Claire Barrie, Executive Vice President of Global Sales and Marketing at Synergy Global Housing discusses her team's recent award.
 
What does it mean to Synergy to win the Service Excellence Team Award?

Winning this highly coveted award is a testament to the consistency in exceptional customer service, striving to exceed expectations. Driving excellence not only for clients, but for our suppliers and wider industry stakeholders and we have each department to thank for not just the role they played in this achievement, but for their uncompromising and passionate commitment to hospitality. Being recognised by ITM for the exceptional dedication of our teams is truly an honour - one that we are extremely proud of. 

How did you get into business travel?

As with most of us in business travel, it wasn’t intentional. I had repatriated to the UK from South Africa in my early 20’s. The recruitment company where I worked, had a business travel department, and one of our clients, offered me a sales position in the serviced apartment sector, and I never looked back. The industry has been way too much fun to leave, and I am very fortunate to have found my “tribe” with the business travel community, and genuinely love what I do. 

What do you enjoy most about your role?

Synergy has seen exponential growth over the last few years, which has come with exciting new partnerships, innovations and, through client requirements, the opening of new global locations. Along with this comes opportunity and my role is dynamic and diverse, but the element I enjoy the most has to be the exposure and experience of doing business around the globe and watching new markets expand and flourish. I also enjoy learning and being involved in wider business travel industries and volunteering for associations such as ITM and GBTA.

For me, mentoring offers the opportunity to make a positive impact on someone’s career and professional development, which is wonderful, and the benefits are reciprocated. Personal fulfilment, fresh perspectives and reciprocal learning encourage self-reflection and introspection, identifying my own strengths and areas for improvement. 

What advice would you give to someone who wants to pursue a career in business travel?

There is a drive to capitalise on the workforce whilst attracting and nurturing talent to the industry. We are seeing some excellent rotational apprenticeships and intern programmes offering the chance to gain experience in various departments. This also helps to understand the various intricacies of business travel, develop valuable insights and build on opportunities for entrepreneurship. 

Mentor programmes such as ITM or GBTA are excellent ways to build confidence, set goals and identify strengths and areas for growth. A mentor can provide valuable insights, advice and wisdom based on their own experiences, and has walked the path that others can aspire to follow.

There are many opportunities to research the industry and stay on top of trends and the latest technologies and tools which continuously push for innovation and simplicity. I would also recommend industry workshops and events to connect, learn and be inspired by others. A consideration may also be obtaining a certification or designation through GBTA.

There are so many opportunities, so I would encourage pursuing the industry 100% - go for it! The variety of job functions and sectors from both the buyer and supplier perspective and you can be whatever you want to be – the sky is the limit – not to mention the annual ITM Silent Disco at Conference – what's not to love? 

What are you seeing as the biggest challenge in business travel over the next 12 months?

Decarbonisation in the business travel sector continues to pose several challenges due to complex supply chains and multiple stakeholders. Coordinating these efforts to reduce carbon emissions requires collaborative efforts between governments and industry stakeholders, along with a laser focus on standardised approaches.

We have seen a behavioural change in a shift of mindset to become more environmentally aware, but these transitions can come with additional cost considerations or require new investment in technology innovation.  Yet there are still limited low-carbon alternatives for long-haul flights and therefore developing and adopting sustainable travel options is a challenge. Accurate tracking and reporting of carbon from business travel are complex and still evolving, yet this is essential for effective decarbonisation strategies. 

If you could change one single thing in business travel, what would it be?

Complexity – the hidden complexity of the industry is immense. Regulatory compliance, technology integration, expense tracking, risk management, diverse preferences of business travellers – the list goes on. I feel for the Travel Buyers and TMCs out there – it is a quagmire.  

What’s the favourite place you’ve travelled to and why?

I may be biased but it still has to be Cape Town - (although I am off to the Maldives in October, so may change my mind after that!) - South Africa is so diverse in its beauty and it finds a way of nestling into your soul. 

What would be your desert island item?

A solar-powered portable speaker for my music – Amazon offers bundle purchases, so perhaps I would get away with bundling a Pina Colada and hammock!!