The Challenge of Re-implementation Process

When a leading University employed a new contract manager, a tender process was set up to source a preferred travel partner that would meet the following objectives:

  • Visibility increases across campuses in order that staff became aware of the preferred travel supplier.
  • Engagement among bookers and travelers to ensure trips became efficient and cost-effective.
  • Mandating the use of the supplier to increase on-contract spend and online adoption.
  • Relationship building with the organisation’s bookers and travelers to reduce internal resistance to a mandated supplier.

Following a competitive tender process, Key Travel were re-awarded the contract, soon proving that our services would go above and beyond the tender’s demands.

University Profile

  • Over 3,000 staff and 17,000 students
  • Travel spend of around 1 million per annum
  • Low online adoption compared to sector average.

Our Solution

On being awarded the contract, Key Travel developed a full re-implementation process that included data collection and analysis, departmental structure review and customisation of Key Travel’s systems configuration to better suit staff requirements. Key Travel also designed a 12-month marketing and communications plan which included:

  • Monthly on-site activity including workshops and training sessions for travel bookers.
  • A Key Travel e-learning campaign for travel bookers, detailing how to benefit from a TMC (from tip sheets and how-to webinars, through to the benefits of the service portfolio available to them).
  • Regular meetings between Key Travel and stakeholders at the University

The Results

In the first 8 months post contract award, as part of a highly successful re-implementation process, Key Travel and the University worked together to deliver 4 re-launch workshops, 12 workshops and drop-in sessions, 4 webinars and ongoing engagement at departmental level with bookers. This resulted in:

  • An increase in on-contract transactions of 69%
    • An increase in on-contact spend of 28% compared to the same period in the previous year
  • Significant improvement to the booking window.
  • Online adoption increased from 26% to 56%
  • Active travel bookers at the University increased by more than 300

“Key Travel has been engaged and present, ensuring all stakeholders have accurate information to enable them to successfully manage their travel needs.  They have allowed for the University to uphold its requirements to the procurement regulations and financial policies. ”

COMPLIANCE OFFICER, UNIVERSITY PROCUREMENT TEAM