KLM on Munckhof: “Trust is the basis for multi-faceted partnership”
KLM and Munckhof have been working together for years, in the field of bus transportation, but for much longer for booking airline tickets for the business market. It is a unique collaboration in which trust in each other and understanding of each other’s position are central. David Vinke and Raymond Reedijk of KLM Netherlands explain what makes this cooperation so valuable.
“If I could describe Munckhof, I would do so with the words reliable, professional and flexible. The many years of cooperation we have with each other gives us a lot of confidence, now and in the future,” said David Vinke.
Trust
In his role as Commercial Director Benelux at KLM Netherlands, David Vinke is particularly involved in the bus transport services Munckhof performs for KLM. Since 2018, Munckhof has been operating shuttle services on behalf of KLM from Maastricht, via Eindhoven to Schiphol and from Nijmegen, via Arnhem to Schiphol. A special feature is that these buses are fully stickered in KLM’s corporate identity. Needless to say, these are driving business cards for KLM, which is why they also like to be used during events.
Our ambition
“Munckhof stands for quality and transparency. When you work with Munckhof, it’s clear what you get and at what cost. That gives us confidence in the operation. Because we’ve worked together for so long, we know exactly what we can gain from each other. We appreciate their willingness to cooperate and innovate, including in the area of sustainability. One example is the service for travelers who unexpectedly find themselves in a traffic jam with the shuttle bus. Then an automatic signal goes from the Munckhof bus to KLM and their flight is rebooked by us. Another example of innovation is that the buses running on behalf of KLM are powered by biofuel. In the future, we want to invest together in hydrogen or electric propulsion. We invest in the future together. Of course, this is a small step when you look at KLM’s total carbon footprint. Aviation is a sector that is difficult to decarbonize. But only by taking big and small steps can we improve ourselves.”
The power of the triangle
Raymond Reedijk, Sales Director Business for KLM, agrees with his colleague David’s story. “The strength of our cooperation lies in the chain: Munckhof, the organizations we supply to (the Corporate accounts), Air France, KLM and partners. Together we look at where we can connect even more in terms of innovation and service. By talking to each other, we come up with the best solutions for the Corporate accounts.
Better and better
“When a collaboration is good, you start looking further, thinking in terms of opportunities and exploring them. Booking in New Distribution Capability (NDC) is a good example of this. In addition to being a bus company, Munckhof is also a Travel Management Company (TMC), in other words, a business travel agency. Munckhof is one of the first TMCs to start booking airline tickets in 2023, in NDC. By investing together in booking airline tickets through this new technology, we are both getting closer to the needs and wants of the customer. And then what sets Munckhof apart from other TMCs is that Munckhof is always willing to go that extra mile to try new things. Munckhof has stepped up as an NDC frontrunner and is taking that role with verve. As a partner, we support them in this.”
Positive approach
So did the transition to booking into NDC happen all by itself? “No, it didn’t,” Reedijk answers. “But trust is the basis for versatile partnership. For Munckhof and KLM, booking in NDC is not only about IT and technology, but also about change management. We both understood that very well. We include employees in changes and think together in terms of possibilities. In this way we create positive energy together and devise solutions together, enabling us to cope with many bumps and continue to celebrate business successes.”
