Sam, FCM’s ground-breaking Smart Assistant for Mobile is now globally live on the App Store and Google Play.

Sam blends a powerful mix of artificial intelligence with the expertise of real FCM travel consultants to deliver personalised, relevant information to business travellers’ mobile devices through a chat-based interface.

The highly interactive, travel-savvy app supports business travellers with all aspects of travel via a conversational interface to answer questions, make recommendations and perform actions before, during and post trip.

Two levels of Sam are now available to business travellers: 

• A basic free version that enables any user to add their trips manually, view weather, traffic and flight alerts, and connects with local ground transport options.
• A premium version exclusively for FCM customers with additional features that are configured for these customers as part of their tailored rollout. These premium features include auto-synching the traveller’s bookings, integrated self-booking tool, live chat with an FCM consultant to provide service and make or amend bookings on the move; and the option for the user to ‘share location’ as part of a mobile duty of care feature.

Sam was first launched to FCM clients in the USA in September 2016.

Now, as of November 2017, FCM customers in the UK are using the premium version of Sam and a phased roll-out is in progress for FCM clients across the rest of Europe, Asia and Latin America over the course of 2018.

FCM customers in Germany will have access to Sam’s enhanced premium features from mid-2018.

Marcus Eklund, global general manager, FCM Travel Solutions, commented: “As a leading global travel management company, FCM is pioneering game-changing business travel technology and we are delighted to announce that Sam is live and can be downloaded globally.

“Our clients’ travellers in the USA and UK are now using Sam’s ground-breaking interactive and supportive features while they are on the move and Sam will be rolled out across other markets over the course of 2018.

“Most technology solutions in business travel focus on the needs of the corporate buyer and bookers, not the needs of the business traveller and their experience while travelling.

“FCM believes there is a genuine need to support business travellers too, giving them an enjoyable experience on the move,” said Eklund.

“Business travel can be a challenging process for travellers - upheavals caused by change of circumstances, delays, rushing to the airport, packing the night before, all on top of the stresses of actually doing business and the purpose of the trip.

“Our FCM Lab developed Sam to support our client’s individual travellers and make life easier for them.

“Sam aggregates all the information a traveller needs in one place at the point when the user needs it offering a seamless end-to-end experience across all aspects of travel.

“However, Sam doesn’t replace the human touch entirely.

“Business travel is about people and FCM’s approach will still be about blending the latest technology with personal service.

“Users of Sam can call or message their consultant at any time for live assistance on the go,” concluded Eklund.