Pressure Check
As Blacklane unlocks the thoughts of business travellers and bookers on the challenge of balancing cost, sustainability and relationship priorities, we check in with UK Country Manager James Dow
What were the main takeaways from your research?
In our business traveller survey we looked at insights from over 120 UK respondents, representing 58% business travellers and 42% travel bookers. The results showed how cost is currently the most significant challenge for 67%, however looking ahead to the future just under half (49%) expect sustainability to be their number one consideration. This is despite sustainability ranking far lower currently with under 20% stating it was a priority right now, highlighting a critical gap between greener goals in the coming years and the reality of what attention these targets are being given in today’s cost-pressured environment.
Outside of cost and sustainability, what were the other priorities?
Travel disruption and convenience were the next major challenges for both travellers and bookers after cost. Just over half (52%) ranked disruption as the main factor, with similar status (49%) given to convenience. Interestingly, transparency in the booking process was a far lower concern, stated as important by less than one in five (17%).
How does this pressure on costs translate to the impact on travel policies?
While 59% said that staying within cost guidelines is their biggest booking influence, an alarming over 40% do not strictly adhere to limits in their travel policy. In fact, 15% go as far as paying minimal attention to policies at all. It is worth noting that sustainability is also driving behaviour, with almost a quarter (24%) flagging that travel policies don’t meet the traveller or booker’s preference for more sustainable options. Here we see that cutting costs or limiting choice too far and not addressing important values, achieves the opposite of cost control and pushes travellers to simply book out of policy.
Can you tell us more about sustainability’s role in making travel buying decisions
Interestingly, experience upgrades have the power to drive sustainability – 21% will choose a more expensive sustainable alternative if this cost increase also means an experience upgrade. A small proportion (6%) will choose a sustainable option regardless of the cost, a trend that is more pronounced in the travel bookers category. Cost remains the factor influencing behaviour significantly; 43% of bookers and business travellers would only choose a more sustainable option if the variation in price was less than 10%.
Where are bookers and travellers looking for improvements in technology?
Research respondents ranked the booking processes they use as seven out of 10 for satisfaction, and tools at just six out of 10 highlighting clear room for improvement. In terms of enhancements, 60% expect real-time updates, just over half (53%) are looking for a simplified booking process and almost half (49%) are still asking for greater mobile device functionality. A greater reliance on digital tools is a top theme to continue over the next few years with 54% signalling the importance of mobile-first features that work on-the-go.
What does the research tell us about business travel ROI?
Relationships are more important than revenue when it comes to highlighting what is the most valuable ROI of business trips. A huge 84% see strong relationship building as the top factor to consider when measuring the ROI of business travel, compared to just over half (55%) ranking a direct impact on sales and revenue as the most important. It is business travellers who show a strong preference for in-person meetings, ranking them as nine out of 10 in importance for achieving business goals. This lowers to seven out of 10 when looking at just the results from travel bookers.
How should travel managers and bookers be responding to the report?
The research highlights there is a really difficult balance to achieve between cost and sustainability to address long term goals while also meeting immediate operating challenges and improving policy compliance. We urge consideration of the whole package so that true value can be assessed – emissions reduction targets, offsetting budgets, the cost of the travel, and the expectations of the traveller. It is important to have open conversations around all these goals with suppliers too so targets can be assessed against the full picture.
What’s next for Blacklane with these insights?
We’re working with travel managers to support their efforts to meet sustainability targets in new ways. This includes both products – such as highlighting where a city-to-city chauffeur journey can replace a short haul flight and reduce travel emissions – and also strategic planning for the longer term. Look out for webinars coming soon to support travel managers in promoting business travel’s ROI and new activities to enhance how bookers work with Blacklane.
