Curtin University Case Study

When Curtin University worked with Campus Travel to tighten up its travel booking processes and costs, the results were outstanding. Our e3 online booking tool, coupled with its high level of usage by Curtin's travel bookers, immediately lowered the University's average ticket price and produced ongoing savings.

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Situation analysis

With a diversity of faculties making travel bookings for their academic staff each year, Curtin University was experiencing time and cost inefficiencies in its travel management as a whole. The main challenges included securing data for risk management purposes, building compliance with its new travel policy, tracking expenditure through reporting, and slashing unnecessary expense.

With the guidance of Campus Travel, the University identified online booking tool usage as the key to regaining control of its travel costs.

Objectives

Curtin University's overarching goal was to build compliance with its new travel policy and use 'travel facilitators' in each faculty to deliver and monitor the policy. Specific objectives included:

• introducing an online booking tool (OBT) that would deliver best fare of the day in addition to advanced reporting capabilities and a direct link into Curtin's Risk Management System
• building all travel facilitators' awareness of the benefits of the OBT and how to best use this tool, with a targeted uptake rate of 90%
• containing the rising cost of travel and generating savings by reducing the average domestic ticket price.

Methodology

Campus Travel Account Manager, Jon Cook, in collaboration with Curtin's Strategic Procurement, developed a strategy to optimise policy compliance levels by encouraging travel facilitators' uptake of our e3 OBT. This intelligent tool allows access to the most competitive rates and fares available, while offering the capability to report on every aspect of travel and provide an insight into travel expenditure. It also strengthens the ownership and accuracy of the traveller profiles, which supports the University's risk management.

Jon's primary solution was to provide immediate and regular refresher training to Curtin University's travel facilitators in the benefits and use of e3. This training was provided in a range of formats such as:

• face-to-face education sessions
• one-on-one coaching
• telephone training and helpdesk support
• online interactive training modules.

Between February 2008 and September 2009 Jon delivered approximately 25 training sessions, up-skilling more than 215 Curtin University staff.

The sessions not only gave staff a strong understanding of e3 and how to maximise its outcomes, but also educated them on preferred supplier products and rates, and informed them about new products available from Campus Travel. In addition, the sessions provided a valuable opportunity for Curtin staff to discuss any changes to the travel policy and procedures.

In 2010, once all facilitators had been trained, a monthly session for new staff and those requiring refreshers was implemented and this remains a permanent fixture in the Curtin diary.

Results

Introducing Campus Travel's e3 tool has delivered both immediate and longer-term benefits, including:

• 84% uptake of the OBT for domestic travel bookings to date
• a year-on-year reduction in Curtin's average ticket price as follows:
  
• a reduction in online booking fees from $20 in 2008 to $14 in 2010 (ex GST) due to Campus Travel's technology enhancement enabling the automatic fulfilment of online bookings and invoicing
• a smarter approach to bookings, based on the facilitators' improved travel industry knowledge and understanding of the benefits of using an online tool
• time savings and productivity improvements for Curtin staff involved in making the bookings online
• enhanced duty of care for Curtin University by being able to identify travellers' whereabouts in the event of a crisis situation.

If you are looking for unparalleled service and rates in academic travel, contact your local Campus Travel team now.