A Roadmap for Procurement and Project Teams
By Michelle Flint, Head of Customer Solutions
Changing a travel management company (TMC) is often viewed as a procurement exercise.
Issue the RFP. Select a provider. Sign the contract. Switch suppliers.
Simple, right?
In reality, some of the most successful travel programmes I’ve seen had very little to do with the procurement process itself and everything to do with what happened before, during and after implementation.
The truth is that a travel management transition is not a technology project. It is a business transformation project. And like any transformation, success depends on preparation.
Why Travel Programme Changes Fail
Most organisations begin a transition with the right intentions. They want better service. Stronger technology. Improved reporting. Greater traveller satisfaction. Lower costs. Yet many implementations struggle because businesses underestimate the complexity of change management.
Research from the BCD 2026 Quarter 2 Travel Market Report found that while 95% of travel buyers have online booking tools in place, almost a quarter (24%) remain dissatisfied with their current solutions, citing content quality, usability and pace of innovation as major concerns.
At the same time, more than one-third of travel buyers report that traveller adoption of booking tools falls short of programme expectations. The lesson is clear. Technology alone does not guarantee success. People do.
Start Long Before Contract Signature
One of the biggest mistakes organisations make is waiting until a supplier has been appointed before they start planning for implementation. Preparation should begin during the procurement phase. The first step is stakeholder alignment.
Every organisation has multiple groups impacted by a travel programme:
• Procurement
• Finance
• HR
• Risk and compliance teams
• Executive leadership
• Travel arrangers
• Business travellers
Each group has different priorities. Procurement may focus on commercial value. Finance wants visibility and control. Travellers want simplicity and convenience. If these expectations aren’t aligned early, implementation challenges inevitably follow.
The organisations that transition successfully create stakeholder engagement plans before implementation even begins.
Data Quality Matters More Than Most People Realise
I’ve seen excellent travel solutions struggle because the underlying data wasn’t ready. Traveller profiles, approval workflows, policy settings, cost centres and reporting structures form the foundation of any programme.
Poor data creates poor outcomes.
Accurate traveller information becomes even more important as travel technology evolves. According to Deloitte’s 2026 Travel Industry Outlook, generative AI is rapidly reshaping travel planning, with nearly one-quarter of travellers already using AI-powered tools by late 2025, three times more than in 2022. The more intelligent travel technology becomes, the more important clean and accurate data will be. Organisations that invest time in preparing data upfront avoid significant issues later.
Traveller Adoption Should Be a Priority
One of the most overlooked aspects of implementation is traveller adoption. A solution can be technically perfect and still fail if employees don’t use it.
The BCD traveller survey reveals that 90% of business travellers use employer-provided booking tools, yet only around one-third use them consistently for every booking. Travellers often bypass approved systems when itineraries become complex or disruptions occur.
This highlights a critical lesson. Implementation isn’t complete when technology goes live. Implementation is complete when behaviours change.
That requires:
• Clear communication
• Training
• Executive sponsorship
• Ongoing support
• Visible traveller benefits
People need to understand not only how to use the system, but why it matters.
Communication Is the Difference Between Compliance and Engagement
Many organisations communicate programme changes once. Successful organisations communicate continuously. Travellers want answers to practical questions:
• What’s changing?
• When will it happen?
• How will it affect me?
• What support is available?
The more transparent the process, the stronger adoption becomes. Communication should begin before implementation, continue throughout deployment and remain active long after go-live. A successful transition is not an announcement. It’s a journey.
Think Beyond Go-Live
One of the biggest misconceptions in travel programme implementation is that success is measured by the launch date. In reality, go-live is simply the starting point. The real work begins afterwards.
Successful organisations continue monitoring:
• Traveller adoption
• Service performance
• Policy compliance
• User experience
• Reporting accuracy
• Supplier performance
Continuous optimisation is where long-term programme value is created.
This is particularly important as traveller expectations evolve. BCD’s research shows travellers increasingly want simpler user experiences, smarter assistance, better personalisation and stronger integration between travel tools and business processes. The programme you launch today should be capable of evolving tomorrow.
The Human Side of Change
Perhaps the most important lesson I have learned is this:
• Implementations succeed when people trust the process.
• Travel programmes affect employees directly.
• They influence how people book, travel, expense and interact with company systems.
• That means change should never be imposed.
• It should be managed.
• The best implementations invest as much effort into people as they do into technology. Because while systems drive efficiency, people determine success.
Looking Ahead
Travel management is becoming increasingly sophisticated.
Artificial intelligence, automation, data analytics and personalised traveller experiences are rapidly expanding what organisations can achieve through their travel programmes.
But no matter how advanced technology becomes, successful implementation will always depend on three fundamentals:
- Strong preparation
- Effective communication
- Continuous support
Organisations that approach travel management transitions as business transformation initiatives rather than technology projects consistently achieve better outcomes.
Because ultimately, successful implementation isn’t about changing systems.
It’s about creating a programme that works better for the people who use it every day.
Sources: Deloitte Consumer Industry Center, 2026 Travel Industry Outlook; BCD 2026 Quarter 2 Travel Market Report