Carlson Wagonlit Travel: Uniform IT Solution as a Benchmark within Eastern Europe

Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT), as a leading corporate travel provider, introduces international software solutions for both inputting and processing travel data within Eastern Europe, together with both the leading IT service providers: Lufthansa Systems and Partners Software. CWT agencies in Poland, Hungary, Russia, Ukraine as well as the Czech Republic, which previously held different systems, will in the future use uniform standards for both workflow optimisation and quality assurance.

 

Via new technology, CWT is diligently pursuing its goal of generating meaningful data worldwide in uniform quality for its clients. The integrated solution within the database management sector, as well as accounting and controlling, unites the various systems of the individual countries and adjusts these to international standards. Optimised and extensive automated processes enable both quickly and economically inputting travel-relevant data, for being able to thoroughly inform clients at any time about travel transactions and outputs.

 

The newly launched project is currently running in its beta-version in Poland and will be extended onto five countries by the summer of 2007. Via its mid-office solution “PART.ONE”, Partners Software offers an extensive workflow process optimisation within CWT agencies. Via “SAP Business One”, Lufthansa Systems processes the data generated by the mid-office system for accounting, so that uniform standards apply within all countries. Both Partners Software and Lufthansa Systems will execute the country-specific adjustments as well as data migration. Training the users regarding applications via the SAP solution will be conducted by Lufthansa Systems.

 

CWT with Partners Software is already successfully co-developing the “CWT Web Fares” booking system, the adapted version of Partners' "LOW.FARE" technology. Via this booking platform for discounted Internet fares, low-cost carriers can—similarly to conventional airlines—be both reserved and booked via one single Web interface, whereby time-consuming and separate searching of low-cost carriers’ websites becomes superfluous.

 

Stefan Maucher, CWT’s Chief Financial Officer for Central & Eastern Europe, explains the decision: “Both Lufthansa Systems and Partners Software represent two competent partners, who best understand our branch-specific demands and are ideally prepared for international projects."

 

“Worldwide operating companies are increasingly implementing standardised IT solutions, for both internationally displaying and optimising workflows”, reaffirms Bernd Appel, Lufthansa Systems' Director of Industry Solutions business division . “As an SAP partner, we ourselves are capable of offering such projects to clients such as Carlson Wagonlit Travel. In this case, we rely upon our year-long experience as an internationally present IT service provider."

 

Wolfgang Brinker, managing shareholder of Partners Software, emphasises the cooperation’s strategic meaning: “Our mid-office solution, PART.ONE, has thus definitively proven that it is also totally implementable within the corporate travel business sector.” The international project with CWT is a first step in marketing “PART.ONE” even more intensively abroad, further adds Mr Brinker.

 

Lufthansa Systems is one of the leading worldwide IT service providers for both the airline and aviation branches. As a system integrator, Lufthansa’s 100% subsidiary covers the entire spectrum of IT services: from consulting regarding development and implementation to its operation. Within the IT infrastructure and operation sector, Lufthansa Systems offers its services intersectorally. The globally operating company with its headquarters in Kelsterbach near Frankfurt on the Main, is represented by several locations throughout Germany, moreover has foreign branch offices in 17 countries and employs approx. 4,500 employees worldwide. In the 2004 business year, Lufthansa Systems reached turnovers of 628 million euros. www.lhsystems.com

 

Partners Software has since its founding specialised exclusively with the travel industry. Both standardised mid- and back-office systems' development and sales based on Windows such as PART.ONE, an extensive modular program for consolidators, development of both customer and user-specific solutions for travel agencies and travel agency chains. Both online and offline interfaces for data transfer with computer reservation systems as well as data-processing centre services complement Partners Software’s service offering.

 

Carlson Wagonlit Travel is one of the leading providers within corporate travel management for larger corporations, small and midsized companies as well as governmental institutions. CWT is developing and implementing travel management programs, which are based upon consulting expertise, stronger seller power, technological know-how and qualitatively valuable service. With an annual turnover of 19 billion US dollars, CWT operates in over 145 countries and serves 60 of the 100 largest companies worldwide. The company is mutually owned by the Paris-based Accor Group and Carlson Companies, Inc. from Minneapolis, USA. www.carlsonwagonlit.de

 

 

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