Rademaker also says that PowrPac lets her benchmark CSC's travel spend against that of its peer companies. For example, if a hotel offers CSC a $100 rate in a particular city while a similar customer with a similar spend receives an $80 rate, PowrPac helps her bargain for a similar deal. Forrester's Harteveldt observes that hotel rates are projected to increase this year between 2 percent and 8 percent, leaving little room for price cuts, but he adds that benchmarking can help companies track down value-adds like breakfast, or free parking, or complimentary Internet access.

One in four business travelers has access to a corporate booking tool, according to Harteveldt. Smaller and midsized companies are likely new customers for such services, he adds, since they may not have enough finance people to track the more nitty-gritty expenses. "They may be fairly diligent about travel because those are big expenses," says Harteveldt; "it's the web conferencing and shipping that may be slipping through the cracks." A tool that can determine the cost per web conference and track how many are held each week for example, might enable the company to negotiate a lower rate.

Online tools also provide a benefit beyond booking that big business trip, says Harteveldt; they also help out with "the day-to-day, mundane stuff." At the end of the day, he adds, these tools "allows the CFO do to their job without having to play the heavy."

• « previous
• 1
• 2