Beyond Savings: How TMC Content Builds Trust

Trust

The Cornerstone of a Successful Travel Program

Trust is the foundation of a successful travel program. We’ve all experienced moments when a traveler questions, “I found that flight for cheaper on the airline’s website—why do I have to use the TMC?” When travelers consistently see different (or cheaper) pricing outside the TMC’s offerings, it doesn’t just lead to frustration—it erodes the trust essential for smooth program operations.

When travelers book outside approved channels, visibility is the first casualty. This lack of control can lead to non-compliance with travel policies and reduced negotiating power with travel partners. A recent survey revealed that 59% of travel managers identified ensuring policy compliance as their biggest challenge. Adherence to policy is a key driver of cost savings, so when visibility is lost, you can say goodbye to cost savings.

As trust erodes, travelers begin to question the TMC’s value, and this skepticism can extend to procurement, finance professionals, or travel managers (what we’ll call program owners) leading them to wonder if they’re missing out on potential savings, or worse: being deceived.

The Noise Factor

Challenges for the Travel Program Owner

This breakdown in trust generates noise in the form of traveler complaints, usually landing on the desks of program owners. Managing these concerns steals effort from more strategic initiatives and increases dissatisfaction.

Defending the TMC’s value proposition against these complaints can strain internal relationships. Program owners often have to balance the cost-conscious traveler’s desire to book direct with the need to maintain a highly adopted, compliant travel program.

Beyond Cost Savings

The Holistic Content Approach

A common misconception is that a TMC’s content set primarily drives cost savings. While this is a key benefit, it’s far from the only one. A holistic content approach ensures that the best options are available, allowing travelers to make informed decisions that align with the company’s travel policy and overall strategy. Considerations like time, vendor relationships, carbon emissions, and safety all play a role in a well-rounded travel policy.

By offering a comprehensive range of content, TMCs can reduce leakage, improve traveler satisfaction, and enhance program compliance, fostering a culture of trust and collaboration.

Transparency with Boundaries

Hiding content from travelers is not advisable. Travelers might not understand why they shouldn’t book certain options, leading to the conclusion that the TMC doesn’t have those options or is making decisions on their behalf. If non-standard content (Expedia, booking.com, or direct airline content etc.) is available but discouraged by policy, it’s best to show the content but prohibit its booking, with a message explaining why. This type of transparency fosters and builds trust between employees and their companies.

The Role of New Distribution Capability (NDC)

One of the most significant developments in travel content distribution is the rise of New Distribution Capability (NDC). NDC is a data transmission standard that enables airlines and other travel providers to distribute content more effectively, offering personalized options and greater transparency.

NDC offers detailed information, including ancillary services and personalized offers, enhancing the traveler experience and rebuilding trust. By adopting NDC, TMCs can provide more choices, better cost visibility, and a seamless booking experience, helping address the root causes of trust erosion.

However, NDC can also introduce challenges. If your TMC is slow to adopt the new technology, it can create a price gap between what travelers find on the airline’s website versus in their booking tool, causing them to doubt their travel program and want to venture outside.

Effective communication and strategic content management are crucial for maximizing NDC’s advantages while maintaining trust.

The Role of Partners

Choosing the right content partners is critical for a TMC and its end users. The partnerships a TMC forms with airlines, hotels, and other service providers directly impact the quality and comprehensiveness of the content they can offer. It’s essential that these partners not only align with the company’s values and policies but also provide the flexibility to meet specific organizational needs.

For example, if an American company selects a TMC whose NDC roadmap heavily prioritizes European carriers, they might find that their specific needs aren’t adequately addressed, and they’ll run into the problem we mentioned above. This highlights the importance of choosing a partner aligned with your strategic roadmap and capable of prioritizing the services and content most relevant to your operations, whether by geography, culture, or other specific requirements.

The best partnerships are those that offer a tailored approach, providing content and services that reflect the unique priorities of the organization, ensuring that the travel program remains effective and aligned with broader business goals.

Selecting the Right TMC

Choosing a TMC is about finding the right fit for your specific needs. For example, if you’re a midsize organization, partnering with a mega TMC might not be ideal. A smaller TMC may provide the personalized service and attention your company requires, which a larger TMC, focused on scale, might struggle to deliver.

Conversely, if you’re a global conglomerate with a half-billion-dollar travel program, a midsize TMC might lack the capacity to meet your needs at scale. Managing large, complex programs requires a TMC experienced in handling high-volume accounts like Boeing’s.

It’s also important to consider that some TMCs might prioritize content that benefits them over content that truly serves their clients' best interests. Therefore, when selecting a TMC, look beyond their client portfolio and logos. Consider client retention rates and their ability to build long-term, trusted relationships. A well-established, respected TMC with high retention is more likely to deliver consistent satisfaction.

Ultimately, finding the right TMC means aligning with a partner that fits your organization’s size, complexity, and needs, ensuring that your travel program receives the appropriate level of service and support.

Personalized Service Beyond Technology, Price, and Content

While technology, pricing, and content offerings are essential, the true measure of a successful partnership lies in the relationships built between clients and their TMC. As technology advances and content becomes more comprehensive, it’s the commitment to personalized service and genuine care that ensures longevity and trust in these relationships.

A forward-thinking TMC integrates cutting-edge technology and content into its service delivery in a way that enhances the human experience. Experienced professionals understand that real value lies in their ability to deeply understand a client’s unique challenges and goals. This understanding allows them to provide service that reflects a genuine commitment to the client’s success, ensuring that the content provided aligns with the organization’s needs.

Building trust is a gradual process. It’s cultivated through reliable, responsive, and personalized support that goes beyond simply offering the right content or the best price. Exceptional service isn’t just about responding to queries; it’s about anticipating needs, offering proactive solutions, and ensuring that the content is not only comprehensive but also relevant and aligned with the company’s strategic goals.

This personalized approach to service, coupled with a robust content strategy, forms the cornerstone of successful client relationships in travel management. It’s what enables TMCs to maintain strong partnerships over the years. In a world where technology, pricing, and content offerings change, the enduring value of personalized service and care remains constant, ensuring that clients feel confident and supported in every decision.

Building a Future of Trust and Value with Your TMC

The value of a comprehensive content set from a TMC extends far beyond cost savings. For procurement professionals, finance managers, and travel managers, content builds and sustains trust within the travel program. When all options are visible and accessible, and new technologies like NDC are seamlessly integrated, TMCs can offer the transparency and choice that travelers need to feel confident in their decisions.

However, content alone isn’t enough. It must be supported by personalized service that aligns with the organization’s unique goals. This combination of robust content and genuine care fosters a culture of trust and collaboration, empowering travel program owners to meet compliance and cost-saving objectives while enhancing traveler satisfaction.

In a rapidly evolving industry, where technology and pricing models are in constant flux, the enduring value of personalized service and care—combined with comprehensive content—remains crucial for maintaining strong, long-term client relationships. By focusing on trust, transparency, and well-rounded content, companies can ensure that their travel programs are not only compliant and cost-effective but also a source of satisfaction and confidence.