CPL (formally Cerebral Palsy League) is a non-profit organisation that provides vital support and services to more than 8,000 children and adults with disabilities in QLD and Northern NSW. Jill Jenkinson, Janelle Condon and Samantha Smith are all Executive Assistants who support the CEO and General Managers of CPL.
The Problem
Prior to Locomote, CPL engaged another travel management company who provided them with an outsourced booking tool for staff travel. Utilising old technology and unkept promises for a system upgrade, CPL became increasingly frustrated with this solution.
Any requests to add new travellers or make changes to existing profiles had to be performed by this travel management company causing considerable delays.
The absence of regular and comprehensive reporting left CPL 'flying blind' with potential for travel budget breaches.
Overall a disappointing experience and poor customer service led us to search for a new provider.
The Solution
We decided that there must be an alternative solution for CPL to consider - enter Locomote.
From our initial meeting, Locomote understood our needs that our existing provider simply did not. We knew that we did want an off-the-shelf product and that we were seeking a tool that met CPL's business and travel needs.
Locomote understood that as a not for profit organisation, it is important to reduce our travel spend whilst protecting the safety of our travellers and employees.
The Locomote solution really appealed to us and through our partnership we have been successful in achieving our goal of reducing our overall travel spend.
Why Locomote?
MORE CONTROL AND INSIGHTS
Locomote gives us greater visibility over the travel needs of CPL staff and carers and has provided us with invaluable insight into our travel trends and spends.
We greatly appreciate the 'hands on' ability that Locomote provides us as Travel Administrators to perform 'back end' changes such as adding or editing profiles, cost centres, approvers etc.
Administrative changes can be performed immediately allowing us to complete the travel request in a timely manner.
CUSTOMER SERVICE
We have been very happy meeting the team at Locomote, strengthening our relationship and giving us confidence in the organisation.
To know that our feedback is valuable, taken into consideration and discussed as a business to find an appropriate solution is fantastic. Locomote understands our business including the challenges associated with a person with a disability travelling.
They do everything to ensure our travellers have a positive experience. That means a lot to us.
USER EXPERIENCE
The user experience of Locomote has been very positive. The interface is user friendly and self explanatory.
Even staff who have had limited or no training in how to make a booking, have found the tool very easy to use.
The visibility of available options for flight, hotel and vehicles with Locomote is one of our favourite features.
We have been able to show savings by choosing flights that departs 10 minutes earlier or selecting alternate accommodation by having the visibility of available options within policy.
LOCOMOTE LISTENS
Locomote is ideal for companies who want a solution that meets the specific requirements of their particular needs.
There are other providers who can offer an off-shelf-solution with no customisation, but these businesses are not interested in understanding what each of their clients want.
Locomote listens and was able to tailor a solution that is easy to use, provides us with greater visibility of travel patterns, and allows the Executive Assistant team to manage and reduce travel spend.
Put simply Locomote walks the talk.
Results with Locomote
Locomote has provided the Executive Assistant team at CPL with clear visibility and knowledge of travel spend and patterns for all CPL staff and carers. Previously, travel choices may have been made without the full consideration of alternative and more cost effective options.
Locomote allows the Executive Assistant team to easily view who is travelling and where, which accommodation options they are choosing and open a discussion to challenge these choices. In the few months CPL has been using Locomote, our travel costs have reduced which is very positive outcome.
We have chosen to configure our Locomote solution to allow our Executives book their own travel. This gives our Executives visibility over savings made directly by their choices as well as time savings, invaluable to CPL. They recognise the quick turn around time from submitting their travel request to receiving their confirmation. This is something new for CPL.
We now have ability to select alternative budget approvers who are available to approve travel requests, whereas previously, we were only provided the option of a very small group of managers being able to approve travel requests.
