Hong Kong has been an international business, trade, and financial hub apart from being a renowned tourist city in the past years. Hong Kong’s successful small open economy is brought about by a leveled playing field for businesses, simple and low tax regime, free flow of capital and information, highly efficient markets, and world-class infrastructure. 

However, the country is not spared from the economic impact of the COVID-19 outbreak, which has reached a global scale affecting many industries such as healthcare, tourism, trade, and even the high-tech industry. The new virus has disrupted business operations due to public health concerns forcing organisations to re-structure, some even imposing a work-from-home scheme.

Recognising the pressing concern, SAP Hong Kong highlights the company’s business software portfolio to help companies optimise employee experience, safeguard employee-safety and improve work-from-home efficiency from all geographical locations.

Fabian Padilla Crisol, SAP Hong Kong Managing Director said: 

“The recent COVID-19 outbreak has substantially disrupted global supply chains as well as domestic consumption.”

“It has hence become mission-critical for companies to ensure business continuity, starting with safeguarding employee safety. Companies can leverage intelligent technologies to create a future-proof operational environment where companies are updated on their employees’ health and whereabouts, and remote work-life is feasible and effective,” he added.

The Intelligent Technologies

As the market leader in enterprise application software, SAP offers intelligent technologies that support companies’ employee experience and safety.

Qualtrics can help organisations use technology to understand employee safety and business continuity especially at times of change and uncertainty such as the COVID-19 outbreak. Popular for being the best-in-class employee and customer experience management solution, Qualtrics has Qualtrics EmployeeXM that enables companies to collect employees’ feedback with pre-defined questions and provide evaluation dashboards. The platform helps companies assess the workforce’s risk of exposure to emergencies, ensure employees access to the right software while working remotely and align processes across all geographical locations for security and data compliance.

Concur, SAP’s leading spend management solution, has SAP Concur Locate, which provides a powerful employee risk management and safety communication solution to help companies ensure their employees’ safety wherever they are. It consolidates multiple ways to reach employees remotely, share information, offer advice and, when necessary, move them to safety. Essentially, it offers three benefits such as:

• Locating employees providing real-time data from HR profiles, location check-ins, and travel itinerary

• Proactive communication via voice, email and messaging

• Timely help to employees providing rapid global security info, appropriate medical, security & travel assistance

Fieldglass, SAP’s Software-as-a-Service solution that offers services for external workforce management and services procurement. As an open vendor management system (VMS), it helps organisations track, engage and manage their external workforces including independent contractors, freelancers, and temporary staff. It enables companies to identify external workforces’ locations, monitor their health and implement necessary measures. 

SuccessFactors, a complete, cloud-based human resource management (HR) system from SAP, helps companies improve workforce efficiency wherever their employees are. SAP Jam Collaboration, a cloud-based enterprise collaboration platform, helps employees’ self-publish content, and share and discuss with co-workers. Furthermore, SAP Learning Hub helps assess always-on training and social learning resources in personalised and flexible ways.

These intelligent technologies from the German ERP company enable organisations to empower employees, ensure their safety and health, and run the business as usual in this challenging time.

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The new solution will allow enterprise and employees to effectively monitor and analyse spend, and move companies towards paperless invoice management.

Boothai Hoh, managing director, Concur Greater China, said, “The Concur e-Fapiao solution provides real-time access to an employee’s receipt, streamlining the financial management and travel and expense claims process. It showcases the value of the ecosystem built by Concur, and our network of business suppliers, and helps Chinese users process their expenses in an easy, accurate and paperless way.”

The e-Fapiao integration, which was built by Pactera, a Concur China platform partner, allows users to transfer fapiao information from their WeChat Wallet into their Concur WeChat official Account, which will automatically feed into Concur’s Expense solution.

Concur is expanding its business travel ecosystem globally and locally, with CTrip, Didi Chuxing, Airbnb and other Chinese and foreign business travel suppliers now part of its network.

The WeChat e-Fapiao Connector is available in the Concur App Center: https://www.concur.com/app-center.

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According to a McKinsey report commissioned by the Singapore Tourism Board, Asia is the largest market and epicentre for business travel in the world, with low cost carriers taking a growing market share of business travel in the region. In Asia, low cost carriers comprised 29 per cent of all business travel expenditure on flights – the most penetrated region in the world.

“Our collaboration with AirAsia Group, by far the largest low cost carrier grouping in Asia, will provide our customers with a great cost saving window on their travel budgets. Concur’s easy-to-use business travel and expense management software solution helps businesses save time, money and gain control,” said Nick Evered, senior vice president and general manager, Asia Pacific, Concur.

“We are delighted to collaborate with Concur, who will play a key role in our corporate sales strategy. Through Concur Travel, we will offer both our regular content, as well as exclusive corporate content to those who have a direct corporate agreement with AirAsia. As companies continue to manage their travel budgets in the challenging economic times, we look forward to supporting Concur’s customers in budgeting their employee travel costs,” said Barry Klipp, group head of corporate sales, AirAsia.

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The book, Concur: Travel and Expense Management with SAP, has been written by a team of three authors including Concur consultant and UK director of iProCon, Sven Ringling.

“When I started my first Concur project in 2010, I found it astonishing how little information I could find in the public domain,” Ringling said. “It is now the global leader in Travel and Expense with strong growth in Europe and Asia and people still struggle. This book fills a gap and I’m confident that business users as well as consultants will find it well worth their time and money to understand the Concur business case, process, technology and integration.”

The book walks users through the set-up processes for Concur Travel, Concur Expense and Concur Request before diving deeper into the capabilities of each. Readers will also learn how to integrate Concur with SAP solutions such as SAP ERP HCM, SAP SuccessFactors and SAP ERP Financials, as well as get information on using the solution to plan trips, settle expenses and manage approvals in accordance with their corporate travel policies.

The book is available in print, electronic, and bundled editions and can be purchased via the SAP PRESS website and Amazon.com.

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As well as what SAP says the most comprehensive travel and expense data set in the industry, the solution also includes an option for 24/7 monitoring services to communicate with and assist employees, from pre-travel guidance to emergency safety information.

Concur Risk Messaging will capture traveller location data via Concur Travel & Expense, Concur Mobile, Concur TripLink, TripIt from Concur, and supplier e-receipts, which will provide travel managers with immediate visibility into employees that may be at risk. Concur Active Monitoring, powered by HX Global, will offer 24/7 monitoring, proactive communication capabilities, and assistance coordination.

Additional features include the ability to issue pre-travel advisories; two-way messaging via text, email, phone and Concur Mobile; traveller location mapping and reporting; incident analysis and reporting; and custom message and alert creation.

In 2016, Concur issues more than 10 million alerts notifying business travellers of potential risks in locations they were visiting. The number of Concur users who received alerts also increased by 770 per cent, from 151,000 users in January 2016 to 1.3 million users in December 2016.

“With global uncertainties and business travel on the rise, Concur has a strong sense of responsibility for our employees and customers around the world,” said Mike Eberhard, president of Concur.

“From civil unrest to natural disasters and terrorist attacks, businesses need to be sure they know where their employees are and direct them to safety as quickly as possible. Our data set extends beyond traditionally booked travel itineraries, maximising visibility and empowering businesses to take action in these situations. During recent global incidents, Concur was able to locate employees in affected areas within an hour.”

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A cornerstone of the plan is a strategic partnership with China DataCom Corporation Limited (CDC), a joint venture between SAP and the China-Telecom owned China Communications Services Corporation Limited, to deliver localised and global expense management solutions for Chinese companies.

“China represents an enormous market opportunity, and we look forward to expanding the services we already offer multinational Chinese companies,” said Mike Eberhard, Concur global president.

Eberhard said the partnership is “only the beginning” of Concur’s investments in localisation, globalisation and digital transformation.

Concur localises its expense management services to ensure Chinese business can comply with financial management policies such as value-added tax reform requirements and other regulations. The company has also partnered with Chinese companies such as booking service Ctrip and ride sharing player DiDi Chuxing to provide an integrated solution for Chinese business travellers.

The company said it also brings its considerable global and digital transformation experience to bear in helping Chinese companies to achieve compliance and streamline business processes relating to travel and expenses as they grow both locally and internationally.

The post Concur scales up in China with JV appeared first on InsideSAP Asia.

A 13-year veteran of Concur, Eberhard has been promoted from his previous position of president of global distribution.

“We are delighted to have Mike step into this role and it’s a natural progression of his career at Concur. His passion for serving our customers, deep experience leading global innovation and expansion, and ability to foster a positive culture for his teams are hallmarks of his leadership,” said Steve Singh, chief executive officer, Concur, and member of the executive board of SAP SE.

Eberhart takes over as president from Elena Donio, who had held the role since 2014 and is leaving the company for another senior executive position. During her 18-year tenure with Concur, Donio “has played an integral role in helping lead the organisation through some of its most significant milestones – from its transformation into a cloud company to growing Concur’s small business offerings”, a statement by the company said.

Eberhard is charged with leading the company through its next chapter of growth and SAP integration. Since joining Concur in 2003, he has held a series of executive roles, including as executive vice president and general manager, Asia Pacific, and executive vice president, worldwide sales and business development.

“I am extremely honoured to accept this new role and am committed to further enhance our customer experience in an environment that is complex and constantly changing while continuing to deliver travel and expense innovations to our customers around the world,” said Eberhard.

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The acquisition, which is expected to close in October 2016, will  help Concur deliver consumer-grade products to its corporate customers.

“Six years ago, our vision was to take the agony out of travel and travel planning,” said Adam Goldstein, co-founder and CEO of Hipmunk. “This combination means we can do an even better job for frequent travellers, in both their leisure and business travel.”

Concur has an ongoing strategy of partnering with, investing in, acquiring or building consumer apps, such as TripIt, ExpenseIt and ClearTrip.

Hipmunk was the first travel website and mobile app to sort travel results not only by price, but factors important to travellers such as duration, stops and hotel location. Its calendar integration and hotel map search allow business travellers to easily see the best hotel and flight options based on meeting times and locations. Hipmunk is also a leader in artificial intelligence-powered travel search and travel bots.

Elena Donio, president of Concur, said the company was excited to welcome Hipmunk to the SAP family.

“Concur has always strived to provide the best experience for travellers on our platform and we’re confident Hipmunk will continue to delight consumers while informing the innovation agenda for our corporate clients,” said Donio.

Henry Harteveldt, founder of Atmosphere Research, said the deal brings together two tech companies known for their innovation and creativity.

“The travel landscape continues to evolve with the pace of technology, a new generation of travellers, and a fluctuating global economy – factors that have a profound impact on how consumer and business travellers behave,” said Harteveldt. “This acquisition positions Concur and Hipmunk well to remain both market leaders and disruptors, furthermore, helping them stay ahead of the trend for a more personalised experience in both leisure and business travel.”

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Last week, Didi Chuxing bought the Chinese business from fierce competitor Uber for US$7 billion. The new business is now valued at approximately US$35 billion.

The integration with Concur allows Didi Chuxing users to connect their account with Concur, select their trip type and begin booking rides. Once they arrive at their destination, an e-receipt will be automatically sent to the linked Concur account, where they can directly manage ride expenses and submit for reimbursements.

“China is the third largest international market when it comes to Concur business traveler spend, and we’re seeing a dramatic increase in Didi Chuxing usage which is contributing to that spend,” said Mike Eberhard , president of global distribution at Concur. “This integration not only simplifies the expense reporting process for the growing number of Concur users booking rides with Didi, but also helps travel managers and administrators effortlessly keep track of employee spend.”

“Didi Chuxing Enterprise has a systematic and data-driven ride hailing and management service in China , while Concur is the leader in enterprise travel and expenses management. This partnership will increase the international recognition of Didi Chuxing’s convenient and efficient transportation solutions and enhance Concur users’ travel experience,” said Derek Du, vice president and general manager of enterprise business unit at Didi Chuxing.

Didi Chuxing is available from the Concur App Center.

Concur recently signed an exclusive partnership with Uber to make it easier for business travellers to claim expenses when using Uber.

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As the first partnership of its kind, Concur customers will have access to Uber for Business features for free, as well as automated employee onboarding, policy controls, savings performance and exclusive trip summary dashboards.

Concur and Uber believe the partnership will help companies reduce their ground transportation spend by allowing users to more easily access affordable ridesharing options. Once accounts are connected, all business trips taken with Uber will be sent to Concur to enable automated expense report population for travellers, savings insights and policy controls.

“Our average enterprise customer expenses almost $1 million in ground transportation annually and about 7 percent of that is with Uber today. By shifting more spend to Uber, these companies stand to save hundreds of thousands of dollars” said Elena Donio, president of Concur. “We’ve seen almost 230 percent growth in Uber transactions in the past year, and with this integration, we expect to see that growth accelerate as we help companies leverage the benefits of Uber as part of their travel program.”

The integration will be launched in Q4 2016 through the Concur App Center.

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