, particularly in relation to duty of care and sustainability, but he acknowledges there are gaps, particularly in the accommodation sector.

My TMC/technology providers fully understand the needs of a travel buyer

While more than half of travel buyers believe their TMCs or technology providers are in tune with their requirements, a significant portion (26.1%)  are ambivalent and nearly one-fifth of the respondents perceive a disconnect between their needs and the service provided. 

“For industry leaders, this feedback underscores the importance of ongoing engagement and tailored solutions to meet the diverse and evolving needs of travel buyers effectively,” says Wylie at TripStax.

“We also see a potential market shift whereby travel buyers are increasingly looking for solutions and expertise to work alongside their TMC. Corporate buyers and procurement specialists require far more granular data now to understand a more complex landscape with NDC, non GDS content as well as tracking off-programme purchases.

My TMC/technology providers are actively engaged with me around the management of  bookings made outside of my travel programme

The survey results indicate a significant challenge in the engagement between TMCs and technology providers and their clients regarding leakage.

“Effective management of leakage is crucial for optimising travel programme compliance, cost control and data integrity,” says Wylie.

“Providers should consider increasing their efforts to address this issue, perhaps through enhanced communication, robust tools, and more proactive strategies to ensure they meet client expectations and needs in managing out-of-programme bookings.”

My TMC/technology providers fully understand the needs of my travellers

“These findings underscore the need for TMCs and technology providers to deepen their understanding of traveller requirements,” says Wylie at TripStax.

“Enhanced personalisation, proactive communication and feedback integration could help bridge the gap, ensuring more users feel their needs are comprehensively understood and addressed. The reality is that unless a TMC or technology provider has a history of sector specialism it is hard to both understand and deliver traveller solutions that meet all expectations.”

How satisfied are you with your Online Booking Tool (OBT)?

Scott Davies, CEO at ITM, notes that OBT optimisation is an ongoing challenge for many travel buyers but is the manifestation of “multiple issues in a complicated ecosystem”.

A recent ITM buyer survey showed even higher levels of dissatisfaction, with 82% saying their online booking platform does not meet all their requirements today.

My TMC/technology providers are investing in AI to support me and my travellers?

“These results suggest that while there is some acknowledgment of AI investments, there is a considerable divide in confidence levels,” observes Wylie.

“To enhance trust and satisfaction, TMCs and technology partners may need to increase transparency about their AI initiatives and demonstrate tangible benefits to their clients.”

What’s on your wishlist for your OBT? 

Scott Davies, CEO ITM, wasn’t surprised by the responses to this question about what buyers want from their online booking tool.

“These findings are very much in line with what our buyer members are telling us that, in general, booking tool technology needs to support their programmes better in terms of content, user experience, and guiding more sustainable travel options,” he explains

 ITM recently asked travel managers to summarise their priorities for the remainder of 2024 in one word and the overriding word that emerged was ‘content’.

“Although this is primarily access to full airline content, they are also dissatisfied with several other content-related areas, especially rail, and seamless air/rail policy inclusion,” he says.

“So it’s not surprising to see The Business Travel Magazine survey results show that ‘more supplier content’ is top of buyers’ wish-list for their OBT.”

Do you plan to change your OBT provider in the next 12 months?

What is your understanding of AI and how it’s being used in business travel?

Are you currently using AI in your role?

How will the experiences of your travellers be impacted by AI tools?

How will your role as a travel manager be impacted by AI tools?

While AI is being widely used by TMCs, suppliers and technology providers, it’s not yet being used as significantly among the travel buyer community, but these results show that most buyers believe AI tools will impact the industry in a positive way.