WorldMate debuts new mobile tool for corporate travel

December 5, 2007

BlackBerry mobile phone running WorldMate application

WorldMate Inc., a provider of travel services for mobile devices, has launched a new enterprise business unit to meet corporate demand for mobile travel tools.

The Los Angeles company’s WorldMate Live mobile solutions provide real-time trip information. It also tracks employees’ every trip and delivers flight alerts and meeting updates directly to their BlackBerry smartphones.

Once installed on the device, WorldMate Live also lets users instantly receive travel information such as flight delays and cancellation notification with suggested alternatives directly to their handsets.

WorldMate’s ability to push actionable travel alerts to mobile employees is designed to save businesses time and money, the company said. For example, WorldMate Live’s central itinerary management system can help reduce employee calls to travel help desks, thus lowering associated calling fees.

The application can reduce the paperwork associated with flight planning, too. Users will also benefit from upcoming trip notifications and meeting alerts with integrated maps.

Law firm Allens Arthur Robinson and cigarette giant British American Tobacco are among WorldMate’s existing enterprise business users.

Research by travel consultancy PhoCusWright suggests the corporate business travel market will be worth $105 billion annually by 2008. For many companies, travel is listed as the second highest variable expense after employee compensation.