Skift Take
Somehow, Deem keeps chugging along, immune to the gravity that tends to fell travel services companies that reach too far and fall short. It's likely too big to fail even as it simplifies its product offerings. But, hey, if clients keep coming back, clearly they're doing something right. Forget it Jake, it's Deem.
The long and complicated saga of Deem represents a cautionary tale for corporate travel, despite the company's long-term viability. In the company's latest incarnation, a more refined focus could help the company better compete against its large and ambitious competitors.
This means an investment in making its booking platform easier to use and more connected with whatever expense technology a company uses.
Once known as Rearden Commerce, the corporate travel services provider has undergone major changes over the last few years. Founder and longtime CEO Patrick Grady stepped down in 2016, replaced by John F. Rizzo, who has overseen the refinement of Deem's corporate travel offerings.
True to his word at the time, Rizzo has overseen a drastic shift in San Francisco-based Deem's strategy; the company had simply become too bloated after more than 15 years, and more than $500 millio
