Sabre Travel Network has announced a new streamlined, easy-to-use and more effective rate negotiation and auditing service for corporations, their travel management companies and hoteliers. Sabre also said it had acquired BidStork, a company specializing in rate negotiation processes with hoteliers. Sabre’s goal is to provide a first step to a complete negotiation service for hoteliers and corporate travel buyers.
“The result of bringing these capabilities together is that Sabre corporate agencies and corporate customers will now have a fully integrated RFP management process via an easy-to-use online tool– a critical piece of a travel procurement program– that until now was not possible since no viable solutions existed in the marketplace,” said Greg Webb, chief marketing officer for Sabre.
Sabre says it is the first global distribution system to offer a hotel RFP tool. The negotiated rate auditing option, planned to be added later this year for both corporate customers and hoteliers, will provide a vast improvement to current marketplace solutions.
Through the new comprehensive rate negotiation service, Sabre says it is addressing the typical, time-consuming, manual and often “clunky” process of the annual negotiated rate process between corporate travel management and hoteliers.
Sabre estimates that there are four million annual “passive” bookings associated with travel agents not being able to find the negotiated rates. For corporations, this can lead to inconsistent and higher travel spending, and lost revenue opportunities for hoteliers and travel agencies. Elements of the program will be introduced this year and next, Sabre says.
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