Global

CWT Policy Messenger Wins Innovation Award at Business Travel Show

LONDON, Feb. 17, 2009 — Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT), a global leader specializing in business travel management, received a 2009 Business Travel Innovation Award for its compliance-enhancing solution CWT Policy Messenger at the Business Travel Show held here last week. This marks the second consecutive innovation award for CWT in the competition’s Travel Management Services Category, where, last year, the CWT Program Management Center was the winner.

CWT Policy Messenger helps companies improve compliance with travel policy by automatically emailing travelers and/or their supervisors when an out-of-policy booking is made, thus eliminating the need for time-consuming, manually generated notices. Furthermore, travel managers can customize their messages, apply selected policies to specific business units, and exclude certain travelers such as VIPs from notifications. To help enhance security, travel booked to high-risk destinations can generate automatic emails, enabling companies to alert and guide travelers before their departure.

Travel managers also benefit from statistical reports and graphs indicating the number of emails sent; the individual recipients and their business unit; and the type of policy violation for non-compliant air, hotel and car rental bookings. With this data in hand, they can take targeted action, drive compliance, increase savings and improve traveler tracking in an emergency. CWT Policy Messenger, is fully integrated into the CWT Program Management Center, the Web-based central gateway that provides key performance indicators, including compliance rates; user-friendly dashboards; and detailed reports to help travel management professionals simplify and optimize their programs.

Commenting on the award, Loren Brown, CWT chief information officer and executive vice president, Technology and Product Management, said, “Our clients count on Carlson Wagonlit Travel to help them derive the greatest value from their travel program. Research we conducted last year indicates that a well-designed travel policy, coupled with greater compliance, can result in savings of on average 20 percent (1). CWT Policy Messenger also plays a key role in optimizing demand management and enhancing security, important priorities for effective travel management. Winning this award two years in a row demonstrates the high importance we place on offering innovative products and solutions that respond to clients’ evolving needs.”



About Carlson Wagonlit Travel
Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT) is a global leader specializing in business travel management. Present in more than 150 countries, CWT serves companies of all sizes, as well as government institutions and non-governmental organizations. By leveraging both the expertise of its people and leading-edge technology, CWT helps clients derive the greatest value from their travel program in terms of savings, service, security and sustainability. The company is also committed to providing best-in-class service and assistance to travelers. CWT services and solutions comprise four lines of business: Traveler & Transaction Services, Program Optimization, Safety & Security, and Meetings & Events. CWT has more than 22,000 employees worldwide. In 2008, sales volume for wholly owned operations and joint ventures totaled US$27.8 billion. For more information, please visit www.carlsonwagonlit.com.


Media Contacts:
Kim Derderian
Carlson Wagonlit Travel
+33 (0)1 41 33 60 44
kderderian@carlsonwagonlit.com


(1) Playing by the Rules: Optimizing Travel Policy and Compliance, CWT Travel Management Institute (2008)

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