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Carlson Wagonlit Travel opens an European eCentre in Poland

Carlson Wagonlit Travel recently opened its first European eCentre, in Warsaw, Poland…

Carlson Wagonlit Travel recently opened its first European eCentre, in Warsaw, Poland. Already up and running, the Warsaw eCentre is staffed by 60 people with a targeted increase to 70 for end of this year. The new facility is a pan-European reservation centre designed to enable travel programs optimisation for large multinational companies.



With this new eCentre, Carlson Wagonlit Travel is once again proving its understanding of the way business travel is moving and an ability to deliver innovative solutions which deliver value to clients.



A new service configuration



The Poland-based facility does not seek to provide the same services as any other national business travel centre. Because of a streamlining of the booking procedures, a standardisation and a simplification of the services available, it is a new enabler to optimise travel programs at a pan-European level.



The Warsaw eCentre is primarily dedicated to handle a combination of online bookings with agent assistance and phone reservations. It is why our eCentre aimed at servicing a specific client segment. Says Liliana Frigerio, Carlson`s Wagonlit Travel`s Executive vice President, Europe.



The Warsaw centre is adapted to large international companies whose travel policy is geared at every level towards maximising cost reductions -companies whose corporate culture and procedures make it possible to harmonise their travel policy across Europe and to streamline their travel processes; companies who have driven the adoption rate of their selected self booking tool and who are ready to go through a significant pan-European change program.



A unique approach



The Warsaw eCentre initiative has been developed in close partnership with one of Carlson Wagonlit Travel biggest clients, General Electric (GE).



Unlike its competitors, who developed European centres by concentrating resources, Carlson Wagonlit Travel developed an eCentre that was rapidly up and running.



We think this was the best approach as the usage of such a center requires significant changes within companies organisation, comments Richard Lovell, Carlson`s Wagonlit Travel`s Executive vice President Europe.



A very rich offering



With this new eCentre, Carlson Wagonlit travel offers now a large set of different options in terms of service configuration. Our eCentre is not intended to replace Carlson Wagonlit Travel`s national business travel centres (BTC). The two types of centres address different situations and corporate needs says Liliana Frigerio.



Carlson Wagonlit Travel`s national business travel centres are dedicated to local needs. They are more flexible in terms of services and are designed for higher touch and personalised service, while the eCentre offers standardised procedures able to deliver optimal savings on travel budgets.



The combination of these two very different service configurations offers corporations the opportunity to select the best option, according to the trade off they want to make in terms of service and travel budget reduction.



Carlson Wagonlit Travel has the expertise to advise corporations in their approach.



Very competitive operating costs



Looking at the operating costs, with this eCentre Carlson Wagonlit Travel is in a better position to help clients reduce their overall transaction costs by ~20%, assuming that half of the reservations are initiated with a self booking tool.



This cost reduction is based on several levers such as a greater level of automation, the development of a user friendly interface and the usage of the Six Sigma methodology to design optimal processes and to ensure a total-quality in the services delivered.



Moreover, the Warsaw centre operates today in a single language (English) to avoid cost increase due to multiple foreign speaker management; all travel counsellors, who received intensive training, are able to both finalise a transaction initiated online and to handle a reservation by phone.



According to these criteria, Poland offers the best European option in terms of staff professionalism, quality of the infrastructures and operating costs.



A proven expertise in managing eCentres



Commenting on the new centre, Keith Mullineux, Corporate Travel Manager,GE EMEA, said: To generate savings, it`s not enough to procure an on-line booking tool. You have to use that tool intelligently. Carlson Wagonlit Travel`s European eCentre has been designed as part of a policy of excellence and it`s going to benefit us.



Ultimately, 25 000 GE travellers in 19 European countries will be serviced through this single, state-of-the-art location.




For the last two years, Carlson Wagonlit Travel has also been using e-fulfilment centres in North America to serve several of its large clients. Warsaw eCentre now offers the same opportunities to Europe-based multinational client companies who are ready for a significant change in the way their travel is managed.

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Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.

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