Case Study: Transforming Goldman Travel with Magnatech®’s OnTrackplus™
Sydney, Australia – 23 July 2024
ABOUT GOLDMAN GROUP
Goldman Group, a thriving multi-generational family-run business has grown significantly since its founding by Alf Goldman in 1983. Now led by Tom Goldman OAM, with sons David and Anthony Goldman also at the helm, the business has expanded both organically and through strategic acquisitions.
A founding member of Link Travel Group, Goldman Group’s brands encompass corporate travel, high-end leisure, and cruise travel services. This case study focuses on their corporate travel brand, Goldman Travel Corporation, based in Sydney, Australia.
CHALLENGES BEFORE ONTRACKPLUS
Before implementing Magnatech® Travel Management Solutions’ OnTrackplus™, Goldman Travel Corporation faced significant challenges in managing and tracking unused ticket credits. The existing manual process was prone to errors and inefficiencies:
- Human Error: Manual handling of ticket credits often led to inaccuracies, resulting in incorrect credit values and misinformed client decisions.
- Data Integrity: The mid-office system’s inability to accurately prorate reissued tickets meant that credit values were often incorrect.
- Time-Consuming Processes: Business managers and consultants spent excessive time auditing and validating ticket reports, detracting from more valuable client-facing activities.
- COVID-19 Impact: The pandemic exacerbated these challenges, with nearly three years of ever-changing airline credit rules creating a backlog of credits needing accurate tracking.
WHY CHOOSE MAGNATECH?
The decision to adopt OnTrackplus was influenced by a confluence of several factors:
CRITICAL MASS
Coming out of COVID, credit management was a known tangled mess.
TOUCHLESS
Ontrackplus’s automated credit tracking and calculations meant the manual flagging and calculations would never be prone to human error.
SALES EXPERTISE
Magnatech’s effective communication highlighted how OnTrackplus could alleviate Goldman Travel’s operational pain points.
TECHNOLOGICAL FIT
OnTrackplus’s compatibility with existing systems like Serko, and its agnostic nature, allowing it to integrate smoothly with various platforms.
INDUSTRY VALIDATION
Positive feedback from peers in the travel industry confirmed the reliability and benefits of OnTrackplus.
IMPLEMENTATION
Shaun Manuain, Digital Solutions Specialist, advised that the implementation of OnTrackplus was straightforward and efficient:
- Seamless Transition: The process was simple compared to other system implementations, with minimal disruption to daily operations.
- Responsive Support: Magnatech’s support team provided timely assistance, ensuring a smooth transition and ongoing system reliability.
- Data Cleansing: Goldman Travel meticulously cleaned their credit data prior to uploading their historical credits from Tramada to ensure only valid credits were uploaded into OnTrackplus, however recognized that OnTrackplus would have sorted valid from non-valid credits.
“To be honest, it wasn’t as painful as I thought it was going to be! As with any change, the consultants approached it cautiously, but then as it went on, they’re actually really embracing it now. I can see a lot of them have the system up most of the day. It can take a while for that change management piece from a thousand years of doing it in Tramada and then all of a sudden cutting that part out. That was always going to be a struggle. From my point of view, they’ve fully embraced it!“
IMPACT AND RESULTS
Chris Cheyne, Group General Manager described the substantial benefits OnTrackplus has delivered for Goldman Travel Corporation:
Automation:
The automated processes ensure consistent and reliable credit tracking, reducing manual intervention and potential errors.
Data Accuracy:
The system provides accurate credit values, allowing clients to make informed travel decisions and eliminating any embarrassing miscalculations.
Time Savings:
27 days’ worth of activity are collectively saved per month across Business Managers and Consultants
Improved Reporting:
Customizable reports with clear summaries and highlighted expirations have been very well-received by clients, enhancing client satisfaction.
Time Saving Calculations:
Goldman Travel Corporation saw significant reductions in time spent on report validation and query responses. Business managers save approximately 2 days each per month, while each consultant saves approximately 1 day per month, totalling 25 days across the team.
Additionally consultants collectively save 15.8 hours per month on credit handling activities, roughly 2 days of work.
In total, that’s 27 days’ worth of activity saved that can be better applied to core duties of consultants and business managers.
“Another beauty of the system is its ability to act as a catch-all. For example, when consultants cancel a booking, they queue it to Magnatech OnTrackplus, which tags it as “on hold” immediately, making credits available right away. If they forget to add it to the cancel queue, OnTrackplus will automatically put the credit on hold once it’s past dated. And with our fairly short lead time for corporate bookings, it will happen fairly quickly, ensuring no credits are missed. That gives me faith that all credits will appear in OnTrackplus.”
USER EXPERIENCE AND FEEDBACK
The transition to OnTrackplus has been positive:
- Ease of Use: Consultants find the system straightforward, with everything accessible in one place.
- Enhanced Confidence: Accurate data and reliable processes have improved consultants’ and business managers’ confidence in their interactions with clients, leading to more professional service delivery.
- Positive Reception: Overall feedback has been positive, with the team appreciating the streamlined workflow and reduced manual workload. All clients love the new, robust reporting and its clean design.
FUTURE PLANS
Goldman Travel has ambitious plans to further leverage OnTrackplus:
- Integration with Kudos: Launching next month, this integration will enhance their “Gold Connect” system, providing even more robust travel management capabilities.
- Direct Traveller Notifications: Future plans include enabling direct notifications for travellers about available credits, tailored to individual client preferences.
- Leisure Travel Focus: Implementing a bi-monthly sweep of non-corporate credits to proactively engage leisure clients and maximize credit utilization.
CONCLUSION
Goldman Travel Corporation’s successful implementation of OnTrackplus has transformed their credit management processes, significantly improving efficiency, accuracy, and client satisfaction.
Saving a whopping 27 days per month of credit-related activity means enabling greater productivity of the team on core responsibilities.
With future enhancements on the horizon, Goldman Travel is well-positioned to continue its legacy of excellence and growth.
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