ORLANDO, Fla. -- The Sabre Group and IBM plan to combine Sabre
Business Travel Solutions' on-line booking application with IBM's
Web-based electronic expense reporting solution, the firms
announced at the National Business Travel Association conference
here.
The result will be an integrated product geared toward
corporations spending $1 million or more a year on travel and
entertainment. They expect to install it by the end of the
year.
The integrated product, officials of the companies said, will
simplify the business travel and expense management process, and
provide easy installation and reduced implementation cycles.
Sam Gilliland, senior vice president and general manager of
Sabre BTS, described the application as "best-of-breed" technology
in "one shrink-wrapped package."
A number of companies have purchased the Sabre BTS and IBM tools
separately, including General Dynamics Land Systems, SourceNet
Solutions and National Semiconductor, they said. Charles Schwab
& Co. uses both products as well, and its director of corporate
travel, Bob Grant, said, "The Sabre BTS and IBM relationship is the
ideal combination and supports our company's push into a fully
electronic transaction environment."
Bob Zapfel, general manager, travel and transportation industry
for IBM Global Services, said, "The explosive growth of on-line
T&E expense reporting systems has quickly led to the need for
integration with on-line booking, travel policy management and
payment card systems in order to provide end-to-end corporate
travel management solutions."