UK: Serviced apartment agency SilverDoor hosted its fifth annual Partner Engagement Day at its new London offices in Chiswick last week.
A host of topics were covered including sustainability, data and technology innovation, with one recurring theme: the need for suppliers and clients to work collaboratively to build efficiencies and drive understanding and adoption in a fast-changing landscape.
Around 180 stakeholders and partners attended including leading corporate travel and relocation industry representatives for an afternoon of panel sessions and presentations.
Opening the day SilverDoor CEO Stuart Winstone announced Katie Garrahy will be taking on the role of vice president business development, effective from 1st October. Leading a 10-strong global team Garrahy will be responsible for building and developing the company’s strategic growth plans at a global level.
The first session, moderated by Garrahy, was a client panel featuring Jon Bolger from Deloitte, Andy Meadowcroft from Aires, Leanne Fowler from Clarity and Danny Cockton from Wood to discuss the current trends, challenges and opportunities in business travel and global mobility. More specifically the conversation addressed sustainability, leveraging and integrating technology into global programmes and how to effectively utilise data and reporting to make strategic decisions. Some of the points discussed included:
• Sustainability data – both demand for and its availability – is accelerating in line with increased focus on Scope 3. Accessibility and understanding needs to keep pace with this demand and availability
• Likewise, while cost is still driving purchasing, programmes and policy decisions, sustainability is becoming a growing part of RFPs and there is increased demand for sustainability credentials from across the supply chain
• Growing demand for live availability but buyers are also working directly with account managers across the supply chain to negotiate better rates and packages
The second panel session included a Q&A addressing some of the key topics leading the industry agenda with insight and commentary from Gemma Williams of SIRVA, Stuart Godwin from Lamington Group, Gary Povey from Wings and SilverDoor’s own Shabina Awan. These included a focus on emerging trends and what bookers and guests most value. Thoughts shared by the panel included:
• Lengths of stay are increasing, corporates are travelling less frequently but for longer periods and taking a more meaningful approach to travel
• There is a need for consolidation with accreditations – including sustainability accreditations, building and wellness accreditations. As an industry we need to evaluate how different options of accreditations are presented and can be utilised most effectively
• Increasingly clients are opting to work with suppliers who have sustainability data available
SilverDoor’s recently appointed strategic advisor Karen Hutchings also shared her views on the current technology landscape and upcoming trends. Specifically:
• There is a growing desire now for the buyer and traveller technology experience within corporate travel to be in line with the retail technology experience
• Alternative technologies including ChatGPT, Machine Learning and Conversational AI can enhance the booker and traveller experience and help manage and monitor cost, compliance and sustainability more efficiently
• Robotic Process Automation has scope to drive reporting and inform more sustainable travel behaviours
Ben Jones from Simply London’s final session was on wellbeing and how to approach and support mental health with employees, clients and colleagues. Specifically:
• ‘Put your own safety mask on first’ – drawing on the airline safety message analogy, how important it is for managers and employees to look after their own mental health so they are then better able to support others
• The need to normalise conversations around mental health and the value of regularly checking in on colleagues and clients
• As well as the practical aspects of sourcing accommodation, focusing on wellbeing and instilling a sense of safety for employees as a core part of a relocation programme is vital
Alex Neale, senior vice president partner relationships at SilverDoor, said: “It was a privilege to welcome so many colleagues and partners from across the serviced apartment, corporate travel and relocation sectors to our new London home. The day provided an invaluable opportunity to discuss many of the topics dominating the agenda, both within our business and more broadly at a global level, hear different perspectives and learn more about new trends and opportunities. Advances in sustainability, technology and data are taking place at an unprecedented rate. It is more important than ever before that we share knowledge and understanding so that we as an industry are best placed to utilise these developments as efficiently as we can together. We look forward to continuing the conversation with wider partners and colleagues in the future.”
Commenting on her new role, Garrahy added: “This is a hugely exciting role for me at a time when SilverDoor is making significant investment in both its service offering as well as its global presence. I am looking forward to working with the business development team, clients and industry colleagues to build on this investment and be a part of the company’s growth in the future.”
