The phrase “post-pandemic” has begun to pop up in news articles and everyday conversations, but even with international borders starting to reopen, the ongoing effects of COVID-19 remain a concern for many businesses. Instead, a more appropriate term might be “post-pandemic mindset.”
Organizations are shifting their strategies and mindsets to anticipate a post-pandemic future and adopt their business growth strategies accordingly. The past year ushered in a further realization of the global connectedness of companies both small and large. As a result, corporate travel plays arguably an even more critical part in growth and rebuilding than it did prior to 2020.
To tackle how this challenge will impact your organization, you need a global travel partner that can offer scalable solutions with a personalized touch. Below we make the case for how Direct ATPI Global Travel can deliver the scalability your business needs to be successful in a post-pandemic future.
Flexible and Agile Scaling
Flexibility as you grow or expand is an important component for companies of all sizes, but particularly so for emerging and mid-market businesses. Unlike mega corporations, which may benefit from all-in-one platforms and rigid processes, growing companies need a travel management company (TMC) capable of helping them scale their travel programs in a flexible way to match their growth trajectory.
For example, our approach to technology allows you to build your own TravelStack of tools that works for your individual business needs, rather than providing you with a broad suite of uniform services you may not need. Our services and technology are designed around our clients so that—as they expand or move into other global markets—we are able to grow with them.
Shifting to a post-pandemic business mindset, flexible scalability is more important than ever. Our CEO, Ed Adams, summed up this viewpoint in a recent interview at BTN Group’s Business Travel Show America arguing that TMCs now must be more “agile” and able “to modify how they operate based on what the customers’ needs are.”
Local Touch, Global Presence
Another aspect that has changed because of COVID-19 is the dispersion and global presence of many workforces. As remote technology allows employees to live and work virtually anywhere in the world, a global travel program serves as the primary way for bringing workforces together face-to-face.
This can be a challenge for businesses that rely on a TMC without a true local presence. Some TMCs outsource their traveler support to call centers, which while economical, do not provide a positive experience or instill traveler confidence. Particularly for after-hours support, your travelers need to know that the person on the other line has the latest information and knows the right people to help solve their problems.
At Direct ATPI Global, we circumvent large call centers and prioritize building local, high-touch relationships through small teams. When a traveler or remote employee is faced with a challenging in-country situation, they are able to speak with someone 24/7 who understands the culture, has local relationships, and can offer real-time solutions. With country rules and travel restrictions changing frequently as a result of COVID-19, this local knowledge plays a key role in traveler safety and business success.
As DJ Greenagel, Vice President of Global Services, puts it, “Our people have the personal connections, local market knowledge, and industry expertise to make things happen—we have experts in every area of the world who speak the local language.”
Led by Top Talent
This culture of local connections and commitment to agile responsiveness starts at the top with TMC leadership and vision. One area of consideration as your business grows or contracts is finding a travel partner helmed by a leadership team that inspires confidence through their knowledge and personal experience.
Our Direct ATPI executives have actual experience working and living in other countries and forging unparalleled global relationships. This means you’re working with a TMC that can help you not only strategize but also deliver your program goals accordingly.
According to Maria Portell, Vice President of Business Development, the Direct ATPI team has a strong pulse on what will be successful and what will work in any given market. “It’s about having an organization led by excellence. Our leadership is able to go beyond a Western mindset due to their diversity of thought and experiences.”
Having this experience means our team recognizes the need for flexibility and invests in the solutions available. We’re able to move beyond traditional thinking and historically standard processes to provide an aligned strategy and core business deliverables that meet both the expectations of the client and the needs of the market.
The Direct ATPI Global Advantage
As global markets reopen to travel, more industries and technologies are jockeying to position themselves in a post-pandemic future. In this new environment, traveler and destination intelligence is key. This is why we were the first TMC to integrate Sherpa Intelligence into our mobile platform.
Non-traditional routes like our partnership with Sherpa continue to emerge as a way to thrive in this new environment, which is part of the Direct ATPI Global advantage. We have the agile responsiveness, global connections, and local presence to help you expand your business in a flexible way that drives growth.
Ready to make a move? Connect with us for a global travel consultation.
