Travel cost management system

• US 20040193457A1
• Filed: 03/28/2003
• Published: 09/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sapient Corporation (Publicis.Sapient)
• Original Assignee: Sapient Corporation (Publicis.Sapient)
• Inventors: Shogren, Michael D.
• Application Number:
  US10/403,933
• Publication Number:
  US 20040193457A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events

Abstract

A system for booking travel services establishes booking costs based upon a percentage of users in a customer organization that employ self-service booking tools. By bundling call center services from different service providers, an intermediary can offer an aggregate price to a corporate customer that is explicitly tied to the percentage of self-service booking by corporate members. This system advantageously permits a buyer of travel services to quantify the savings from using low-cost, self-service tools, while ensuring that self-service and full service tickets are obtained at a competitive cost.

Claims

1. A method for booking a travel reservation comprising:

receiving a booking request for a travel reservation from a user associated with an entity;

determining an online booking rate for users associated with the entity, the online booking rate indicative of a percentage of the users associated with the entity that book online;

determining a cost for booking the travel reservation, the cost based upon the online booking rate for users associated with the entity; and

providing the travel reservation to the user at a price that includes the cost for booking the travel reservation and a cost of the travel reservation.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the cost of booking provides a discount for online booking to the user representative of an anticipated reduction in call center support costs for that user.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the online booking rate for users associated with the entity is determined over a period of time, the cost for booking the travel reservation being assessed for each travel reservation secured during the period of time.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the online booking rate for users associated with the entity is monitored and determined dynamically.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a travel portal available through a corporate intranet maintained by the entity, the travel portal providing travel planning, reservation booking, and fulfillment features to users.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising monitoring travel arrangements of users associated with the entity and ensuring compliance of the travel arrangements with one or more travel policies of the entity.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising monitoring travel arrangements of users associated with the entity and providing reimbursement to one or more of the users for travel reservations.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the travel reservation includes at least one of an airplane reservation, a hotel reservation, a rail reservation, or a car rental reservation.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the entity is at least one of a corporation, a government entity, a non-profit organization, an educational institution, or an association.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving a booking request further comprises receiving at least one of an online booking request or a call to a call center.

11. A computer program product embodied in a computer readable medium comprising:

computer executable code that receives a booking request for a travel reservation from a user associated with an entity;

computer executable code that determines an online booking rate for users associated with the entity, the online booking rate indicative of a percentage of the users associated with the entity that book online;

computer executable code that determines a cost for booking the travel reservation, the cost based upon the online booking rate for users associated with the entity; and

computer executable code that provides the travel reservation to the user at a price that includes the cost for booking the travel reservation and a cost of the travel reservation.

12. A system comprising:

receiving means for receiving a booking request for a travel reservation from a user associated with an entity;

first computing means for determining an online booking rate for users associated with the entity, the online booking rate indicative of a percentage of the users associated with the entity that book online;

second computing means for determining a cost for booking the travel reservation, the cost based upon the online booking rate for users who are associated with the entity; and

network means for providing the travel reservation to the user at a price that includes the cost for booking the travel reservation and a cost of the travel reservation.

13. A method for booking a travel reservation comprising:

receiving a booking request for a travel reservation from a user, the user associated with an entity;

providing a discount for a booking cost of the booking request relative to travel reservations that are not booked online, the discount determined by a rate of adoption of online booking tools by the entity;

providing the travel reservation to the user at a price that includes the booking cost;

providing a call center for post-booking access by the user; and

establishing a per-minute rate for post-booking access to the call center concerning the travel reservation.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the call center handles changes and cancellations to the travel reservation booked by the user.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the call center handles questions about the travel reservation from the user.

16. The method of claim 13 further comprising charging at least one of the user or the entity at the per-minute rate for any post-booking access to the call center concerning the travel reservation that exceeds a maximum number of minutes for a specified period.

17. A system comprising:

a call center that handles calls related to travel reservations;

a booking engine that provide online, self-service booking tools to remote users;

a reservation host;

one or more clients operated by users associated with an entity;

a server connected in a communicating relationship with the call center, the booking engine, and the reservation host through a network, the server further connected in a communicating relationship with the one or more clients, the server providing a booking and fulfillment service that combines the services of the call center, the booking engine, and the reservation host to the clients at a fixed fee per booking, the fixed fee determined according to an adoption rate for booking through the server.

20. The system of claim 17 wherein the adoption rate is a percentage of bookings by users associated with the entity that are booked using the server.

18. A server comprising a network connection to at least one call center, at least one booking engine, and at least one reservation host and a network connection to one or more clients, the clients being operated by users associated with an entity, the server providing a booking and fulfillment service to the one or more clients that combines the services of the call center, the booking engine, and the reservation host for a fixed fee per booking, the fixed fee determined according to an adoption rate for online booking by the users associated with the entity.

19. The server of claim 18 wherein the fixed fee only applies when one or more conditions are met by clients using the server, the conditions including at least one of a maximum number of cancelled reservations, a maximum number of paper tickets issued, a maximum number of exchanges, a maximum number of refunds, and a maximum amount of telephone call time, the fixed fee being recalculated when one or more of the conditions is violated.