Johannesburg – FCM, a global leader in travel management in nearly 100 countries, has deployed its next-generation virtual assistant, SAM, to its customers in South Africa, bringing conversational AI technology designed to tackle the real-world travel challenges facing local businesses.
Sam is more than just another chatbot, so it uses machine learning to predict traveller needs. This ranges from real-time itinerary changes spurred by flight delays to aggressive compliance checks on company bookings. The system learns from any interaction and offers increasingly personalized recommendations, whether users are booking trips from headquarters or managing disruptions on mobile during airport delays.
Available across FCM's own platform, apps and browser extensions, SAM handles the practical scenarios that South African business travelers encounter every day. The system also provides contextual budget advice that takes into account factors in RAND exchange rates and local supplier pricing trends and ensures that all bookings comply with the company's travel policies.
Important Benefits of SAM:
Real-time Solution: From checking airport security wait times to verify visa requirements, Sam will provide you with instant, accurate answers to guide your truck to the truck. traveller's go-to companion during disruption as it offers a virtual helping hand when it comes to delays, cancellations, and emergencies – surfacing options, policies, and contacts without the traveler even having to ask Enhanced security and compliance: Sam ensures data privacy and compliance with robust, centralised processes, giving users peace of mind Adaptable behind-the-scenes 'playbooks' for travel managers: As a connected intelligence, interactions with Sam can be configured to create unique experiences that meet the needs of customers and drive travel managers to drive program goals, set them apart from what is currently available in the market.
“There's a lot of noise in the market right now about AI, but it's focused on providing practical solutions to solve the real problems our clients face every day.” “South African companies need agility whether they change their schedules at the last minute, navigation of local disruptions, and evolving visa regulations.
The launch addresses the growing demand from South African companies for digital solutions that quickly adapt to changing business conditions. Beyond basic queries, SAM features provide real-time visibility into employee movements, becoming increasingly important to the obligation to care, providing configurable management tools that help travel managers drive program goals while streamlining operations.
SAM handles a wide variety of scenarios across user types.
Travelers ask: “What is the security line at Heathrow now?” or “Are you loyal to your next trip?” Travel booker required: “Are there any travelers in Paris today?” or “Connect me to an agent” Travel manager said: “Are there any employees traveling internationally this week?” or “What is my support ticket status?”
The system guarantees data privacy through a robust, centralized process, providing a seamless experience, whether accessed on the head office desktop computer via the airport's mobile app.
“Our markets are more than digitising old processes. We need to bring real value by reducing friction,” Mafojane added.
