We live in a Do it Yourself' age where we're all seemingly expert' at everything, with endless choices at our Google addicted fingertips. We crave instant gratification and ultimate control, not just in our personal lives but in business too.
And nowhere is this more evident than when we travel. We’re constantly tempted with special offers’ and how easy online comparison sites make it to find the best deal’ available. Or do they?
There is much merit in the convenience and choice that being an internet DIY’ booker brings However, whilst cost is a major factor for most businesses, it’s not their only consideration – they have a duty of care to ensure the safety and wellbeing of their employees.
So, let me dispel some myths and offer some tips on how to get the most out of your business travel programme.
“Booking everything myself is more convenient”: Perhaps, but is this best use of your time? Having employees organise their own trips scouring the internet for the best deals, instead of concentrating on the tasks for which they are employed, can result in lost productivity and revenue. With the inability to measure sales, a business could miss supplier negotiated targets but, more concerningly, may not be able to locate their employees should something go wrong.
Top tip: If you want the flexibility of booking online, partnering with a travel management company to develop a customised self-service’ booking tool could be the answer.
“I can book whatever I want”: Personal preferences of an individual traveller can lead to inflated costs and take control away from the employer. If employees are making their own travel arrangements, are they following your company travel policy? In fact, do you have one? In a recent survey, 45% of North East Businesses said they didn’t and, of those that did, only 21% had reviewed it in the last year.
Top tip: A travel management company will help you develop, update and implement a travel policy to deliver compliance in line with your company objectives. It’s also a great way to obtain useful MI that might help you negotiate better rates and reduce overspend.
“Finding cheap fares is easy”: Yes, it can be but does this ultimately represent the best value for your company? The nature of business is that things change, meetings are rescheduled or cancelled so it’s important to minimise any penalties. The lowest fares may be totally inflexible with no changes and no refunds and the booker may not fully understand the implication of purchase. The travel industry is a dab hand at yield management and pricing is fluid, a travel company can often make a provisional booking guaranteeing the fare whilst approval to travel is sought.
Top tip: Travel management companies have access to a myriad of fares specifically for the business community and, if you’re flying a specific route regularly or staying in the same hotels, they can negotiate direct with suppliers on your behalf.
“I don’t have to pay any fees”: The price you see is the price you pay but how many times have you reached that final screen, only to realise that the cost has increased? What about those hidden costs to your business – booking errors, cancellation and change fees plus loss of productivity, these all mount up.
Top tip: A professional travel management service doesn’t come for free but working in partnership and agreeing a transparent pricing structure will give you a clear understanding of your overall business travel spend and save your finance team hours working through staff expense claims.
In a nutshell, business trips can be complex and, ensuring your travellers arrive fit for business and stay safe, is essential. A travel management company plans complete itineraries so travellers experience a seamless end- to-end journey, offering peace-of-mind 24/7 now, that is something you won’t find online!
