case studies

THE CHALLENGE: IMPROVING TRAVEL PROGRAM EFFICIENCIES & COMPLIANCE WHILE DRIVING DOWN COSTS

In the extremely budget conscious university sector in Australia, Charles Sturt University (CSU) looked for ways to improve its travel program efficiencies whilst also driving down costs. CSU has implemented a strict travel policy, which is tightly managed by the SERKO Online travel booking system and the CSU Travel Office. CSU also entered into a unique arrangement with Voyager that saw the TMC implement the Amadeus GDS system in its Wagga Wagga Travel Office, allowing the University to make its own international travel bookings and to minimise costs.

Summary Results for Charles Sturt University in working with Voyager:

• Reduced travel booking transaction fees to 2.45 per cent of total spend
• Can immediately identify travel policy compliance breaches and take action
• Travel booking service now more streamlined and efficient for University staff
• Penetration of the SERKO Online booking platform is at 90 per cent.

Introduction

Charles Sturt University (CSU) is a New South Wales based Higher Education establishment with a twenty two year history. It is dedicated to excellence in the delivery of Higher Education and has a well-earned reputation for providing exceptional education delivered by dedicated teaching professionals.

CSU's campuses are located in some of Australia's fastest growing regional cities, offering a unique study experience with access to the best of city living along with the benefits of a regional lifestyle. Campuses are located in Albury Wodonga, Bathurst, Canberra, Dubbo, Goulburn, Orange, Manly, Parramatta and Wagga Wagga as well as an overseas campus in Ontario, Canada.

CSU is a leading player in international research in ethics, theology, governance, security, water, food, agriculture, education and environment.

Travel Booking Challenge

CSU in Wagga Wagga has an in-house travel agency (TA), through which CSU's 2700 staff across all campuses liaise with a highly experienced CSU-employed team of seven travel consultants to book their university related domestic and international travel. Prior to engaging Voyager at the start of 2006, CSU would book its flights, accommodation, buses and trains through various regional travel agencies in NSW and ACT.

Back in 2006, the CSU travel consultants were continually frustrated that they could not look up inventories themselves when they had staff on the phone enquiring about travel. They also had to keep waiting for quotes to be sent through, which they would then forward to the staff member making the trip. They were always waiting around for booking confirmations and tickets to arrive for passengers and last-minute travel bookings were just out of the question.

transaction costs between the many regional travel agencies varied, but the costs were escalating and CSU wanted to find a way to reduce its travel program costs, with driving down transaction fees identified as the main priority.

Travel Requirements of University Staff

When university staff need to visit other CSU campuses in NSW (Albury Wodonga, Bathurst, Sydney, Orange and Wagga Wagga) they generally drive between these locations either in their own cars or using one of the university's own 200+ pool cars available to them.

Other domestic and international travel includes teaching, support staff and academics travelling to conferences, and for research purposes and travel to the Ontario Campus in Canada.

Voyager Selected Due to Unique Arrangement

Half a dozen TMCs pitched for the exclusive CSU travel program business back in 2006 including various corporate agencies in NSW and Victoria.

Voyager was selected as it was able to offer CSU a unique arrangement, whereby the University's TA, which is staffed by experienced travel professionals, would have the Amadeus GDS (Global Distribution System) installed in-house. This would then fully integrate with Voyager's online booking system, SERKO Online. Nobody else in the industry would or could offer this unique arrangement, so it clinched the deal for Voyager.

Paul McLeod, Travel Manager, Charles Sturt University said: "What can I say about Voyager? Fabulous, fantastic, amazing! I love working with the Voyager Travel team; they'll do anything for me and are very responsive, passionate and are always available."

Time Saving and Efficiency

Having the Serko Online booking system fully integrated with the Amadeus GDS means that CSU TA staff can do their own bookings and then ticket requests are sent to the Voyager team, which does the ticketing on their behalf.

"SERKO and Amadeus save our travel consultants a lot of time and saves the CSU Travel Office significant amounts of money on transaction fees," continued Paul McLeod.

Travel Policy Compliance

The University didn't have a comprehensive travel policy prior to working with Voyager in 2006 and at that point one was developed in consultation with the TMC. CSU's travel policy is reviewed bi-annually and is now extremely comprehensive and efficient at controlling costs. One of its most effective rules is that staff must select the "best fare of the day" for flights, which has saved the University significant amounts of money since it was introduced.

All CSU travel spending has to be approved in advance by department heads and users are billed personally for non-compliant travel.

Paul McLeod said: "The systems Voyager implemented offer my team fantastic travel program compliance control, which is all at our fingertips and is automatic."

Online Penetration High for Education Sector

Given the high number of travel requests from the University's 2700 staff, the CSU TA is extremely busy responding to their demands. Voyager implemented the SERKO Online booking system at the University and the TA has encouraged staff to book any simple domestic and New Zealand travel through this system themselves.

CSU staff have really embraced the SERKO booking platform and penetration of the system is at 90 per cent, which is extremely high, particularly for the education sector.

"SERKO has really taken the pressure off my travel office team to have to book every single flight, especially the simple domestic flights that University staff now book themselves," said Paul McLeod.

The Personal Approach

CSU has stayed with Voyager Travel since 2006 with no plans to put its travel business out to tender, partly because of the personal approach it receives from the TMC, which Paul McLeod now believes is a market leader in corporate travel.

Paul and his team know they can contact the Voyager team at any time and they will be helpful, responsive and proactive in dealing with their requests.

"We certainly appreciate the personal approach we get with Voyager and our dedicated travel team treat us like part of their family. I'm able to pick up the phone and talk to Voyager's CEO whenever I feel like it," said Paul McLeod.

Richard Savva, CEO of Voyager Travel said: "It's truly a pleasure to work with Paul McLeod's team at Charles Sturt University's Travel Office. We hope to continuing working with them for many years to come."