2015 U.S.-Booked Air
Volume: $51
million
2015 Global Air Volume:
$156 million
Principal Air
Suppliers: British,
Emirates, Lufthansa, United
Principal Hotel
Suppliers: AccorHotels,
InterContinental, Hilton
Principal Car Rental
Supplier: Hertz
Principal Online
Booking Tool: Sabre
GetThere
Principal Expense
Supplier: IBM
Global Expense Reporting Solutions
Consolidated Global
TMC: Carlson
Wagonlit Travel
As energy markets flounder, BP’s travel program
continues to cut costs. In 2014, the company’s U.S.-booked air volume landed
slightly below $70 million, roughly a 25 percent drop from 2013. In 2015, it
dropped again, to $51 million.
Even so, advanced data
intelligence has underpinned aggressive negotiations with suppliers as BP looks
to drive value into each business trip. Despite decreased volume, BP’s current
contracts are more favorable across air, hotel, chauffeured ground and TMC
partners compared to prior agreements. The favorability of its card program
agreement with American Express is unchanged despite spend reductions.
The strong data foundation also supported BP’s
2015 compliance initiatives and helped move more booking volume to the online
booking tool. The effort drove a10 percent leap in the number of bookings made
through the OBT on a global basis. The company saw a 5 percent increase in
compliance with lowest logical airfares and drove advance bookings up by 4
percent. This year, BP deployed its OBT in two more countries and continues to
advance compliance initiatives.
BP was forced to search for a new expense
reporting solution after IBM pulled its standalone Global Expense Reporting
System product. The company has not disclosed its decision on that front. BP has
prioritized mobile booking and itinerary management in the second half of 2016.
It is in final negotiations with a third-party mobile technology provider and
plans to use an off-the-shelf tool with some customization.