Bayer consolidates global travel program in 94 countries in 12 months
Strategic partnership with BCD Travel leads to better spend insight, policy compliance and savings
DOWNLOAD SUCCESS STORYChallenge
After the acquisition of Monsanto, the Bayer Group decided it was time to consolidate its global travel services. The company didn’t have a centralized view of travel spend because it worked with multiple travel agencies.
Approach
The company chose BCD, which already served 33 Bayer markets, as its single global TMC to consolidate all travel under a single program; roll out TripSource as the global hotel platform; and use Air and Hotel Dynamic Performance Management to reduce spend and optimize supplier management.
Results
BCD brought 94 countries into one global travel program within 12 months. Having one global TMC helps Bayer get better insight into their travel spend, drive policy compliance, proactively manage hotel and air supplier performance, and generate savings.
Challenge
In 2019, the Bayer Group decided it was time to overhaul their travel program. The company didn’t have a fully centralized view of travel and processes because it worked with multiple travel agencies around the world, each with its own tools and services
Highlight
- Implementation within 12 months, despite COVID-19 constraints
- 61 additional countries brought into the program, totalling 94 countries worldwide
- US$60.5M expected savings for Bayer during the contract period
The recent acquisition of Monsanto was the perfect opportunity to consolidate its business travel program worldwide and across legacy organizations. Bayer sought a travel management company that could bundle its global travel services, but also had the expertise in hotel and air sourcing, combined with dynamic performance management, to provide a holistic travel management and procurement approach.
In May 2019, the company chose BCD Travel as their single global strategic partner, which had already successfully served 33 Bayermarkets for a decade. The aim was to:
- Consolidate global travel services for the air, hotel, rail, and car categories.
- Offer a standardized service and product portfolio across the company.
- Reduce company resources by outsourcing travel and mobility operational tasks to BCD.
- Boost global travel policy compliance.
- Launch TripSource® Hotels as a global hotel platform in all Bayer markets to drive hotel savings and hotel booking compliance.
Approach
Bayer and BCD set an aggressive timeline of 12 months with no room for delays. BCD and its consulting branch Advito mapped out a multiphase approach that included:
- Onboarding and aligning Monsanto with the existing Bayer travel program.
- Consolidating all travel under a single global travel program across 94 countries.
- Reviewing and revisiting the global online booking tool presence and structure.
- Integrating Bayer’s sourced global hotel program into their existing global online booking tool (already representing 82% of Bayer’s global hotel spend).
- Rolling out TripSource Hotels wherever no online booking tool was yet available, enabling travelers to book hotels online through TripSource.com.
- Using Dynamic Performance Management to reduce hotel spend and optimize their air vendor management approach.
With your outstanding performance, you have delivered a significant contribution to the implementation of our travel category strategy. And during the coronavirus crisis, at a time when we needed you the most, you have shown what it means to be a trusted and reliable partner.
Jan-Hendrik Rauhut
Head of Mobility Procurement, Bayer
Bayer Partnership Award
Bayer, one of the world’s largest life science companies, awarded BCD Travel with the Bayer Partnership Award in recognition of BCD’s dedication in supporting Bayer’s strategy and mission.
Results
BCD brought 94 countries into one global travel program within 12 months—despite the challenges posed by COVID-19. Having one global TMC helps the company get better reporting, drive policy compliance and improve supplier management:
- The consolidated program gives the company better insight into their travel spend and allows a reduction of internal resources to manage the travel program.
- The single global hotel booking tool is driving policy compliance, increasing volume with preferred suppliers and driving savings.
- With Dynamic Performance Management, Bayer can now tap into their own program performance data and proactively manage hotel and air supplier performance.
“We’ve been working together with Bayer for over 30 years. Since then, we’ve constantly expanded our partnership, geographically and by adding new services like sourcing and consulting. Bayer’s decision in 2019 to select BCD Travel as their single global travel partner demonstrates that global strategic partnerships like this are built over time through great collaboration, continuous innovation and excellent service.”
Lutz Nauert
Senior Vice President, Global Program Management for EMEA at BCD Travel.
