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Some networks seek standard tech, global deals. (Agency Networks).

Article Excerpt
Agency networks are attempting to standardize technology products and providers as one way to boost value in the face of member consolidation and to tackle costs while demand is slow. For some, investing in new platforms is a big plank on a ship that's aimed for multinational corporate travel accounts. Related initiatives include improving capabilities to handle business across borders while bolstering supplier relationships and agreements.

"We will change the perception of the network," claimed Gregory O'Neil, president of Synergi Inc. "We're not competing with the networks, we're competing with the megas." One of Synergi's biggest initiatives at the moment is to maximize a new, five-year marketing and technology agreement with Sabre. Synergi is attempting to move to two GDSs from four, while helping Sabre grow in Europe. "Sabre will be the preferred system used by Synergi for the consolidation of multinational accounts," O'Neil said. "The issue for us right now is we have four GDSs, and it was difficult to put together a proposal, so front-end products from Sabre will provide content, consistency and consolidation."

Radius president Tony Hughes made similar comments about competing with the largest multinational agencies. "The thing with Radius being classified as a network is, we're now almost a hybrid but really we're competing with Carlson Wagonlit, Rosenbluth, TQ3, etc," he said. "We don't actually compete with Hickory. We're looking at a model like TQ3, but we haven't got their millions of dollars, we have our members' thousands. The tech platform is a big cornerstone. Information systems is our biggest department, and they're working all the time with the IS boys of our shareholder agencies." While he felt consolidating members to one ODS would be difficult, Flughes said consolidation matters most when it comes to data, which Radius now is collecting from more foreign shareholders and reporting hack on a common tool from Eli-Mark Software.

O'Neil acknowledged the importance of data in noting that "we can look at a lot of information based on shared Sabre PNRs. For the first time, I can look at my partners' data."

Consolidating to as few GDSs as possible is a notion that has mixed support among consortia, as it does with the megas.

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