Independent consultants

Using a business travel consultant can help give an expert and non-biased view on how to improve your travel programme, writes Rob gill

ver the past few years there have been a growing band of independent consultants working in the corporate travel world.

But what exactly do these mysterious figures do when it comes to helping buyers and their organisations? What benefits can they bring to the table and, perhaps most importantly, how much do they cost and are they worth the money?

Let’s start with who the consultants are in the first place. They generally break down into several categories including former travel buyers, managers and procurement specialists, as well as those from the supplier side of the business such as travel management companies (TMCS) or leading travel technology firms.

A huge wealth of experience tends to be what consultants bring to the party, with many of them having held senior travel buying positions within major global organisations or at a leading TMC – and sometimes both. The size of consultancies also varies hugely, with some having a global presence with partners spread around the world and others effectively being a one or two-man band.

Jo Lloyd, a partner at Nina & Pinta, sums up the main selling point: “Consultants are a good independent guide to help companies navigate their way through the travel landscape, make informed decisions and avoid some potholes.”

What they do

Consultants offer a wide range of services to clients and these depend on the skillsets of their particular experts. This makes it imperative to know exactly what you want to achieve before deciding who to work with.

Most consultants can assist and advise on all elements of a travel programme and policy – from helping with RFPS to finding the right TMCS, online booking tools and expense management providers. They will also create airline, hotel and ground transport programmes.

Often consultants provide the missing link in knowledge that an organisation might not have internally for managing travel, or sometimes it can just be a case of looking at a programme with a cold, professional eye and giving advice on how the client can most efficiently meet its objectives.

Rachel Watson, co-founder of consultancy Opteva, says: “We are engaged to support organisations that don’t have an internal travel and expense skillset, or do have a travel and expense skillset but recognise that they don’t have the knowledge of the broader marketplace and appreciate external consultants are best placed to provide independent market intelligence.”

Independence is also a key selling point for consultants, agrees Pascal Jungfer, founder and partner of Areka Consulting. He explains: “As consultants are independent, they are in a position to offer impartial advice, guidance and business case development.”

Some consultancies also go beyond assisting with the practical mechanics of

This London-based managed travel consultancy and training provider recently

added industry veteran Chris Crowley, previously of BCD Travel and HRS Group

among others, as a new partner.

Consultants are a good independent guide to help companies navigate their way through the travel landscapes, make informed decisions and avoid some potholes”

The UK consultancy was set up in 2005 by directors Rachel Watson and Johanne Young. Opteva’s industry experts have more than 100 years combined experience in the

corporate travel market.