4 Benefits to a Systemized Travel Solution

The constant management of employees and their travel arrangements means that travel managers usually have a lot on their plates. All the responsibility can make it difficult to keep abreast of all the relevant information and detail. While most outsource the bulk of the work to corporate travel agencies when it comes to booking airlines, hotels, and transportation, these agencies introduce many points of friction. In this increasingly connected day and age, these points of friction just don’t need to be there.

The internet has disrupted every industry from leisure travel to lodging to taxi services, and continues to do so every single day. Corporate travel management can’t escape its disruptive influence, with companies like ours working to provide travel managers like you with a more streamlined, intuitive platform to make the traditional process of booking business travel so much better.

Systemizing your company’s corporate travel management offers a wealth of benefits to any travel manager looking to make their job easier while at the same time adding value. Below are fives benefits enjoyed from a digitized travel solution:

1. Streamlined processes

 Who isn’t used to the unnecessary rounds of communication necessary to initiate, clarify, and finalize a travel request? While years of acclimation may make it seem like this is just how it’s done, that’s not necessarily true. Considering the time and control lost in the process, there is an obvious lack of efficiency and a loss of potential savings since information about transportation options are limited.

Return control over your booking processes by simplifying them using a digitized travel solution. With them, check and compare more flight and accommodation options faster and guarantee better prices without the hassle of multiple emails. Employees can book their own trips as well, not only increasing autonomy but also overall satisfaction.

2. Reduced travel expenses

 Making sure every one of your employees stays under budget while ensuring an efficient, comfortable trip for them is a thin line to walk. Under and overspending means leaving money on the table, money that can be used better elsewhere. Relying on static budgets don’t offer much flexibility as making sure they stay accurate is difficult due to constantly fluctuating prices.

Traditional corporate travel agencies use people to get you the best price. Digital corporate travel solutions are constantly connected. Because of this advantage, they can employ tools like dynamic budgets that take into account real-time pricing information along with your company’s travel policies. Together, you can be assured that budgets are always being met, no matter what.

3. A more cost-conscious culture

According to Expedia, a majority of small business travellers (91%) spend more on meals, hotel rooms and room service than when they travel on personal money. This is the result of employer and employee interests not being aligned, and is made worse by a fundamental lack of awareness of how these costs impact the bottom line.

Increased visibility for both travel managers and the employees they manage is a huge benefit from the use of digital travel solutions. They offer more information about budgeting requirements and the company policies that form their basis — keeping the focus of all communication between you and those you manage on how to make their business travel more efficient and comfortable

4. Generates valuable corporate travel data

By putting your needs into the hands of a corporate travel agent, it only serves to take it out of yours and deprives you of the valuable data that can improve your processes over time. Without this information, you’re left hoping the corporate travel company you’re dealing with truly has your interests in mind. (By interests, we mean your bottom line. Plot twist: they probably don’t.)

Since digital travel solutions are always connected, they are always ready to generate troves of data full of valuable metrics like flight costs, hidden fees, travel frequency, and hotel stay frequency. You can use this valuable data to better allocate budgets and negotiate better deals with those most frequented routes and accommodations — resulting in much happier travel managers and the higher ups who oversee them.