FCM launches feature to unify approvals

FCM Travel has developed a trip approvals platform that can integrate the process across regions and booking methods for clients.

The Approvals feature provides a single interface for managing approvals for clients who use a variety of booking tools or have different regional approval needs.

It allows companies to centralise control over travel activity across the company with a consistent process, according to John Morhous, chief experience officer for corporate brands at FCM’s parent company Flight Centre Travel Group.

The new development can help companies save up to two hours in offline flow for approvals, according to FCM.

Morhous said the platform fills a need across a large set of FCM’s clients. He added that more than half of its multinational clients have either an active or passive trip approval process in place, and customers have an average of four to five online booking tools in use.

In addition, about 60 per cent of enquiries to FCM are non-transactional requests, with the most frequent being “to go chase someone down for approval,” according to Morhous.

One of the feature’s pilot customers, JTI, has used it for “a concise notification of booked travel for line managers and travellers in more than 60 countries,” said Nichola Rimmer, JTI’s category manager for travel and events.

“Our personalised solution has allowed us to start providing concise, useful information to help travellers and line managers make value-add decisions,” added Rimmer.

The Approvals feature will initially be available in 35 countries, and FCM plans to eventually make it available globally. The TMC will begin with its existing customer base this year before offering it to new customers in 2025.