AMGiNE launches automated booking tool that uses AI to transform how corporate travel requests are managed

TORONTO and ATLANTA  – AMGiNE, provider of the leading AI automation platform for managed business travel, announced the launch of its AMGiNE Automated Booking Tool (AMGiNE ABT), a next-generation platform with both agent-facing and traveler-facing tools that will transform corporate travel management. AMGiNE ABT leverages AI to understand traveler intent and automatically provide the best possible itinerary options. In addition to streamlining the corporate booking process, AMGiNE ABT reduces operational costs and addresses the increasing demand for efficient, consumer-grade solutions in corporate travel.

AMGiNE Driving the Evolution of Corporate Travel Booking

The process of booking corporate travel is often tedious and inefficient, requiring travelers to navigate multiple platforms to build a complete itinerary. Currently, the self-service approach to travel requests through online booking tools (OBT) or offline channels such as emails, phone calls, or texts, results in time-consuming back-and-forth communications with travel agents.

AMGiNE ABT changes this paradigm by delivering a seamless, automated booking experience that integrates multiple AMGiNE services into a single platform. The platform uses artificial intelligence (AI) to understand a traveler’s intent and automatically generate the best travel options. Travelers can now submit text-based travel requests through any online or offline channel, including email, Slack, and text. AMGiNE ABT parses and automatically processes requests and within minutes generates ideal itinerary options that are delivered directly to the traveler or via an agent, and can be customized as needed. This not only speeds up the booking process by eliminating the need for travelers to do their own upfront shopping before making a travel request, but also ensures a consistent and personalized travel experience that is aligned with traveler preferences and corporate travel policies.

“The ability to automatically service all the different request types received from travelers in one unified platform hasn’t been achieved by anyone in the industry, until now,” said Greg Apple, CEO of AMGiNE. “In addition to using AI to solve one of the biggest areas of frustration for corporate travel, we also understand the complexities of the industry and have deep integrations with the GDS and the PNR layer so we can help TMCs modernize their tech stacks and better service their corporate customers.”

AMGiNE ABT addresses several gaps in the current corporate travel market:

• Unified Platform for Agents and Travelers: It is the only solution offering a single platform with both agent-facing and traveler-facing tools, capable of handling email, Slack, voice, bulk reservations, and integrated web forms.
• Improved Agent Efficiency: By automating the process of generating itinerary options, AMGiNE ABT significantly boosts agent productivity and improves service level agreement (SLA) metrics. There are also no cryptic GDS commands for new agents to learn. Plus, with AMGiNE ABT’s classification capabilities, urgent requests are automatically escalated and standard requests routed to the correct departments or agents in real time.
• Enhanced Traveler Experience: Provides instant, personalized recommendations, saving travelers time and ensuring a consistent booking experience across multiple channels, with the flexibility to self-shop as needed.

Travel Inc. is among the first TMCs to deploy AMGiNE ABT as a white-labeled solution for its corporate travel clients. According to Eric Almond, Head of Product at Travel Inc., “AMGiNE ABT is a game changer for us because it enables travel arrangers to streamline their workflows while personalizing the travel booking experience for their travelers without the need for online booking tools. We’ve seen efficiency improvements both for our team and for our customers of up to 160%. This is not insignificant given the volume of travel requests we process on any given day.”

AMGiNE ABT provides TMCs with several key features and benefits. These include:

• Text Parsing to Understand Travel Intent: AMGiNE ABT parses the text in travel requests to understand intent, performs searches in the TMC reservation system, and compiles results into a single data set for agent oversight or direct traveler response. This ensures requests through all channels can be serviced more efficiently and consistently by a TMC.
  Agent Application: A full-featured agent app allows travel agents to select and modify pre-recommended itinerary options, improving agent productivity and reducing the learning curve for new agents.
• Instant Itinerary Options: Within minutes of submitting a travel service request by email, Slack, or other channels, travelers receive curated itinerary options that can be customized. This reduces the hidden employee cost of time typically spent searching and booking travel. Plus, since AMGiNE ABT leverages the rich data that TMCs have about their customers, trip options presented to travelers are in alignment with their needs and preferences.
• Policy Rules Integration: This ensures that itinerary options provided conform to a company’s travel policy and prevent unauthorized bookings.
• PNR Creation: Allows for complete automation from traveler request to booking completion.
• Deep Integration with Workflow Management Systems: AMGiNE ABT integrates through APIs with TMCs’ existing OBT. It also uses APIs to integrate with workflow management systems such as Front, RingCentral, Genesys Cloud, Salesforce, and others to deliver an end-to-end solution that supports existing TMC workflows.
  Availability

The platform is now available for licensing by TMCs globally and is ideal for those looking for a solution that increases agent productivity, improves SLA response times, and provides a superior travel experience for agents, travel arrangers, and travelers. The platform can also be white labeled by TMCs looking to offer the capabilities as a branded solution.

The article AMGiNE launches automated booking tool that uses AI to transform how corporate travel requests are managed first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.