On May 14th, 2026, the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) Utah Chapter hosted a learning session where Ben Berard introduced a people-first paradigm in his presentation, “The Human Behind the Title.” The session focused on moving past rigid "buyer versus supplier" dynamics to build more sustainable, empathy-driven partnerships.
Table of contents
Dismantling the Silos
Traditional corporate structures rely heavily on professional titles to define workflows. However, Berard encouraged attendees to rethink whether these labels define a person’s value or simply describe their current organizational responsibilities.
A core thesis of the presentation was that "everyone is a buyer and everyone is a supplier." In a highly interdependent ecosystem like business travel, transactional success depends entirely on mutual understanding rather than hierarchy. When procurement managers and service coordinators view each other as equal collaborators rather than opposing forces on a ledger, the entire operational pipeline stabilizes.
The "Modern Doorman" and the Industry Ripple Effect
To illustrate how perception is managed across a travel program, Berard referenced the concept of the “modern doorman,” drawing on the "doorman fallacy," the idea that we often undervalue front-line roles by focusing solely on their explicit tasks rather than their broader psychological value.
This concept reframes traditionally overlooked or front-line service roles, highlighting that the individuals executing the last mile of a journey hold immense power to shape an organization's reputation.
Every single interaction, whether a digital status update or a front-line greeting, carries weight. Berard, drawing from his community work founding Volunteers of Vegas and his corporate perspective with the global ground travel management platform drvn, emphasized that small moments of professionalism and understanding create a "ripple effect" capable of shifting broader industry culture away from division and toward collective progress.
Navigating Shared Pain Points
In addition, the session addressed the practical frictions governing the market today. Berard stated major pain points impacting both sides of the equation:
- Buyers face mounting executive pressure to maintain strict cost control, ensure compliance, and manage tightening corporate budgets.
- Suppliers face challenges securing operational visibility, establishing long-term trust, and moving clients away from commodity-driven pricing.
Resolving these pressures requires replacing transactional networking with curiosity and mutual transparency. When buyers share clear visibility into their long-term strategic goals, suppliers can better align resources to support them.
Practical Takeaways for Modern Travel Programs
The presentation concluded with actionable strategies for attendees to implement within their respective organizations:
- Prioritize the individual: Look past organizational titles to recognize the individual managing the workflow.
- Humanize touchpoints: Transition from purely algorithmic or transactional communication to relationship-driven touchpoints.
- Own every perception: Acknowledge that the final operational delivery reflects directly back on the procurement strategy.
- Collaborate, don’t divide: Move corporate travel programs forward by treating vendors as strategic extensions of the internal team.
By refocusing on empathy, visibility, and shared accountability, the corporate travel community can design programs that are both highly efficient and deeply resilient.
About drvn
drvn is a technology platform that redefines how organizations manage ground travel by simplifying complex travel planning for businesses and events worldwide. The software centralizes global reservations into a single dashboard. While licensed local partners fulfill every ride, drvn provides the real-time tracking and oversight enterprise teams need to stay in control.
Success!
.png)
