Corporate Traveller Case Studies
Hills Holdings Limited
Corporate Traveller has been managing travel for the Hills Holdings' group since 2003. The longstanding relationship is based on trust, mutual respect and market competitiveness and has helped Hills to develop an industry-leading travel program lauded for its ability to drive long-term cost containment and value from suppliers. Hills' travel program also strikes an excellent balance between meeting the needs of staff travellers and the company's commercial objectives.
About Hills Holdings Limited
The creator of the iconic Australian hills hoist clothesline, Hills Holdings is one of Australia's leading building and manufacturing innovators. The company operates in three market segments including building and industrial, lifestyle and sustainability, electronics and communications. The Hills Holdings' group of companies includes more than 26 businesses and 2,750 staff across the nation.
What have been the main focus areas for Hills?
With a significant portion of Hills' spend allocated to domestic air travel and a number of airline supplier agreements in place, Hills wanted to ensure it was still leveraging all possible savings from a best fare of day within company travel policy. The company sought Corporate Traveller's assistance with the development, implementation and execution of a best fare of day policy that could be supported with an online booking tool and best fare of day compliance function.
Hills was also focused on implementing a 'one best way' travel policy for staff travellers that would be adopted throughout the company. As a leading Australian manufacturer with business interests in North East Asia, Hills also has been focused on driving maximum value from its travel volume on key routes into Asia with preferred suppliers.
What were our strategies?
Best fare of day compliance
To help Hills improve and maintain compliance with its best fare of day policy, Corporate Traveller ensured the best fare of day compliance function including restrictions on certain fare classes, was enabled for the company. All supplier contracted pricing also was loaded onto their online systems. Travel policy compliance is maintained through the use of Selfbook at both ends of the travel booking process (Hills staff and Corporate Traveller travel managers). This ensures all online and offline bookings are processed using the same suite of compliance functions and that Hills' travellers can still access personalised consultant service when required.
Supplier negotiations
Hills in conjunction with Corporate Traveller, was one of the first companies in the country to procure a contract deal with an Australian airline. Since that initial deal Corporate Traveller has been actively involved with all of Hills' supplier negotiations for its air, hotel and car hire contracts. Corporate Traveller has supplied market intelligence, advice and joined Hills at the table during supplier negotiations. Corporate Traveller also monitors Hills' international air volumes to identify new opportunities with long-haul carriers and to ensure existing route deals are providing maximum value.
Hotel and car hire programs
Corporate Traveller supported Hills with its national tender for hotel accommodation and car hire, by taking part in the company's feedback sessions with potential suppliers, providing data to support tenders and assisting with the decision making process.
Personal service
Although Hills predominantly use e3, personal service remains a priority for Hills' travellers. Corporate Traveller fosters this relationship by providing accurate, efficient and friendly travel support and proactive account management that continually identifies new ways of creating value for the company.
What were the results?
From July 2010 - June 2011, Corporate Traveller's internal benchmarking system shows Hills has achieved domestic airfare savings of $1.5 million* and $171,000* in international airfare savings. These savings are the result of a more targeted approach to enforcing best fare of day policy. More than 70 per cent of Hills' domestic tickets now include discount economy fare types. Additionally, Hills is achieving excellent Selfbook adoption rates.
Hills Holdings' response
"The personal service provided by various Corporate Traveller consultants over the years has been second to none and has never been an area where I've had to apply any effort! While Corporate Travel continues to offer market competitiveness and unrivalled service we look forward to growing our relationship. Our travellers like to talk to people they know and trust."
Mike Tylor, Manager Group Supply Contracts, Hills Holdings Limited.
*Airfare savings are measured monthly against Qantas K-class fares.
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