Global

Carlson Wagonlit Travel Signs 11 New Corporate Travel Clients

Quiznos, Sprint and Others Join Growing Customer Base

ORLANDO, Fla. – August 3, 2004 – Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT) announced today significant momentum in customer confidence, as indicated by its recent agreements with 11 new corporate travel clients in just the past three months. The collective air volume of the new clients represents $40.1 million globally. The new accounts include agreements for both CWT i-SelectSM, the company’s recently launched Internet-based business travel offering as well as CWT’s fullymanaged travel services.

“We’re hearing from new clients that they are choosing CWT for its value, experience and worldclass service,” said Robin Schleien, president of CWT North America. “Their selection of CWT reflects that our efforts to provide the right mix of travel services for companies of different size, scale and industry are working.”

CWT’s new clients represent regional and global, best-in-class companies from a variety of industries including technology, manufacturing, telecommunications, medical and retail.

CWT i-Select Wins

Ten of the new accounts have signed contracts to use i-Select, CWT’s service offering that combines online efficiencies with conventional travel services. i-Select was first introduced at the Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) annual conference on April 26.

“The early interest we’ve received in i-Select confirms there is a demand for this type of offering,” said Tyler Lyman, vice president, Internet Travel Market, CWT North America. “The travel services we provide through i -Select are not exclusive to small corporate travel programs, rather, a customer’s fit depends on the complexity and level of service they require. Based on the momentum established in our first three months, we anticipate the i-Select customer base willcontinue to rapidly expand.”

CWT signed Denver-based Quiznos Sub as one of the first i-Select clients and is now responsible for travel bookings of more than 500 of Quiznos’ travelers. With an annual air volume estimated at $3 million, the Denver-based upscale sandwich chain has more than 3,200 locations worldwide in 48 states and 15 countries. Nation’s Restaurant News has called Quiznos the fastest-growing sandwich chain in the United States.

New CWT i-Select clients also include Barilla America, BP Microsystems, Telecom Italia of North America, Inc., and Trimble Navigation, Ltd. These companies’ travel programs vary in size, as do their reasons for choosing CWT:

• Barilla America. Barilla America is a premiere Italian food company based in Bannockburn, Illinois, with more than 50 frequent travelers. The company chose CWT for the ease-of-use of its online booking tool and the wide array of reporting options available to manage travel costs.

• BP Microsystems. Headquartered in Houston, BP Microsystems is a global supplier of electronic device programmers for engineering and production applications. The company has approximately 30 regular travelers and an annual air volume of $250,000. BP Microsystems was drawn to i-Select’s quick implementation and pre-trip approval capabilities.

• Telecom Italia of North America, Inc. Telecom Italia of N.A., Inc. is a major player in the voice carrier services arena and has a growing presence in the data and Internet markets. Headquartered in New York, the company has an annual air volume of $200,000. i-Select was the choice of Telecom Italia of N.A., Inc. based upon the merits of the service offering and the global reputation of CWT.

• Trimble. Trimble, of Sunnyvale, Calif., is a leading provider of advanced positioning solutions (GPS, laser and optical technologies) to the engineering and construction, agriculture, mapping and GIS, fleet management, automotive and wireless communications markets. Trimble has more than 500 travelers and an annual air volume of $2.8 million. Trimble made the switch to CWT with an interest in lowering costs while increasing online adoption rates, which have reached 80 percent in just one month.

Previously these companies were serviced by various regional and global travel management firms.

 
“Fully-Managed” Program Wins

In addition to the new business momentum via i-Select, CWT recently signed worldwide communications provider, Sprint, as a fully managed corporate travel client. CWT will service Sprint in its North America, Latin America, Europe Middle East Africa (EMEA) and Asia-Pacific regions.

Based in Overland Park, Kansas, Sprint is a global communications provider serving more than 26 million customers in more than 100 countries. Sprint has approximately 63,000 employees.
Sprint selected CWT based largely upon its global ownership and control, its proactive account management and consulting services, and its successful history in driving online adoption and efficiency (touchless transactions) ratios.

“CWT’s track-record of high online adoption and touchless rates will assist Sprint in moving beyond our current plateau, driving additional savings though our travel program,” stated Keith Paglusch, vice president, Supply Chain Management, Sprint. “CWT is a change leader in the travel industry, with an exceptional record in both its performance and its diversity initiatives. As we continue to examine how we manage functions like corporate travel, we are pleased to have a relationship with a company that brings both efficiency and creativity to the table.”

While new customer growth has been strong, CWT is working to secure even more new clients during the National Business Travel Association annual conference this week in Orlando, Florida.
Since last year’s conference, CWT has won new client business representing more than $1.3 billion in annual air volume, clearly illustrating the value companies place on CWT’s customer-focused travel management services. The growing client-base also proves the longterm viability of CWT, the world’s most global travel management company with locations in 144 countries.

About Carlson Wagonlit Travel
Carlson Wagonlit Travel is a world leader in business travel management. Today, the Carlson Wagonlit Travel group, resulting from the merger of the Carlson and Wagonlit business travel activities, has locations in more than 144 countries and generates over $11.5 billion USD in annual sales. Carlson Wagonlit Travel is co-owned by Paris-based Accor group and Minneapolisbased Carlson Companies. For more information, visit www.carlsonwagonlit.com.

 
Media Contact
Laurie Alexander
Carlson Wagonlit Travel
763-212-2079
llalexander@carlson.com

News Release as PDF (66 Kb)

All News Releases