2019 U.S.-Booked Air Volume: $415 million
Primary U.S. Online Booking Tool: Concur
Primary U.S. Payment Supplier: American Express
Card Program: Individual Bill/Central Pay
Primary U.S. Expense Supplier: Concur
Primary U.S. Travel Risk Management Supplier: ISOS
Consolidated Global TMC: Amex GBT
Technology and business services giant IBM in 2019 all but held steady in terms of U.S.-booked air volume, spending about $2 million less year over year.
The company in 2019 deployed a cognitive analytics dashboard and offers it outside the company as well. IBM Travel Manager uses machine learning to help users gain program insight and inform a more dynamic airline and hotel sourcing approach that relies less on traditional requests for proposals. The company also for the first time in 2019 implemented and deployed hotel reshopping technology.
IBM in 2019 also refined its online booking strategy, insourcing Concur Travel's capabilities to manage a process staffed by IBM employees. About 88 percent of U.S.-booked tickets in 2019 were booked online through that channel, about 95 percent of those without agent assistance.
IBM at the end of 2019 had about 352,600 employees worldwide, about 2,000 more than at the end of 2018.