TTS  "Tech Village" Inteviews TTS 2022 - Kai-Gordon Weiland Atriis

Next up in our TTS 2022 interview series, we have Kai-Gordon Weiland, Senior Vice President of Sales & Customer Success at Atriis Technologies.

Atriis are well-established in the travel tech space, and we couldn't be more thrilled that they've decided to join our Tech Village at this year's Travel Tech Show. Being an OBT leader and innovator, Atriis embody the sort of collaboration and technological advancement that we hold so dear.

Buckle in to learn more about Kai-Gordon's views on where the industry is headed and how he feels about collaboration and travel technology more broadly.

Could you introduce yourself, outline your career to date and the position you hold currently?

Kai-Gordon Weiland: “My name is Kai-Gordon Weiland, Senior Vice President of Sales & Customer Success at Atriis Technologies; just a fancy way of saying I look after the entire customer-facing organization.

“I've been in the travel industry for over 27 years, with a 3-year excursion in travel payment solutions. In my career, I've been able to do all the stations from travel agent to operations manager, account management to sales, travel management consultant, and change management.”

How has 2022 been for Atriis?

KGW: “This year has been extraordinary! With the Atriis team and capabilities growing exponentially, we've exceeded our customer expectations and volume from pre-covid.

“I must outline and say thanks to our fantastic team and amazing customers who are as passionate and loyal to Atriis as its employees are!”

Now that the industry seems to be heading in a more positive direction, how does it feel to be exhibiting at the TTS 2022 once more?

KGW: “Being back here is the outcome of our entire team working extremely hard. Getting through the pandemic, hand in hand with our business partners, driving sustainable growth, and being resilient completely paid off: great to see everybody again and celebrate the revival of the travel industry.”

What are the expectations for the TTS show this year?

KGW: “We're excited to unveil the first glance of our whole new UI/UX we've been working on and the fantastic integration of reTravel.io, our latest acquisition at Atriis.

“With our collaborative and integrated approach, we've perfectly addressed the industry's current issues. We've worked on fixing the broken value chain of travel with a new level of content, increasing productivity with automation and integration, and driving an enhanced customer experience with exceptional traveler care – such topics keep the entire industry busy today.

“We expect many relevant good discussions with corporate travel managers and travel-related companies who seek solutions and tangible benefits in their travel programs.”

What are your thoughts on our collaborative stand project with both Midoco and Travelogix? Why was it important for Atriis to be part of this carefully selected ‘tech village’?

KGW: “As an open platform, tackling multi-source legacy and next-generation content has been a continuous focus of ours.

“As well as building and enhancing an E2E digital travel solution that perfectly integrates with downstream processes, be it Midoco as a mid-office system, Travelogix, or corporate ERP systems. Collaboration is key.

“Travelogix and Midoco are leaders in their services and solutions, and we collaborate closely to enhance value and deliver our customers a unique and integrated user experience.”

What role will technology play in the recovery of the business travel industry? And specifically, what value to you hope that Atriis will bring to TMCs across the space moving forward?

KGW: “We see that business travel will recover much quicker than expected. However, several new challenges across the business travel industry emerge from the post-pandemic situation, which Atriis turn into real opportunities.

Ongoing travel disruption: Ever-changing restrictions, schedule changes, flight cancellations, and a lack of staff on the suppliers’ side; all create a disaster post-booking and travel experience.

Atriis has extensive self-service and after-sales capabilities for both corporate and travel agency bookers, creating a high degree of independence from booked travel suppliers at any booking stage.

Lack of talent and general understaffing: Many travel experts left the industry during the pandemic, with no possibility of returning.

Atriis expands the available talent pool, facilitates training and onboarding, and increases productivity throughout the process.

Exploding travel cost and traveler care: Travel suppliers, and corporations, examine their cost controls and their traveler monitoring for well-being and duty-of-care; eliminating leakage and maverick buying becomes more paramount than ever before. Atriis allows complete control of the pre, on, and post-trip processes by seamlessly integrating compliance, policy pre-checked meta-content, and downstream process integration.

 

Our AI-based solution reTravel.io completes the initial trip plan by compliant, relevant booking and information channels to the travelers – instead of forcing them to seek this on their own.

Profitability targets: Companies need to maximize the ROI of business travel.

First, Atriis combines meta-content, comparing fares and creating the best value for money.

Second, the unique business rule engine steers corporate travelers and travel agents, ensuring the best value options are selected.

Thirdly, while reTravel.io drives a flawless and connected traveler experience, it helps corporations capture their unmanaged travel spending, which peaks at 40%, causing significant disruption.

What value do you place on collaboration in the travel industry and moreover, do you feel that this will play a key role in our sector building back with more unity than before?

KGW: “Force majeure situations always bring people and players closer together. Past experiences have taught us that as soon as the world improves again, only those who seriously believe in collaboration as a business model will continue to drive value in the travel industry through long-term partnerships.

“Do I think it will be a long-lasting trend across the travel industry? Only time can tell.”

Lastly, as we’re half-way through 2022 already, what are the plans for Atriis in the short terms, and of course for the second half of the year?

KGW: “Atriis focuses on three core areas: We'll continue to enhance and scale our open Marketplace platform "multi-source" offerings and capabilities alongside its digital plumbing for a proper E2E solution.

“Atriis delivers with its collaborative plug-in-and-play digital travel platform a fully connected ecosystem, accommodating all productivity, profitability, compliance, and sustainability requirements of TMC and Corporate Travel Management programs.

“ReTravel both enhances the Atriis platform, as well as functions as standalone AI and ML based contextual messaging solution, elevating the traveler experience with the relevant information, services and products, pre- and on-trip.

“We are setting a new bar on traveler experience by creating a seamless journey, from our Atriis revamped UX/UI to leveraging the reTravel.io technology. Because of this, we're engaging the traveler with contextual, compliant information and exceptional offers at the right time through the right channel.

“And lastly, we'll be launching additional sustainable capabilities on a holistic scope, reducing CO2 emissions across the board through our forerunner-proven collaborative traveler and travel agent platform.”

Swing by our Tech Village on Stand L40 to learn more!

Previous Interviews:

Interview 1Tech Village Series: Read the interview with Steffen Faradi and Chris Lewis.

Interview 2Tech Village Series: Read the interview with Jack Dow.

Interview 2 Tech Village Series: Read the interview with Daniel Price.