Strategically located in Budapest, Stockholm, Glasgow and Berlin, the Euro Centre network demonstrates Hogg Robinson’s commitment to using cutting edge technologies to provide a value focused, fully comprehensive, flexible service.

Each Euro Centre offers a full range of added value features including non-aligned technology and innovative processes which allow for creative, cross border ticketing solutions. Depending on client needs, the Centres can book all or any element of a journey – from low-cost flights to hotel transfers.

Each transaction will be handled by dedicated Euro Centre Teams who will advise the client through each step of the journey. All Centres are multi currency capable, can manage ticketing in the client’s local currency and offer self-booking options for clients short on time. Each trip will be routed to the most appropriate Euro Centre, with the option of integrated transactions via more than one Euro Centre depending on client/ journey requirements.

David Radcliffe, Chief Executive, said: ‘Hogg Robinson is committed to supplying a better return on investment to our clients in terms of overall influence on their travel expenditure. The Euro Centres will provide clients with a more flexible service option whilst continuing to work closely with locally based branches.’
He added: ‘Clients are increasingly consolidating their business travel programmes, globally and regionally. This means that a centralised travel procurement model will best serve the changing needs of our clients and allow for greater corporate control and potential cost saving.’

The Budapest operation has expertise in facilitating simple point-to-point journeys whilst the other three centres offer a multi-lingual service staffed by experienced business travel consultants.

The Euro Centres, which will complement Hogg Robinson’s existing network of business travel centres, will deliver the optimum balance between quality, service and price to clients, taking into account their bespoke needs.

- Ends -

For further information, please contact:

Hogg Robinson Laurie Waugh, PR Manager
Tel: +44 (0) 1256 312 623
Email: laurie.waugh@hrplc.co.uk

Biss Lancaster Darrel Connell/Pippa Lawrence
Tel: + 44 (0) 207 467 9200
Email: pippa.lawrence@bisslancaster.com

Notes to Editors:
Hogg Robinson plc is the award-winning international corporate services company whose interests include wholly-owned corporate travel operations in Australia, Austria, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Italy, Liechtenstein, Macau, Norway, Russia, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the UK and the United States. These single-owned entities are supplemented by a strong partner network in a further 80 countries around the world.

Totally committed to a value offering for clients, in 2005 Hogg Robinson invested in Spendvision, the automated expense management company to broaden its existing extensive and comprehensive portfolio. This range of services includes travel management and fulfilment services; low cost transactions; consultancy; expense management and processing; sports travel management services; conferences, meeting, incentives and event management.

Euro Centres -Background information
The Euro Centre network has been designed to meet the changing needs of those clients who wish to adopt such a service. It does not replace the existing Hogg Robinson network of branches servicing Hogg Robinson clients. It provides another alternative.

Three Euro Centres in Glasgow, Stockholm and Berlin have been designed specifically for multinational corporations requiring a
consolidated European service providing:

• Multi-language capability
• Centrally serviced business
• Single travel policy

The Budapest Euro Centre is a low-cost, low contact booking option which provides high quality output from experienced personnel. Key to its success is the ability to offer a proactive partnership approach in tailoring the service individually for each client. The service will focus on call duration and call conversion. Specific benefits include advanced data capture to measure and monitor:

• Key performance indicators - to ensure maximum efficiency is achieved
• Productivity and behavioural metrics such as sales conversion rate, call duration and booking complexity

Hogg Robinson clients can elect to use one of more of the centres, for example:

• One Euro Centre (including Budapest) to handle all European processing
• More than one Euro Centre with serviced countries segmented to take advantage of, for example, different language requirements
• More than one Euro Centre but instead of segmenting by country, the client may segment, if desired, by business or division. For example VIPs could book through Stockholm with other staff requesting to use the facilities in Budapest
• The client may elect to use Glasgow, Stockholm and/or Berlin for client facing activities with some of the back office (non-client facing) activities, such as file finishing, handled by the low cost centre in Budapest

A unique concept
The Hogg Robinson Euro Centre network is unique in that it is a purpose built, interlinked network of four specialist European service centres designed to deliver to a wide variety of clients. These centres of excellence offer the following features and benefits:

• Dedicated centres of excellence providing consistent high quality service from experienced and highly educated, highly skilled Hogg Robinson staff
• Complimentary language skills with a mix of native language speakers
• Ideal geographic spread providing UK, Nordic and Central European options
• Low cost options
• Multi-currency ability with ticketing in the local currency of each country served
• A networked Advanced Call Data (ADC) system with cutting edge technology to enable seamless call flowing from a central point. By taking advantage of European time zones The Euro Centres can provide extended hours of service as well as a call overflow facility at times of particularly high call volume
• A single operating structure that guarantees enhanced consistency and quality control
• Automated routine activities such as ticketing and quality control
• Skilled consultants will be able to focus fully on adding value in the client-facing aspects of the operation
• Ability to secure the lowest fares for clients by using creative and cross-border ticketing as well as through Hogg Robinson’s fares database
• Focal point for processing/fulfilment of both telephone and on-line bookings
• All elements of the travel journey are bookable: air, low cost air, hotels, car and rail
• GDS and non-GDS transactions
• Use of cutting edge, non aligned technology.