Agricultural company delves into global travel needs and reaps more than $3.6M in savings
Learn how BCD provided a large agricultural company with better solutions, resources and enhanced services to help identify savings in its global travel program
Download Success StoryChallenge
BCD was brought on to provide a large manufacturer of agricultural machinery with better solutions, resources, and enhanced services to help identify savings in its global travel program.
Approach
BCD consulted the company on more than 30 topics and solutions, compliance, consolidated its travel program, implemented new technology, and trained employees to drive policy and savings.
Results
- Implementation of a renewed global travel program
- Consistent global, regional and local TMC support
- Increased OBT adoption
- Streamlined processes
- More than $3.6 million in savings
The customer at a glance
Industry: Agricultural machinery
Headquarters: United States
Presence: 100 locations worldwide with 25 subsidiary brands
Number of employees: 82,000
Annual revenue in 2023: US$61.25 billion
Annual travel spend: US$66 million
The company is a leading global manufacturer of agricultural machinery. With more than 83,000 employees across 100 locations worldwide, their travel leadership team sought to better understand the company’s global travel needs. By teaming up with BCD, they worked to create a comprehensive travel plan that would reduce travel costs and increase efficiency through training and new technology.
Challenge
BCD’s partnership with the global Fortune 100 company began in January 2023 as the company worked to identify its global and local travel needs. BCD was chosen over seven other travel leaders in the industry for its comprehensive staffing, service, advanced technology, and data analytics. BCD worked from the ground up to develop a program that enveloped all aspects of corporate travel, from airfares to preferred hotels and beyond.
The company’s goals were to:
- Identify global and local travel needs
- Work with the team to determine strategy and best practices
- Implement the most efficient technology
- Train staff and leaders on new travel technology
- Reduce current travel costs
- Work across international customs and lines
Approach
In order to take a deep dive into the company’s global travel needs, BCD assigned a team of more than 50 leaders to consult the travel leadership team on over 30 topics and solutions. In less than three months, BCD developed a plan for the new program. More than 400 calls were held to help the company set up its program and encourage efficient usage. Over the next four months, the new travel program was implemented across 30 countries.
BCD engaged with travelers to reduce the company’s costs through training and communication on:
- Using the new online booking tool (OBT)
- Booking preferred hotels to prevent hotel leakage
- Optimizing advanced air bookings to secure lower rates
BCD implemented its proprietary trip management platform TripSource, and other key solutions including ConcurTravel, GeoSure, virtual payment automation, credit card reconciliation, expiring ticket recycle program, air priceassurance, and more.
Results
BCD services the global manufacturer in 30 countries and booked more than 63,000 transactions within the first six months after implementing the new program. Consolidating its global travel program with BCD resulted in significant benefits for the company, including:
- Increased TMC management and support
- Upgraded HR feed with cleaner, more accurate, and secure profile data
- A Global Travel SharePoint site for all things travel
- A company-branded OBT
- Increased OBT adoption to 67%, resulting in lower transaction fees
- Upgraded hotel management
- Lower hotel rates through reduced hotel leakage
- Lower airfares through increased advanced bookings
- Streamlined communication and (refresher) training sessions with employees
- Improved reporting and analytics
- Improved internal processes
During this time, the company realized more than $3.6 million in cost savings.
The support and service we’ve received during our global implementation have exceeded all expectations. There is genuine care about providing us with the best service possible and the best program suited to our needs.
Supply Management Specialist, Global Travel Team
Agricultural company
There has not been one minute that we’ve ever questioned if we made the right decision with BCD. We are thankful for this team of rockstars – We are blessed to have BCD Travel as a partner.Supply Management Specialist, Global Travel Team
Supply Base Manager
Agricultural company