This could include higher status in United's loyalty programmes including United Corporate Preferred, the airline's loyalty programme for corporate customers; options to make working while travelling easier, including reserving more spacious seats in Economy Plus® and wi-fi access; and incentives like discounts on leisure travel for employees.
In an innovative shift from discounted airfare being the only option available during the contracting process, customers will now be able to work with a United sales representative to choose from the airline's extensive product catalogue to design a programme that best fits their business travel needs. With the additional ability to customize these options down to individual flights, travellers and destinations, United is set to be the first airline to offer this level of customization in the contracting process through its new platform, United for Business Blueprint, which is scheduled to launch in late 2022.
"The needs of our customers are changing, and it's the right time to move beyond the one-size-fits-all contracting model that has become standard across the industry," said Doreen Burse, senior vice president of worldwide sales for United. "United has a best-in-class suite of benefits and services and our customers deserve the opportunity to take advantage of the offerings they value most. The voice of our customers played an essential role in how this new platform was built and will continue to shape how it evolves in the future."
In addition to launching United for Business Blueprint, United will begin rolling out a new website in late 2022 that will make it easier for companies who book business travel on united.com or the United app to enrol in and manage their travel programme. The site will have one of the most intuitive sign-up processes in the industry. With just a few clicks, customers can register with United for Business, browse programmes and enrol in an option that best meets their business travel needs. Customers will gain access to a variety of new capabilities, including the ability to easily rebook and exchange travel and view and use future flight credits. Customers will also be able to view reports on travel activity based on money spent or trips taken, with the option to filter based by date of travel, origin, destination and more. New customizable booking and payment settings will also give travel administrators more choice in the payment options and spending guidelines they set for their travellers. The site was designed with small businesses in mind but will also bring great value to larger organizations that book their business travel through united.com or the United app.