The modern tech era disrupted industries ranging from newspapers to retail to travel agencies. Despite the challenges, some companies have been able to innovate to stay competitive and relevant in today’s ever-evolving tech world. Christopherson Business Travel is one of those companies. The Salt Lake-based business travel agency has consistently stepped ahead of its competition by integrating high-tech solutions into its services. Today, Christopherson Business Travel is one of Utah’s fastest-growing companies and ranks as the state’s largest travel agency. And it doesn’t plan to slow down anytime soon.
In August, Christopherson Business Travel teamed up with analytics superstar Domo to integrate an innovative tech tool within its travel manager dashboard, AirPortal 360. The highly sophisticated tech solution embeds Domo’s powerful data visualization cards into Christopherson’s AirPortal 360. The solution provides Christopherson customers with essential travel metrics in real time, providing invaluable data for travel managers.
“We understand that businesses need the right data to make business decisions, and that having the right data can affect profitability,” says Mike Cameron, CEO of Christopherson Business Travel. “Having access to these advanced travel analytics cards provides businesses with the essential travel data that they need to make smart, cost-saving decisions.”
AirPortal 360 now offers customers access to 16 unique data analytics cards that display travel metrics specific to their company. Data cards show real-time information, such as monthly travel spend, top hotels by states, top hotel chains, and more. The high-tech solution allows travel managers to easily view and analyze patterns to discover trends about their company’s travel habits, all at the click of a button. This allows travel managers to make informed, data-driven decisions about their company’s unique travel needs.
“By partnering with Domo to bring this information to customers, travel managers are able to drill down into actual metrics to make future decisions. For example, if you suddenly see a spike in car rental costs, you can drill down and see where that spike came from,” says Cameron. “You can also see information like who your top travelers are, and who’s booking their travel in advance. It’s valuable information that can help companies understand their travel trends and save money.”
Armed with data-driven information empowers travel managers to negotiate better vendor contracts and ultimately get better deals that can add up to big savings, adds Cameron. Or, if there’s an emergency—like an earthquake—managers can quickly assess where their travelers are located to ensure they’re safe. Moreover, the data can help travel managers find better accommodations for their traveling staff, enhancing the quality of life for those who spend a significant amount of time on the road. It’s a win-win solution.
“This type of information is essential for today’s travel managers to make the best decisions for their company’s travel needs,” says Cameron. “Businesses in general see that they need to get an arm around information to manage their spend in all areas of the company, including travel. These cards give them the ability to measure their travel spend and negotiate with metrics in hand.”
Partnering with Domo to provide its customers with these valuable analytics cards is just one way Christopherson Business Travel uses technology to streamline and simplify the travel-planning process. Under Cameron’s leadership, Christopherson has been an early adopter of high-tech solutions to enhance travel planning for its customers. While many travel agencies have shuttered their doors over the years, Christopherson has continued growing and is now the 12th largest business travel agency in the United States and supports more than $600 million in annual travel bookings.
To learn more about Christopherson Business Travel, visit cbtravel.com.