Conneq
Our background with Conneq
Conneq provides whole-of-life services for the delivery of vital infrastructure, servicing clients in the power, mining, utilities, heavy industrial, transport and social infrastructure sectors. Employing around 3,500 people across Australia and New Zealand, Conneq is a significant consumer of travel and accommodation services.
Conneq partnered with FCm in 2009 and as a result has successfully reduced costs across all facets of its travel program, improved booking behaviour and reduced travel data leakage. The success of the partnership is the result of a close working relationship between Conneq's Jenny Jones and FCm account manager Louise Thyer and FCm's in-depth understanding of the company's travel goals.
Under a new agreement with a preferred airline, Conneq saved more than $65,000 on air tickets within one financial quarter. These savings were just the beginning.
Here's how we made it possible...
The challenges
Conneq's main goal was and continues to be cost containment on its travel program. The company wanted improved service quality, engagement and understanding from its travel provider, which FCm has provided. Conneq also sought FCm's assistance in negotiations for both its air and hotel supply arrangements.
The company wanted to maximise the value of its travel dollars through increased online usage, Best Fare of Day bookings, advance purchase and tighter control of credit utilisation.
The solutions
Proactive people driving positive change
The success of the partnership is the result of a close working relationship and proactive account management between Conneq's Jenny Jones and FCm account manager Louise Thyer. Together Jenny and Louise have helped to drive strategies to successfully reduce costs across all facets of Conneq's travel program, improve traveller booking behaviour and reduce travel data leakage.
Strategies
Through detailed analysis and negotiating knowledge FCm was able to help renegotiate a new arrangement with Conneq's preferred airline that included increased discounts to most booking classes. The agreement started on 1 February 2010 and followed extensive analysis of Conneq's airline expenditure.
As part of a joint study we helped analyse aspects such as level of spend and marketshare, geographical requirements, timetabling and routing needs, employee preference and memberships.
FCm has also provided key personnel at Conneq with training on airfare booking classes and on FCm's online booking tool. FCm has customised their online booking tool to flag Best Fare of Day for all bookings.
Louise said FCm's detailed travel management reporting had helped Conneq to gain clearer insight into its booking behaviour, while our Best Fare of Day compliance mechanism had helped to identify reasons for missed savings across the company's cost centres.
Achieving the best possible results
Since coming on board with FCm, Conneq has realised significant savings across its airfare expenditure. During the first quarter of 2010 Conneq:
- saved over $65,000 in airfares under the new preferred airline agreement
- reduced its average airfare sector price by up to $35
- dropped its average domestic hotel room rate by an average of $24. This saving was the result of hotel booking consolidation through FCm which reduced lost savings and improved travel data leakage, which is essential for hotel rate negotiations and traveller tracking services
- increased its use of FCm's online booking tool by 57 per cent which has helped to drive savings through consolidation and improved policy compliance.
Conneq's response
"With operations at around 65 sites in Australia and New Zealand, it is vital that we can access high quality and cost effective travel services. FCm has been an excellent partner to our business and we rely on their professionalism every day."
Brian Stewart
Group Manager Corporate Affairs,
Conneq
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