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Short's Travel Management CEO discusses the Consumerization of Business Travel at Recent GBTA SymposiumKansas City, MO, Nov 08, 2012 (PRWeb.com via COMTEX) -- At the recent Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) Procurement Symposium in Los Angeles, Short's Travel Management CEO David LeCompte served on the panel titled "The Consumerization of Travel" discussing this shift in corporate travel management. LeCompte explained that corporate travel programs are necessary to minimize risk and travel costs, but these programs are only successful when employees use the company's travel management company (TMC). Business travelers resist using corporate booking tools today because they lose their freedom to search across online travel websites. Short's Travel Management became the first TMC to launch a consumerized 'open booking' solution with their patent pending product, BookIt. With BookIt, travelers search the website or mobile app of their choice, like Hipmunk, and email the flight to the BookIt system. BookIt applies corporate policy and discounts, searches for cheaper options, and emails the traveler back to complete the booking with the TMC. This is different than other 'open booking' platforms in that all company travel is still being managed by a single TMC. LeCompte shared with attendees, "A tool like BookIt is really the perfect solution for business travelers. They shop where they want and we streamline the checkout process with just one travel profile vs. having to manage profiles across multiple sites. And, the company is able to manage their full travel program through a single TMC." "In the future, we'll see corporate travel transaction fees competing with the leisure website $0.00 transaction fees," said LeCompte. Short's Travel has launched a no-fees business travel website, http://www.BhiveTravel.com, which utilizes the BookIt process, for companies who have unmanaged or lightly managed travel programs and are booking across multiple leisure sites today. About BhiveTravel.com: http://www.Bhivetravel.com was designed by the business travel experts at Short's Travel Management, as the first free online option in corporate travel management. About Short's Travel Management: Short's Travel Management is a full-service travel management company with a passion for innovation and professional service to enable companies of all sizes to more effectively manage their travel investment. Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/bhivetravel/GBTA-panel/prweb10109260.htm PRWeb.com |