Sharing tips: (from left) McDonald’s Koreen Barbara, Autodesk’s Adriana Nainggolan, and Bain & Company’s Kenji Soh. Photo Credit: Xinyi Liang-Pholsena
Business partnerships are akin to intricate relationships, demanding
investments of time and effort – a reality well-known to corporate
travel managers, especially when nurturing their connections with travel
management companies (TMCs).
During BTN Group's Business Trends and Forecasts Asia Pacific
Conference, held at Swissotel The Stamford in Singapore on 17 July,
corporate travel managers drew parallels between these partnerships and
marriages. Just like marriages, successful relationships with TMCs
require dedication, communication, and deliberate choices. Crucial
elements such as mutual trust, effective communication, and alignment
towards shared objectives are essential for these partnerships to
thrive.
Koreen Barbara, McDonald’s global travel manager, recognised that
uncertainty may exist about the longevity of partnerships with TMCs, but
clarity about internal policies and directions is paramount. “Know your
north star and communicate that to your TMC,” she urged managers, in
order to foster a solid foundation for the partnership from the onset.
Similar to any marriage, commitment from both parties is vital for
maintaining the relationship, as emphasised by Kenji Soh, director of
global travel (APAC) at Bain & Company. Ensuring common goals stay
aligned for the long term is essential to prevent the relationship from
faltering. “We don’t want shiny toys at the dating stage only for all
that to go away in the next phase of the marriage,” he remarked.
Soh also highlighted that the quality of the relationship will have
far-reaching impact, as every employee who travels “will have a
perspective on how the partnership is coming together”, similar to
children from different marriages needing engagement and attention.
Adrianna Nainggolan, Autodesk APAC travel manager, stressed that the
true quality of TMC support is tested when employees encounter issues
while traveling. It is crucial to have reliable support available
promptly in such situations. “Most TMCs globally already have very good
online booking tools and technology, but how good is their support when
an issue happens to the employee on the road? We need to speak with
someone who is reliable and who can help them in time,” she remarked.
She suggested making communication an intentional practice between
partners, advocating for a free flow of feedback and ideas, as this can
lead to streamlined and effective management processes, benefiting both
costs and customer service.
However, the partnership is vulnerable to external factors, such as
staff turnover or mergers, which can disrupt the business environment
and affect the relationship. To mitigate these disruptions, MacDonald’s
policy involves regularly providing travel consultants with insights
into the company's business to enhance understanding and service.
Said Barbara, “We spend about 30 minutes to talk about our business,
why we travel, our functions – just to give them a bit of insight into
what’s going on. We view travel consultants as an extension of our
team.”
Summing up what a successful long-term relationship entails, Kenji
introduced the acronym "VCTF," representing vision, clarity, trust, and
flexibility. Sharing a vision, clarity about goals, mutual trust, and
adaptability to navigate unexpected challenges are key attributes for a
high-performing partnership.