Benjamin Ulman
Phoenix
Summary
My aim is to work closely with management and key stakeholders to meet or exceed business objectives. I am committed to being part of a team and delivering sustainable collaborative strategies. I am particularly proud of my strong relationship-building skills, which have allowed me to learn and be agile with customers and business objectives. With my numerous years in the global travel industry, procurement, and corporate management, this opportunity will allow me to nurture and solidify customer relationships, reinforce travel vendor relationships, and move the travel management experience to the next level.
Dynamic Account Manager offering expertise in building partnerships, retaining key accounts and enhancing profit channels. Strong leader with proficiency in growing professional network, influencing decision-makers and devising successful strategies. Collaborative and strategic team leader with robust background in customer relationship management.
Overview
28
28
years of professional experience
Work History
Sr. Account Manager
FCM Travel Solutions
01.2023 - 04.2024
- Build and maintain strong relationships with multinational accounts, ensuring their needs are met and providing exceptional service with reporting and traveler satisfaction
- Identify opportunities for upselling and cross-selling to drive revenue growth by introducing new technology to improve user experience
- Conduct a high volume of weekly calls and meetings to engage with clients and drive business outcomes
- Provide exceptional customer service, addressing any issues or concerns promptly and effectively with vendor negotiations and 3rd party software applications with constructive resolution
- Develop and implement strategies independently to meet and exceed sales targets, policy adherence, and customer expectations
- Work closely with the support, product, and operations teams to ensure alignment and achieve company goals
- Gather and relay customer feedback to the product team to help inform product development and improvements
- Quickly adjust to changing priorities and market conditions, demonstrating resilience and flexibility
- Proactively identify and resolve issues, providing innovative solutions to challenges, providing action plans, developing strategies, and consulting
- Gained customer trust and confidence by demonstrating a compelling, persuasive, and composed professional demeanor.
Sr. Implementation Manager
FCM Travel Solutions
09.2021 - 01.2023
- Dissect customer travel policies, reporting elements, and payment processes.
- Create practical recommendations for building configurations into FCM with external customers.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams, creating pre- and post-implementation communication and change management strategies
- Create a sustainable platform for customers to book travel both online and offline.
- Succinctly call out challenges from the standard procedures, articulate a resolution, and lead teams to become champions of change.
- To guide customers through user testing, provide online training tools and live sessions of adaptable exercises for administrative and employee experience.
- Collect feedback to be incorporated into customized training for future business needs.
- Oversaw implementation lifecycle processes based on organizational needs, regulatory requirements, and customer demand.
- Collaborated with team to cultivate resources and reference material for technical installation, troubleshooting, and maintenance.
- Documented processes to streamline setup, customization, and maintenance.
- Oversaw development and implementation of improvements to support network operations.
Procurement Analyst
Blackhawk Network
10.2019 - 03.2021
- Maintained travel vendor partnerships to balance revenue as the company and vendors evolved and adjusted around the COVID-19 pandemic
- Tasked as the Project Manager to adopt a software program for global corporate leases to communicate compelling data
- Organized all leases to a central platform for best-in-class user experience with cross-functional teams
- Ensured all stakeholders had an open-door policy to meet their business needs
- Created customized financial and statistical reports on lease requirements for economic impacts and future accruals
- Supported senior company leaders by delivering reports outlining performance to drive process improvements.
- Conducted data analysis to identify bottlenecks in the supply chain and develop solutions to optimize operations.
- Cultivated interpersonal skills by building positive relationships with others.
- Gained extensive knowledge in data entry, analysis, and reporting.
- Researched and evaluated new and current vendors to determine the suitability of office space leases.
Travel Manager
Blackhawk Network
06.2014 - 10.2019
- Concur owner, which included employee education and training for both travel and expense, maintenance updates for travel vendors changes and transaction routing for GL accounting platforms
- Weekly and monthly audits done for price point accuracy along with expense reports and fraud
- Reporting on used tickets, requesting waivers from airlines and inspiring employees of the unused funds
- Extracting transactions for leakage
- In addition, owner of the corporate card program, authorizing cards, maintenance of approved transaction types and partnering with card issuer with updates and policies
- This position was also cross functional with other countries for both travel and expense
- Thus, allowing a centralized platform for travel and expense
- Provided proficiency in policy creation, adherence and financial reporting to varies levels within the company
- Consistently reviewing travel industry changes and recommending updates to avoid negative impact on travelers
- Project owner in global sites configuration and manipulating Concur to meet the company needs for each region
- Maintained travel vendor relations to help drive down cost
- This allowed not only a partnership to drive revenue to vendors but also allow for cost savings to the company along with adherence to company policy
Financial Analyst
American Express Travel
08.1996 - 05.2013
- Hotel commission reconciliation specialist
- Actively searching for missed opportunities to gain more revenue and correct GDS formatting concerns in hotel bookings
- Analyzed commission payments and allocated them to varied cost centers
Customer Care Specialist
American Express Travel
08.1996 - 05.2013
- Receiver of customer service complaints from varied communication channels regarding passenger experience with travel vendors
- Analyzed the customer's point of view and then tasked to seek resolution regardless of accountability - documented root causes for reporting, benchmarking, and evaluating the financial impact on customers.
- Trained in Six Sigma methodology to enhance new software tracking program.
Corporate Travel Counselor
American Express Travel
08.1996 - 05.2013
- Worked with various customer accounts, booked business trips, and ensured company policy and opportunities to sell American Express vendors where available.
- Provided cost-saving alternatives to business trips.
- Provided world-class customer service
Platinum Travel Counselor
American Express Card Services
08.1996 - 05.2013
- Call center-based travel counselor supporting Platinum Card Holders for any of their needs regarding air, car, hotel, and other requests
- Developed a loyal clientele base due to excellent listening and research skills and a keen understanding of travel budgets.
- Organized memorable and exquisite travel itineraries and vacations for high-level clients, celebrities, politicians, and business executives.
- Arranged travel accommodations for groups, couples, executives, and special needs clients.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Business Management
Western International University
Phoenix, Arizona05.2012
Skills
- Multiple GDS Experience
- Concur Travel & Expense Proficiency
- SOX Knowledge
- Years of TMC Experience
- Customer Service
- Various OBT Knowledge
- FCPA Knowledge
- Project Manager Skills
- Vendor management
- Goals and performance
- Business strategies
- Operations
- Strategic planning
- Leadership management trained
- Revenue generation
- Excellent negotiation skills
Accomplishments
- Created, implemented, and educated a domestic and international business expense and reimbursement policy.
- Able to demonstrate trend and benchmark reporting, missed opportunities, and policy exceptions impacting financial budgets.
- Find expense leakage and root cause issues and push to policy adherence.
- Leader in a customer service call center to root cause travel issues.
Contact
- Mobile, +1 623-399-3692, Phoenix, AZ
- Mobile, +381 60 1409 527, Novi Sad, SRB
Leadership Experience
Director of Membership, GBTA AZ Chapter, 01/17, 12/21
Languages
English
Native language
Timeline
Sr. Account Manager
FCM Travel Solutions
01.2023 - 04.2024
Sr. Implementation Manager
FCM Travel Solutions
09.2021 - 01.2023
Procurement Analyst
Blackhawk Network
10.2019 - 03.2021
Travel Manager
Blackhawk Network
06.2014 - 10.2019
Financial Analyst
American Express Travel
08.1996 - 05.2013
Customer Care Specialist
American Express Travel
08.1996 - 05.2013
Corporate Travel Counselor
American Express Travel
08.1996 - 05.2013
Platinum Travel Counselor
American Express Card Services
08.1996 - 05.2013
Bachelor of Science - Business Management
Western International University
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