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Skift Take
— Southwest Business
Business travel is back. Well, almost back. According to Skift Research, business travel is expected to reach 95% of pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2024. This resurgence marks a significant recovery in corporate travel, which has lagged behind leisure travel.
In this reinvigorated climate, it is more important than ever for travel managers to seek solutions that streamline the air booking process and adhere to company policies while simplifying administrative tasks and staying compliant.
Southwest continues to expand its offerings in the business travel sector to help travel managers achieve their goals with enhanced capabilities to book, modify and manage flights through multiple distribution channels, including global distribution systems (GDSs), direct connection application programming interfaces (APIs) and its proprietary booking platform, SWABIZ.
“In anticipation of business travel growth this year, we've advanced a number of key enhancements to help travel managers better manage Southwest's travel programs,” said Ryan Green, executive vice president, Southwest Business and chief commercial officer. “Our goal is to make business travel simple and easy for everyone involved, and for travel managers, that starts with providing flexible self-service options, customizable programs and robust tools that simplify program management.”
Flexible and user-friendly self-service portal
With flexibility at the forefront, Southwest Business created a self-service portal, Southwest Business Assist, in 2022 to give travel managers more autonomy in managing travel, reducing friction and improving the customer experience. The unified portal is a “one-stop shop” for travel managers to monitor travel contracts, process requests, track funds and credits, and keep promotional content up to date.
“With the rise of hybrid work environments and blended travel scenarios, Southwest Business Assist's priority is to remove as much friction and provide flexibility as possible for travel managers,” said Green. “Since launching the portal, we've continually added new features, including improved reporting, more detailed dashboards, sustainability tracking and the ability to contract and book travel for meetings and events.”
As unique corporate travel opportunities arise, Southwest Business Assist provides actionable insights and user-friendly tools to support travel managers in managing complex travel programs and situations, extensive reporting requirements and duty of care.
“Southwest Business Assist is a valuable tool in my travel manager toolkit,” says Sabrina Cronk, a university travel manager who partners with Southwest Business. “It allows me to stay on top of everything that's going on with my travel program in near real time. Every day there's one or more unexpected developments, so it's essential to have a partner who can support me when the unexpected happens.”
Simple contracts and multi-channel distribution
Another key differentiator for Southwest Business, Green said, is its emphasis on simple, straightforward and easy-to-understand contract terms, reflecting a move away from complex contracts and restrictive policies.
“We put the customer first in every aspect of their travel experience, and that extends to everything a corporate travel program entails, including simplifying contracting and offering diverse channel options,” Green said. “Our goal is to continue to differentiate by removing friction in this space and bringing flexible, unique services to the marketplace to meet these needs and make it easier to do business.”
Cronk appreciates the flexible terms outlined in his contract with Southwest Business, which allows for refunds on nonrefundable tickets if necessary and allows for the renaming of tickets so someone else within the organization can travel if the original attendee is unable to travel.
“These may seem like simple tasks, but being able to leverage these options within our contracts is extremely valuable,” Cronk says. “We also appreciate that Southwest offers multiple booking channels. Having all our flights listed in the GDS is very important to us because it keeps everyone in compliance.”
Dedicated support for travel managers
At a time when some airlines are downsizing or eliminating their sales teams, Southwest Business remains focused on providing dedicated account manager support for travel managers.
“Our team of trusted advisors has made a significant contribution to creating a more efficient and supportive environment for corporate travel managers,” says Green. “Team members are always available to assist travel managers with any issues or concerns that may arise before, during or after a trip.”
In addition to the human touch that comes with these support teams, the digital tools provided by Southwest Business Assist provide comprehensive insights and analytics in near real-time, allowing travel managers to make necessary data-driven decisions and more effectively manage their travel programs.
“These tools reduce the burden on travel managers by streamlining administrative tasks and providing powerful reporting options, allowing them to focus on more important duty of care responsibilities,” Green said.
What's next for Southwest Business?
With more people traveling for business this year, Southwest Business continues to develop additional tools, features and enhancements designed to meet the ever-changing needs of those managing corporate travel.
“Before we begin any initiative or pursuing any new features, we seek feedback from our customers to better understand their needs,” said Green. “For example, we're working to improve our tools to make group bookings easier and more manageable. Across the company, we're committed to improving our digital hospitality for customers with larger in-seat power outlets and overhead bins, as well as new features in our app, like baggage tracking and standby boarding lists for earlier flights. These combined investments will help us design flexible solutions that fit our customers' needs and achieve our goal of being a trusted travel partner to businesses nationwide.”
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This content is Southwest Business and Skift's branded content studio. Skift X.
