FCM Travel Unveils AI Reporting Tool

FCM Travel Solutions has launched its new AI Reporting Tool, describing it as “the first of its kind in business travel.”

Designed to provide a more robust and customer-centric experience for travel managers, the AI Reporting Tool offers a unique way to visualize data simply by posing a question using natural language.

Akin to a search engine for travel data, this cutting-edge tech gives the user the ability to easily turn their data into actionable insights.

The idea for the tool was initiated through Flight Centre’s Innovation Community, a group of internal collaborators from across the business who work on innovations designed to enhance the customer experience or solve internal challenges.

Led by Stephen Pitcher, FCM’s chief data science officer, FCM spent the last several months tweaking and finalizing the technology to ensure its ability to offer clients a first-class experience to deliver the information they want, the way they want to see it.

While AI technology isn’t new to the industry, it has never been used for this level of detailed reporting and analytics. Often travel data does not get used to its full potential because analyzing it is too laborious.

With FCM’s new AI Reporting Tool, clients can easily search, sort and visualize their data to identify savings opportunities, establish informed sourcing strategies, or quickly find statistics needed to respond to a critical incident.

FCM’s new AI Tool can:

• Build reports with more than 15 chart options
• Build reports with custom calculations
• Interpret alternate terms when a user is making a request. They can ask “What is my CPM?” or “What is my Cost Per Mile” and get the same answer
• Offer suggestions that allow users to bring up key metrics quickly
• Offer hints as users are typing questions and will also provide the optimum visualization based on the question asked
• Turn data into actionable insights

Billy McDonough, president of FCM Travel Solutions, Americas, explained that: “Reporting is a key aspect of travel management, especially in the time of COVID where budgets are being reviewed with a fine-tooth comb.”

McDonough continued: “This technology will give our clients the ability to easily access and assess their company’s travel expenditures, patterns and needs, which will not only save them time and energy, but also make for a more positive client experience. These types of technological enhancements have been a central focus of our corporate brands for the last several years.”

The new tool is available to all FCM MNC (multi-national companies) customers around the globe, including Canada and the USA. Part of FCM’s October pledge campaign, it’s being rolled out with a 3-month free trial offer.