Zeno

Key information

Companies using the tool 7,000+ corporates / 300,000+ SMEs
Number of users/seats 3 million+
Number of bookings handled annually 5 million (2019)
Total transaction volume annually US$3.35bn total transaction value (2019)
Frequency of updates Continuously updated by a team of 300+ technology professionals
Type of company Online travel management platform (Serko)
Main markets Global

Pricing model

Set-up fees No
Ongoing fixed costs No
Transaction fees Flat fee per booking

Content

Air Zeno’s sourcing engine integrates air content from the GDS, aggregators such as Travelfusion and direct NDC connections. Zeno brings together information on in-flight amenities and on-time arrival data to carbon impact and destination arrival requirements. Outbound and return fares can be mixed from multiple sources for everything from domestic to complex multi-stop international.
Accommodation More than six million accommodation options sourced from the GDS as well as aggregators such as Booking.com, Expedia and HRS. In addition to hotel content, it offers a full suite of alternatives including short-stay lets and serviced apartments. Users can filter results, read guest reviews and find the accommodation’s proximity to their office or client. Properties with enhanced Covid protection measures are highlighted for quick reference.
Rail Increasing selection of rail content across North America and Europe. Rail and air options can be compared during the search to find the most time efficient or cost-effective itinerary and combined into a single booking.
Car Car rental options from all major providers are available, with intelligent alerts during the booking process to prompt travellers if their arrival falls outside of location opening hours. To drive more sustainable travel programmes, hybrid or electric vehicles can be preferenced based on corporate policy.
NDC and other direct connects Direct NDC and API connections that personalise fares and inclusions to the traveller, and ensures regional coverage through direct connections to smaller airlines not available through the GDS.

Key staff

CEO Darrin Grafton
COO Charlie Nowaczeck
CTO Duanne O'Brien
CMO Nick Whitehead

What the company says

According to the company, “Zeno is the intelligent travel management platform built around the priorities of the new world of travel, empowering corporate travel buyers to come back safer, leaner and smarter than before.” Executives highlight the tool’s intuitive experience built on an open content platform and Zeno’s personalisation capabilities toward travellers but still based on corporate policy, and supporting a connected itinerary for enhanced duty of care, spend and risk management. Regarding innovation, the company said it adapted during Covid, “by displaying destination risk and travel requirement information as well as airline and hotel Covid precautions in the booking flow.” As a result, they said, Zeno helped instil confidence in travellers and business leaders to return to travel. In addition, “Integrated carbon impact and offset capability has helped corporates take the first steps towards more sustainable travel programmes.”

What buyers say

Buyers told BTN Europe that they chose Zeno for the intuitive user interface, but also because the tool has allowed them to drive innovations through their programmes – for the user but also for back-end content initiatives that have resulted in more traveller booking freedoms against policy as well as savings. A drawback has been the more regional nature of the tool, which is strongest in Australia, New Zealand and the United States.

What consultants say

Consultants said they had active bids that included Serko and one liked to include it to show innovation potential to clients, even if Serko did not have full market coverage, as buyers also noted. “They are open to content,” said this consultant, “and they have people who really understand.” Certain TMC relationships are helping Serko get attention right now. One consultant pointed out “they are missing rail,” working only with an aggregator to “pass a sniff test.” One consultant said they were waiting for the tool to mature in more markets because they thought Serko “could be a player” for large global accounts.