American Express Business Travel today announced more than $470 million in signings from North America headquartered clients for the months of January and February.
Companies include ABB Optical, Air Transport International LLC, Aramco Services Company, Barry-Wehmiller, Eaton Corporation, Gaylord Entertainment, Indalex Inc., KTM North America, Inc., Manpower Inc. and RazorGator among other leading brands. Client wins were driven by successful service delivery and technology investments as well as value proposition enhancements made by American Express Business Travel in 2005.
In addition to these notable renewals and signings, American Express Business Travel added more than 120 new clients during the January through February period. Of these accounts, 30 were won in direct competition with an online travel agency - continuing the traction gained by offering a low-cost Online platform. In fact, five accounts were won from a single online travel agency incumbent.
"We are thrilled with the momentum American Express Business Travel has achieved during the early days of 2006 and pleased to see our 2005 strategic business investments be so well received by clients and prospects," said Andy McGraw, Senior Vice President and General Manager of American Express Business Travel. "Our singular value proposition as the world's only truly global, wholly-owned total expense management company continues to set us apart."
Over the course of 2005, American Express Business Travel invested in its delivery platforms to further augment and distinguish its pillars of service, savings and control.
Key initiatives included:
-- Online Booking Tools: collaborating with our interactive partners to broaden search parameters to include new categories of content, troubleshoot factors that impede fully automated transaction processing and enhance site customization options
-- Service Center Technology: implementing intelligent call routing technology across geographic regions to manage call volumes more efficiently and at a lower cost; implementing voice recognition software in select locations for voice bookings, cancellations, itinerary confirmation and flight information
-- Point-of-Sale Technology: expanding inventory access to include more Web sites and third-party inventory aggregators and continue to enhance counselor desktop tools for greater efficiency and personalized service
-- Listening Tools: enhancing travel counselor performance management devices (such as call recording and monitoring technology) to aid leader oversight of service delivery and ensure traveler experience satisfaction
-- Traveler Tools: continuing to enhance functionality of our online traveler portal, American Express Online, and introduced the portal to 12 new major global markets
-- Information Management: completing the global launch of TrackPoint, a desktop, web-based application available to travel managers for real-time traveler tracking
About American Express Business Travel
American Express Business Travel, a division of the American Express Company, is dedicated to helping its clients realize the greatest possible value from their investment in travel through increased cost savings, outstanding customer service and greater spend control. For small businesses, medium-sized enterprises and multinational corporations, American Express Business Travel provides a combination of industry-leading booking technology, travel management consulting expertise, strategic sourcing and supplier negotiation support and customer service available around the world, around the clock, online and offline.
American Express operates the world's largest travel agency network with over 2,200 travel service locations in over 140 countries and territories worldwide. The Company processed nearly $19 billion in global travel sales in 2005.
