Jami Stapelmann Connects the Business to Deliver Value for Estee Lauder's Mature Travel Program

"When you have a mature travel program, you have to find other ways to deliver value beyond savings," said Jami Stapelmann. Most travel managers would pivot to the supplier services and amenities piece. But Stapelmann checked that box already. What about joining up the travel program with meetings? Stapelmann has done that, too, with a comprehensive program that was among the first adopters of small-meetings technology platforms. So what's left? For Stapelmann, making strategic business connections between Estee Lauder and her travel suppliers was the answer. 

“What changed with Jami this year is that she was always great at addressing the travel and the meetings issues, but now, she is really looking inward at her employees and inward into her suppliers and recognizing that this is an ecosystem that we all have to thrive in, and we have to figure out how to do that together,” said Delta Air Lines managing director of New York sales Scott Jordon. “Frankly, many travel managers have done the opposite.”

With lower levels of travel for the past two years, Stapelmann looked at other opportunities to align.

She connected her Delta Air Lines partners internally with the Estee Lauder cosmetics and body care products to see how the two might work together. Through her efforts, the companies identified Estee Lauder Cos. products that fit with airline needs for in-flight amenity kits and established a product partnership with the airline.

In tandem with the Delta’s Covid-19 commitments, the company hired Mayo Clinic veteran Dr. Henry Ting to lead its health initiatives. The doctor in recent months has incorporated more of a wellness effort, both inward toward Delta employees but also in relation to customers. Delta executives told BTN Stapelmann was influential in throwing Estee Lauder’s corporate client support behind the airline establishing a partnership with Peloton and rolling out meditation and stretching programming in its inflight programming through a proprietary Peloton partnership.

Stapelmann explored a number of ideas with Delta—some of which took hold, and some didn’t. There were proposed partnerships with the Estee retail team to pilot makeup tutorials, there were proposals about data sharing and advertising on the Delta website. “Her openness to do new things and see what provides value is unique; she’s not deterred when things don’t work. She’s ready to try the next one,” said Delta general manager of global sales Bradford Karl. “And it’s not just with airlines; I’ve seen her engage at this level with hotels and other partners as well.”

Importantly, however, Stapelmann can read the room and deliver what’s needed as a partner—at the right time and at the right level.

“She can be in front of our EVP and give a “state of the union” on what's going on with Estee Lauder. But she is equally comfortable working with the sellers on the, you know, on the on the nuts and bolts,” said Karl. “So she just has such a vast knowledge of what's going on in her own company as well as what’s going on within the industry. That’s what makes her able to bring the businesses together.”

“There are a lot of opportunities to bring new ideas and new partnership angles to the table,” said Stapelmann, who added that she often looks to a younger generation to bring fresh perspectives to the travel management practice. “I think we have to stay current and understand our travelers. That will drive the right innovations, ideas and partnerships. They aren’t always obvious. You have to get creative, but you also have to see how it enhances the business of both partners.”