Ciena is a global leader in optical networking systems and telecommunications infrastructure, providing mission-critical technology to major clients like Vodafone, AT&T, Verizon, and Google.
With approximately 2,500 travelers across multiple continents and a ~$28 million travel program, the company needed a modern platform that could support complex global operations, while delivering an exceptional user experience.
The company selected Solutions Travel as its TMC and adopted Spotnana’s Travel-as-a-Service platform to eliminate operational inefficiencies, improve traveler satisfaction, and gain real-time visibility into travel spend.
The change came in response to growing frustration with Ciena’s legacy system, which suffered from fragmented regional instances, slow performance, limited content, and lack of NDC capability – all of which degraded traveler satisfaction and created significant operational overhead.
Technology that delivers results
After a comprehensive RFP process, Ciena selected Spotnana’s travel platform due to its modern architecture and ability to address critical pain points that had plagued the previous system.
The legacy online booking tool required manual data consolidation through Power BI reports, provided no real-time visibility, and forced travelers to endure slow, clunky booking experiences. Perhaps most critically, it lacked the content breadth needed to secure competitive fares, and unused tickets worth hundreds of thousands of dollars were being tracked on Excel spreadsheets.
Spotnana’s travel platform transformed these challenges into competitive advantages. Spotnana’s intuitive interface, which Ciena Director of Indirect Procurement Fazal Choksi describes as “the Amazon of online booking,” dramatically improved the booking experience, while real-time reporting gave Ciena’s travel team immediate visibility into program performance.
Now, Ciena’s program boasts a 90% online booking rate, compared to 65% with its previous solution, and a 99% policy compliance rate.
Content, service, and sustainability
A major reason for selecting Spotnana was to gain access to broader global content and more competitive fares. The previous system consistently showed higher prices than what was available directly on airline websites, frustrating travelers and travel managers alike. Spotnana’s direct connections to travel providers ensured travelers had access to the best available options.
Spotnana’s ability to automate unused ticket management also provided significant benefits. By allowing travelers to track and redeem unused ticket credits on their own, Spotnana eliminated the need for manual tracking.
The impact has been substantial: of the ~$320K in unused ticket credits generated, $250K have already been redeemed. This value was impossible to capture with the previous system.
“Think about the value I could have lost,” reflected Choksi. “Now everything is in the tool. It’s just so much easier.”
Seamless integration and strategic insights
Spotnana’s modern technology stack enabled straightforward integration with Ciena’s existing systems. The company seamlessly integrated HR data feeds to automate traveler profile creation and updates.
The platform’s built-in analytics provide real-time visibility into critical metrics including spend patterns, sustainability tracking, and program performance, capabilities that were impossible with the previous system’s delayed reporting structure.
“I can go in tonight and see what we have spent up until this evening, including a booking that came in five minutes ago,” said Choksi. “I can see the data in real time, which is really very helpful, instead of waiting for the report to be uploaded from 14 different instances and then put into Power BI.”
The self-service policy management capabilities have been equally transformative. Changes that previously required raising tickets and waiting weeks for implementation can now be made with a few simple clicks.
The platform supports both hard and soft approval workflows, enabling flexible policy enforcement while maintaining control. The result: Ciena maintains over 99% policy compliance while giving travelers the flexibility to book out of policy when business needs justify it.
Leveraging data for strategic advantage
One of the most significant benefits has been how real-time data transformed Ciena’s supplier negotiation strategy. Previously, supplier reviews happened annually based on outdated reports. Now, Choksi’s team can monitor supplier performance continuously and approach partners proactively.
“It’s shifted the supplier reviews from an annual basis to weekly, monthly, or quarterly,” said Choksi. “I can see my hotel nights are increasing with a specific chain or a particular hotel, and I can effectively challenge them to reduce rates for my travelers based on volume.”
Collaborating on future innovation
The partnership continues to evolve with Ciena’s global expansion.
The combination of modern technology, comprehensive content, real-time analytics, and a forward-thinking product roadmap has made Spotnana an essential part of Ciena’s travel program. At a recent Customer Advisory Board meeting hosted by Solutions Travel, Fazal contributed feedback on Spotnana’s roadmap.
“The relationship between Spotnana, Solutions, and Ciena has been great,” said Choksi. “It’s been a game-changer in terms of service and capabilities.”
