UpFront: From ABC's President & COO

A few issues ago I used this space to highlight the importance skilled, nimble, and positive thinking professionals play in the overall success of an organization. Reflecting on “glass half full” employees, I cited how they tend to rally behind your company, reinventing their jobs and roles to meet marketplace and economic conditions. Their attitudes and perceptions— all helping to drive innovation, success, customer and supplier satisfaction and loyalty— are akin to the bricklayer building a cathedral when the most his peers could envision was a wall.

The bricklayer is truly a metaphor for ABC Global Services’ staff throughout the last several months. ABC has taken significant steps in reinventing itself for the future (an ongoing process), and I am convinced that were it not for the skill, talent, and most of all, entrepreneurial spirit and enthusiasm of each and every member of our staff, we could have not met our goals so fluidly and with such success.  Ultimately, all our eyes were and continue to be 150 percent customer focused, while offering 100 percent excellence in all we do to meet the unique and ever-changing needs of our subscribers worldwide. I’m thankful for every employee who exhibits ABC’s PROUD values.  And of course, success is elusive without the ongoing input and support from our broad base of loyal customers and supplier partners.

2011. “Cautious optimism” continues to describe the economic outlook for the travel industry short term -- in both business and leisure sectors worldwide. On the U.S. front, according to a recent YPartnership/Harrison Group survey, 55 percent of all U.S. adults are planning overnight leisure trips within Q1 or Q2 (up from 53 percent in 2009). Their study also reports that 41 percent of meeting planners expect more off site meetings will take place this year. Meanwhile, the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) forecasts corporate travel to be up 7 percent this year (from a 4 percent uptick in 2010).

All good news balanced by higher airfares and hotel rates (in certain markets) as well as increasing ancillary fees. We will also witness a year where mobile applications and social networking continue their growth pattern. Yes, cautious optimism seems appropriate…and ABC Global Services is ready and prepared to assist you with industry-leading products and services—the 2011 ABC Premier Hotel Program, Block Space, Premier Privileges, and UpClose event series, to name a few.  To learn more about these or any ABC service, contact your ABC Key Account Manager (KAM) at kam@abcglobal.travel /1.800.722.5179 / +1.312.462.1965.

So, as you navigate your business forward with cautious optimism—around obstacles and challenges—you can count on ABC Global Services for skilled and innovative thinking, glass half-full enthusiasm and globally-oriented, value-added programs and services.

Best regards for a profitable 2011,

Beverlee S. Patterson

President & COO