FCM Travel has introduced an AI-powered conversational booking feature to its proprietary platform, FCM Booking. This innovative tool enables travellers to describe their needs in natural language, receiving tailored options based on their travel policy, profile, past trips, loyalty status, and preferred routes. The feature, powered by FCM's intelligence layer, Sam, aims to streamline the booking process and boost user confidence by providing transparent recommendations.
The new feature is designed to integrate seamlessly with popular communication platforms such as Microsoft Teams, Slack, ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini, allowing users to book travel without leaving their usual digital environments. This integration is expected to increase in-programme booking rates and improve data capture, without requiring users to alter their behaviour.
Jessica Dunderdale, Global Head of Product at FCM Travel, emphasised the importance of trust in the new system, stating, "Conversational booking only works if travellers trust what they're being shown, and that trust comes from context, not just convenience." The AI-driven recommendations come with detailed explanations, ensuring travellers understand why each option is suggested.
The intelligence behind the conversational booking feature also enhances FCM's reporting and analytics capabilities, providing real-time insights into spend, compliance, and disruption risks. This allows travel managers to make informed decisions that align with their business needs.
John Morhous, Chief Experience Officer at FCM Travel, highlighted the balance between technology and human expertise, saying, "Travellers get speed from tech and expertise from our consultants - they shouldn't have to choose between the two." The new feature is part of FCM's ongoing efforts to enhance its global travel management services
This story was selected and published by a human editor, with content adapted from original press material using AI tools and checked by the editor before publication. Spot an error? Report it here.
