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First-of-its-kind AI travel approval and recommendation tool

Egencia enhances travel approval with first-of-its-kind AI recommendation tool

3 min
Posted: 31 January 2022
Egencia enhances travel approval with first of its kind AI recommendation tool
  • Machine learning (ML) provides approval process recommendations derived from more than 2,000 Egencia companies and 65,000 approval workflow combinations.
  • Further enhancements include future Slack integration that will expand multi-channel capabilities for managing trip approvals quickly and easily.

London, 31 January 2022: Today, Egencia launched a unique recommendation tool that uses machine learning to automatically generate personalised settings for their customers’ travel approval processes. The new tool will significantly simplify and reduce the time that it takes for companies to set up travel approval workflows on Egencia’s platform. In addition, the company announced future plans to integrate with the Slack enterprise messaging app, adding a new channel for quick and easy travel approvals.

Setting up travel approval processes can be complex and time-consuming. Corporate travel managers must configure multiple variables across all travel options and different locations. Egencia’s travel approval recommendation tool generates tailored recommendations for approval workflows that can be implemented immediately across online, offline and mobile app bookings.

The approval recommendation tool analyses a company’s needs based on industry, geographical location, company size, projected annual travel spend and number of travellers. A machine learning model, built with data from over 65,000 approval workflow combinations used by thousands of customers around the world, finds best practices that match the company’s profile. The result is an instant recommendation for a travel approval policy which can be implemented in just a few clicks.

Francisca Zanoguera, VP of Data and Analytics, comments: ‘Our customers expect us to provide data insights to help improve their travel programmes. We are going one step further to make it even easier to use those insights to quickly create personalised, effective approval policies. By powering our travel management tools with AI, we continue to deliver an intelligent travel experience for travel managers and travellers.

Egencia’s most recent machine learning innovation was its market-leading dynamic hotel rate cap policy.

Egencia also plans to integrate the travel approval tool with business messaging app Slack in 2022. This will further streamline the approval process for those that approve travel, saving time and effort. Egencia’s data shows that approvers respond to requests quickly, with action taken on 70 per cent of approval requests within one hour, and on 90 per cent within 24 hours. The upcoming integration with Slack will let approvers choose to complete those tasks in their preferred channel, whether it’s the messaging app, online or via email. This makes it easier to continue to respond rapidly to travel requests and help to ensure efficient policy management.

For more information on Egencia’s latest products and services, including its approval recommendation tool, please visit the blog.


About Egencia

Egencia is the world’s corporate travel solution. We help businesses to optimise their travel programmes for today’s fast-changing landscape—controlling risk, supporting traveller well-being and maximising ROI. Companies of all sizes in more than 60 countries trust Egencia to modernise their corporate travel programmes with consistent, innovative experiences and fast, expert support. We deliver simple, consumer-like business travel that users love. Connect with us on egencia.com and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

About American Express Global Business Travel

American Express Global Business Travel (GBT) is the world’s leading B2B travel platform, providing software and services to manage travel, expenses, meetings and events for companies of all sizes. We have built the most valuable marketplace in B2B travel to deliver unrivalled choice, value and experiences. With travel professionals in more than 140 countries, our customers and travellers enjoy the powerful backing of American Express Global Business Travel.

Visit amexglobalbusinesstravel.com for more information about GBT, and follow @amexgbt on Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.

©2022 Egencia LLC. All rights reserved.

Media contacts

Annie McElroy-Arnaud | Global Communications Director, Technology | anne.mcelroy@amexgbt.com

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