The crowning of Amanda Brown as Best Business Travel Manager for the Midlands region is the culmination of the successful career she’s had to date.
After working for two years as a rail consultant at Carlson Wagonlit, a new office was opened and Amanda was made section manager. There, quality control was identified as a potential means of cost saving and efficiency improvements.
When they first moved into the office, if an agent made a booking error they could void it, but with the introduction of a more efficient tool that facility was lost. The solution? Reduce the number of mistakes made by the agents in the first place.
“We were working with a new client with lots of business coming in, so we needed to address the errors and reduce costs as much as possible,” explained Amanda. “We did this by identifying the issues and raising them with the agents concerned. The improvement has been amazing; the agents have all worked so hard.”
The resultant £30,000 saving was just one of the reasons Amanda scooped the award. For the future, she is positive about both her career and the future of business travel management. “Having the experts on hand to book your travel requirements makes the whole process so easy and stress free.
“Hopefully, this is our how clients see it and while we continue to provide an excellent service they will continue to book,” she said.
About Amanda
What makes a great manager? Having a good team to work with, getting on well with your customers and knowing what they want.
What’s your favourite destination? I love cruises. I went on Arcadia in 2006 for my husband’s 40th birthday. This year we’re going around the Canary Islands on Ventura.
Where would you like to go next? I want to go to Florida with my family.
What’s your next career step? I love what I do but if a position arose that would help me progress my career, I would consider it.
CV
2006-2008: Section Manager – Carlson Wagonlit Travel2002-2004: Rail Consultant – Carlson Wagonlit Travel
2000-2004: Hotel Consultant – Expotel (Boots Implant Nottingham)
1997-2000: Village Hotel Nottingham – Senior Reservationist