Travelport has signed a new global agreement with Conferma, which specialises in the settlement and reconciliation of corporate travel expenses. The agreement combines Travelport Smartpoint point-of-sale technology and Conferma’s technology for hotel billback using Virtual Card Numbers to enable a more automated and streamlined process for managing payments to hotels on behalf of corporate travellers.
Through a phased programme of launches globally, hotel billback will allow Travel Management Companies to centrally settle hotel bookings using a Conferma-powered Virtual Card Number issued by a variety of providers, including banks and Travelport’s B2B payments business, eNett, which participates in the Conferma network. This capability is being directly integrated into Travelport Smartpoint. The solution means that there are no changes to standard booking and payment workflows but there is enhanced automation and all the improved security and reconciliations that the use of Virtual Cards provides.
Additionally, the combined Travelport-Conferma approach means that booking and custom reference data specific to individual corporations is captured at the point-of-sale. This enriches the level of management information available to TMCs to provide to their clients and monitor expenditure and policy compliance. Such data also allows TMCs to make better-informed decisions when managing suppliers and negotiating rates.
Niklas Andréen, Senior Vice President of Hospitality and Digital Media for Travelport, said: “This partnership with Conferma further extends the capability of our industry-leading Travelport Smartpoint point-of-sale, which gives TMCs the opportunity to increase efficiency when paying providers through virtual cards. It also provides more opportunities for the use of eNett via the Conferma platform by customers as well as other banks and service providers. The hotel billback process has long been in need of improvement and our work with Conferma now addresses this.”
Simon Barker, Chief Executive, Conferma, added: “We are thrilled to announce our partnership with Travelport, which provides TMCs using Travelport Smartpoint with a multitude of billback options through virtual cards. As awareness of virtual cards continues to grow, we are finding more and more TMCs value the process automation, enhanced reporting and security provided by VCNs. This partnership provides the automation they desire integrated with the point-of-sale.”
