What to consider when preparing for a hotel RFP 

Technology has changed the way travel managers approach requests for proposal. Access to data has helped make negotiations simpler and more transparent. And travel managers have the opportunity to leverage more traveller information than ever before.   

As a travel manager, you don’t need to approach a request for proposal (RFP) with armfuls of information, but there are key metrics that you’ll want to hand. Be prepared with insights on how the current travel programme is measuring up. Include details like the hotel chain’s share of wallet, new destinations with no negotiated hotels and overall hotel spend. Tools like the Egencia Analytics Studio make it easy for you to access this information quickly. And the simplicity of pulling the results can support your negotiation strategies and help you prepare for your supplier reviews throughout the year.     

In this blog, we explore the specific areas to focus on when preparing for a hotel RFP.

1. Understanding your programme’s needs  

When negotiating an RFP, you must consider a variety of factors which depend on what’s important to your company. Identify frequently visited cities, distance to your office, the average length of hotel stays and the most popular amenities. Since policy compliance is a priority for travel managers, it’s important to know these things about your hotel programme. That way, you can remove options in less-visited areas or figure out why your travellers aren’t staying at preferred hotels.  

Advanced reporting tools from your Travel Management Company (TMC) can help you uncover what’s performing best in your travel programme. This helps when negotiating contracts, as it’s based on your company’s unique traveller needs.  

2. Aligning with company culture 

Company culture plays an important role in supplier and customer relationships. At Egencia, we put customers first, and we look for hotel partners that provide exceptional customer service and amenities.   

Travel managers need to consider how a managed travel programme will impact their broader company culture. For example, a company with a strong wellness culture could select hotel partners with free fitness amenities to reinforce their values. 

3. Traveller satisfaction   

People want and demand more from their travel experience, both for business and leisure. Technology has changed the way we book and experience travel. And business travellers expect the same convenience in leisure and work.   

Travellers want personalised experiences throughout their travel journey. The latest in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning helps to deliver the right options at the right time – across any compatible device. At Egencia, our new technologies give managed travellers more options to find, book and reach their accommodation when and how they want to.  

There is no one-size-fits-all style business trip and travellers want an element of choice in their travel. For example, travellers on extended trips may prefer an apartment to a hotel and Egencia has been increasing its alternative accommodation options to support this.  

4. Empowering employees   

Employees are a company’s greatest asset. And a managed travel programme can give companies a competitive edge when it comes to employee retention and recruitment. Businesses can demonstrate employee value by offering simple travel benefits and perks.   

A seamless travel experience – across any device and all aspects of the traveller journey – makes for satisfied employees. When employees have user-friendly, familiar booking tools, they’re more likely to use them. And more employee adoption means increased programme compliance.   

5. Personalisation   

Personalisation is important in business travel. It creates deeper and more meaningful relationships with travellers by serving up what they want and need.   

On the Egencia platform, we use data to understand our customers and deliver more personalised experiences. Predictive technology enables us to look at individual travel habits and preferences. This encourages policy compliance, through the delivery of meaningful hotel and air results.    

6. Flexibility   

People are constantly on the go. So, convenience, ease of use and flexibility are must-haves for a travel programme. This is where a global business travel platform comes into play. People can pull up all of their travel plans in one place and book or change a trip on the go.     

Egencia gives your travellers tools that work and empowers them to use them across multiple applications.    

7. SMEs and traveller technology   

Partnering with a TMC who has a global platform can help companies of any size get more efficient. Travel managers can cut back on the amount of time spent on consolidating their online and offline data to pull reports and see everything in one view. Also, small- and medium-sized businesses can easily consolidate multiple travel programmes as they grow and expand. Using a single online travel platform with global scale puts everything in one place.  

AI and machine learning have completely revolutionised the travel industry. Now travel managers have smart and actionable insights at their fingertips. These enable them to better manage their travel programmes, boost compliance and pull invaluable reports.   

Egencia delivers a fully-integrated global business travel platform. This gives managers complete visibility into all aspects of their programme – all in one place.