Concur, the world’s leading provider of on-demand employee spend management services, today announced at the NBTA Convention in Houston a strategy to give the mobile workforce greater flexibility in managing their travel and expenses. Through its mobile travel and expense application, Concur is extending its platform for developers and travel partners to provide employees with choices, information and easy tools so they can make informed decisions about their business travel and purchases.

“The mobile enhancements we’re unveiling at NBTA extends our vision for an open and efficient platform for customers, partners and suppliers to work together to drive efficiency into the supply chain,” said Rajeev Singh, president and chief operating officer of Concur. “We believe that employees should spend less time with logistics and more time on what matters most in their life. Mobile computing combined with social media and location-based services are transforming how employees interact professionally and socially. Today is a milestone in our work to build deeper connections and partnerships that give clients greater choice and flexibility.”

Concur is delivering on this vision by expanding its partner programme, Concur® Connect, to include third party mobile solutions that complement Concur’s travel and expense solutions and that provide clients access to services that may not be available through traditional travel programmes. As part of the programme, Concur is also introducing new mobile APIs and Web services that allow partners and other third party developers to integrate their mobile applications into Concur. For partners, these new tools will provide value across their business, helping improve reach and driving new opportunities. By extending Concur’s mobile platform, Concur can provide greater local, global and premium content to travellers conveniently via a mobile device.

As part of the introduction of the mobile platform, the following partners will offer mobile applications as part of the Concur Connect program:

  * Amtrak – travellers can view, hold, reserve and purchase Amtrak rail travel from a smartphone
  * FlightTrack by Mobiata – travellers can track every aspect of their domestic and international flights with real-time updates and zoomable maps right on their smartphone
  * GateGuru – travellers can access airport-specific dining, shopping and service information, organised by terminal and location
  * MetrO by Kinevia – travellers can view public transportation information for 400 cities worldwide
  * OAG -– travellers can receive flight status messages directly to a mobile phone
  * Open Table – travellers can use their smartphone make reservations at thousands of restaurants worldwide
  * Taxi Magic -– travellers can book and pay for metropolitan taxi, sedan and shuttle transportation from a mobile phone

All of these applications will interoperate with Concur’s mobile solution – which can be downloaded from iTunes, BlackBerry® App World and Android™ mobile marketplaces – to deliver additional value to business travellers.