Corporate lodging platform HRS has signed a global
partnership with Citi to integrate Citi's virtual payment product in HRS'
travel booking processes and help their corporate customers automate the
lodging payment process.
Per the agreement, HRS is embedding Citi's Virtual Card
Account offering in 46 markets – including 30 countries in Europe – into its
travel booking process, making virtual cards available to accommodation
providers worldwide for payment. HRS can then collect, audit and provide hotel
invoices to corporate clients with Level 3 data, which includes line-item data
from the stay for ancillaries and other charges beyond the gross total and
basic hotel information. Citi is providing billing and data capabilities to
ease integration with accounting processes.
With the integration, joint customers of HRS and Citi will
have access to detailed metrics on their programme. For example, they can
monitor onsite costs such as parking, food and beverage and resort fees and
also get VAT data for reclaiming purposes.
"Ultimately, from a technology perspective being the
enabler here, this is about ensuring there are minimal touchpoints which
results in fewer issues and less chance for error and less pushback for users
with the system," said HRS payment solutions chief growth officer Kurt
Knackstedt. "Our goal is to make the elements of the [payment] workflow as
minimally invasive to the traveller as possible. But also from the finance
department perspective, we want to reduce work for them and the quality of the
information submitted through the travel process is increasing and it's being
done with less effort." Formalising the partnership with Citi, he said,
allows HRS to offer this seamless workflow to more clients globally.
The partnership builds on collaboration that Citi and HRS have
already been doing together with their mutual clients around the world.
"Payment efficiencies drive an easier, more seamless experience for
everyday business travellers while also advancing lodging programme priorities
that are vital to the C-suite," HRS CEO Tobias Ragge said in a statement.
Virtual payment capabilities for hotels have taken a
heightened priority during the pandemic, as they cut down on guest interactions
with the front desk, limiting potential exposure points with close, in-person
interactions, according to HRS.