Corporate Traveler announced the launch of Mel, a proprietary AI travel assistant that, according to the company, provides business travelers with fast, personalized answers informed by their individual preferences and company travel policies. Corporate Traveler is the flagship SME corporate travel division of Flight Centre Travel Group,
With Mel, said the announcement, Corporate Traveler is providing an added layer of real-time support that helps simplify the business travel experience for SMBs, where one employee is often responsible for managing travel while also balancing other responsibilities. By quickly bringing relevant information and options together, said the announcement, Mel gives travelers convenient access to answers when they need them.
Mel is built by Corporate Traveler and embedded throughout Melon, its all-in-one travel platform for booking, managing, and reporting on business travel.
Trevor Brink, global chief product officer, said: “Trust is paramount in business travel. The stakes are too high to get the wrong answer. Travelers want to feel reassured that they’re receiving accurate, up-to-date information to keep trips on track and avoid missing a flight, ending up in a high-risk area or incurring an unexpected expense.” That’s why, he said, “we made the deliberate decision to build Mel ourselves, thoughtfully integrating our people’s expertise into how it handles real-world travel situations.”
Key features of Mel include:
- Personalized answers – Mel provides tailored answers based on each traveler’s needs while aligning with company policies and business priorities. For travelers, enhanced personalization means quicker, clearer recommendations that account for their preferences and company travel policies. For businesses, it helps ensure those policies are applied consistently, regardless of how a question is phrased.
- Real-time disruption support – Mel is designed to help travelers stay informed when disruptions occur. When a flight is delayed or cancelled, or airport conditions impact a trip, Mel provides timely information and recognizes when additional assistance is needed, escalating the issue to a Corporate Traveler consultant for support.
- By combining the convenience of AI with trusted, high-touch human support, Corporate Traveler helps travelers manage unexpected changes with greater peace of mind. When a disruption requires hands-on assistance, a consultant can step in to manage the rebooking process and resolve the issue, reducing the time travelers spend navigating stressful situations.
- Increased efficiency – Mel automates routine administrative tasks traditionally handled by travel consultants, including answering common policy and itinerary questions. By handling these time-consuming requests, Mel frees consultants to focus on more complex situations that require human judgment and personalized support.
- Seamless integration – Travelers can also access Mel directly through Slack, extending its travel assistance beyond the Melon platform.
“As the digital extension of our dedicated consultants, Mel is designed to work alongside our people, complementing their expertise,” added Brink. “When a trip is disrupted, Mel can provide an immediate update, while a consultant is readily available and prepared to step in with the high-touch support needed to ensure the business travel experience remains as smooth as possible.”
Source: www.businesstravelexecutive.com
