Tony Edge, Focus Travel Partnership
We chat with Tony Edge, who recently stepped into the role of Head of Product and Technology at Focus Travel Partnership, about how the group ensures partners stay ahead of the tech game
What is your role at Focus Travel Partnership?
I lead our efforts to deliver smarter, tech-driven innovation and support tailored to the individual needs of SME TMCs. One of the first things I did when joining Focus in June 2023 was to establish the Focus Innovation Group. The group is made up of senior leaders and IT managers from a mix of our travel management company (TMC) partners representing a cross section of business sizes and client specialisations. Historically the strategy was to find tech products and providers that gave options but now we’re homing in on solutions what will directly improve a TMC’s operational processes to make them more efficient, or to generate revenue streams. We aim to support our partners to perform at their full potential so they can better meet the needs of their clients.
How do you select tech products and solutions? What’s the process?
It usually begins with a recommendation from a partner or an intro at a tech event. I will do some research to establish if there is real benefit to our partners – will it fill a gap, boost efficiency, bring in new revenue, or is it a better version of what they’re already using. If it meets that criteria, it will then be introduced to the Focus Innovation Group to get their perspectives. We will ask for a demo and then the group will rate it, giving it a score based on the benefits, the cost and the ease of implementation. If it is approved, I will then go back to the partner to negotiate a preferred supplier agreement on behalf of the whole partnership. Individually, some of our partners might be relatively small and won’t have the leverage of a larger TMC but collectively the Focus partners have significant buying power.
Is it difficult to keep all of your TMC partners happy?
Our partners are diverse and are at different stages of their tech journey. My job is to make sure nobody gets left behind. I am here to help them get access to an eco-system of end-to-end solutions that would rival that of larger TMCs, but we don’t mandate the use of technology solutions or products. It is up to each TMC if it is something they want and need.
What tech solutions have you recently brought to the partnership and why?
Earlier this year we signed a new commercial agreement with Arbitrip, a hotel booking platform which sources the best deals across over 1.8 million properties. More recently we partnered with Front, an AI powered omnichannel communication platform that helps TMCs streamline their operations, triaging emails, updating itineraries or handling cancellations. We’d been speaking to them for a while and they were able to demonstrate that they really understood the needs of a SME TMC.
What’s next?
We’re looking at how else AI can help our partners save time and improve the efficiency of their operations. Technology is now engrained in everything they do and it’s no longer seen as a cost centre or a drain on finances. It has to be a way of saving money or increasing profit and, ultimately, improving processes so they can provide better customer care.
