TMC - Travel Management Company

Why is it necessary to have a TMC and how would I benefit from one?

Questions asked so very frequently. Welcome to the new era of travel management.

Travel Expenditure (TE) is the second highest form of expenditure in many small to medium size firms. Often TE is misrepresented in account departments particularly when air is made by someone; hotel and car, someone else; foreign currency & traveller's cheques by yet someone else and the list goes on.

DBT made the TMC transition in 1993 when we realised you wanted far more than just seats in aircraft. You asked for a fully reported travel service and we became an extension of your own firm.

We were given travel budgets and obliged by sourcing best 'fare of the day', negotiated car and hotel contracts on your behalf as well as arranging visas, Traveller's Cheques, Insurance, Currency, Rail and your Conferences.

Expectations have grown since then, and so have we. Technology and personal agency growth has allowed us to go a few steps further.

A small to medium operating company like yours requires the expertise of DBT Travel Management.

Winning your trust is our first and foremost task. We'll at the same time identify areas that need attention in your expenditure and introduce foolproof travel policies that will ensure you'll enjoy new and ongoing savings at a high travel management service level. Then, we'll report electronically, in writing; your spend by Company, Cost Centre, Department and even by 'name' on a monthly basis. Then if necessary, arrange to meet with your FCO at a time where we feel you could be doings things more cost effectively.

If your annual spend is below $A10m, you fit the criteria for need of a professional TMC. Knowing where your money is going and just how much is being spent and on what, is critical to your own survival.

How much does a TMC cost?

A TMC bases service charges on an individual transaction. Needless to say, if you require Air, Hotel and Car Hire, you'd make the one call to one service provider. DBT

DBT fees are structured in three main ways:

1. Best Fare of the Day, plus negotiated Hotel and Car rates etc - by transaction
2. Management fee - where we cost fares and apply a periodic transaction fee, plus negotiated Hotel & Car rates etc (Includes Internet Fare Search)
3. Packaged Travel Management Fees - Annually, quarterly or monthly depending on your spend, based market or route deal fares, plus negotiated Hotel & Car rates etc. Or a combination of 1, 2 and 3 personalised to best save you money.

There is no difference in the levels of service you receive from DBT, nor the levels of reporting. It's more about which structure will allow you to make savings in the big picture of TE. With or without a rebate/subvention in place.

Before you sign an agreement that promises rebates and refunds, talk to us. There is no such thing. Promises of savings by rebating is much a myth as is, free flights or free automatic upgrades. It just doesn't happen.

Rebates (or subventions) rely on the booker reserving full priced seats, and the TMC rebating the difference between those and the lesser priced (sold) seats back to the company. It is in the better interests of business to offer the customer the "best fare of the day" (BFOD) and make the savings up front - per booking.

Your savings are in both the cost of any seat booked on a particular flight along with how much you paid a TMC to professionally procure that for you.