108: How to Procure Travel More Strategically by Measuring Outcomes, Not Savings w/ Scott Gillespie

Scott Gillespie is an expert in procurement, and corporate travel.  He was an original member of the AT Kearney team that launched the 7-step sourcing process in the 1990’s, and has since founded a number of companies with a focus on helping organizations better understand, benchmark and measure the performance of their corporate travel programs.  Scott also authors the popular blog Gillespie’s Guide to Travel & Procurement.

Scott passionately believes that corporate travel programs should be managed on outcomes and value, rather than cost alone.  In today’s Art of Procurement, Scott and I discuss innovative ways in which procurement leaders can manage the success of their travel program over and above the traditional cost-focused metrics.

Areas we cover include: 

• The basic key metrics that are foundational to any corporate travel program.
• The best sources of data for gathering travel spend information.
• Cost drivers that have the biggest impact on travel spend.
• An introduction to the concept of traveler friction.
• The importance of taking into account trip outcomes vs. just focusing on trip cost.
• What constitutes a “road warrior” and should they be subject to different travel policies vs. irregular travelers.
• An overview of four key metrics that enable value-focused measurement of a corporate travel program:
  • Scrap rate of travel
  • Traveler risk management index
  • Attrition rate of road warrior population
  • Trip quality

For more information, visit: http://artofprocurement.com/travelmetrics