American Express Interactive

             and speed are very important for being a leader at the market. They have knowledge and.
             experience about travel business but not the technology. How could they get the technology? .
             They could either hire their own people and design a new online business or they could have a .
             partnership with some technology company. Instead of creating new system; creating new access .
             channels to existing and new customers is easier, quicker and less risk. AXI decided the second .
             option in 1996 and they chose Microsoft to be its software development partner. I think this was .
             perfect decision: They were the expertise of industry leaders in travel and technology and they .
             will change the way companies manage the business travel process. .
             Why Microsoft?.
             First of all Microsoft was the leading edge technology and service company. .
             Secondly new product could link easily to existing computer reservations systems and .
             Run on most standard technology hardware and software and this puts the AXI one step .
             Forward from than the competitor.
             The Microsoft Travel Technologies platform includes both the back-office server and the end-user application for making complete air, hotel and car rental reservations on-line. It will be compatible with Microsoft Office and link to American Express' Expense Manager, an automated PC expense reporting system. Microsoft Travel Technologies is designed with the Microsoft BackOffice family of products including Windows NT ® Server, Internet Information Server and SQL Server. The interactive travel product can operate within the Internet, intranets and client server environments. In addition to linking with American Express' Expense Manager, the on-line system will fit into American Express' full suite of automated corporate travel solutions. Over the past few years, American Express has introduced a number of Windows ®-based products: PDQ Power for pre-trip identification of savings opportunities; Card Power and Trip Power for fully customized management reporting; Travel Policy Expert for drafting and revising policies; and T&E Mail for e-mail-based trip reservations .