Case study
Road Ready.
How we supported an environmental and energy infrastructure company in keeping keyworkers on the road during the challenges of Covid.
Challenges
The company’s engineers, who provide nationwide reactive and planned preventative maintenance as well as hygienic deep-cleaning services, required hotel stays even during the Covid-19 pandemic.
One division, which had been booking directly with hotels, faced challenges in managing bookings effectively as Covid-19 restrictions rapidly evolved. The division lacked employee tracking systems, had limited insight into changing hotel Covid regulations, and lacked the resources to source, negotiate, and book suitable properties.
Solution
HTS stepped in to support the division with its hotel booking expertise, ensuring that all employees had access to properties that met the necessary Covid-19 guidelines.
HTS quickly became the go-to specialist, providing secure parking for company vans and sourcing properties that adhered to strict Covid protocols.
The HTS team also re-shared guides on how to travel and stay overnight with confidence during the pandemic. As more travellers reached out to HTS, the team helped to streamline the booking process and ensure employees’ safety and security on the road.
Results
The collaboration with HTS resulted in several key outcomes. HTS successfully captured bookings from previously non-mandated travellers, leading to a 60%+ increase in spend through HTS channels. This increased volume of bookings allowed for better data capture, which in turn improved pricing and enabled more effective hotel rate negotiations.
The enhanced visibility of employee travel provided the company’s management with greater confidence in the security of their employees and vehicles, as HTS ensured that properties had adequate parking for company vans. This visibility also supported insurance negotiations, helping to further reduce costs.
Feedback from travellers highlighted the value of HTS’s expertise in navigating changing hotel restrictions, with many noting the seamless, professional service that made their travel easier and more secure during the pandemic.
Additionally, the company’s procurement team expressed satisfaction with the improvements in spend visibility and the more competitive hotel rates secured, with internal feedback from employees being overwhelmingly positive. Employees reported feeling safer and more secure when travelling for work, thanks to HTS’s support.
