The majority of SMEs are looking forward to getting back on the road and proceeding with their business travel plans. This shared optimism however has created an atmosphere of growing demand for corporate travel. The culmination of the current demand combined with limited airline capacity, and rising fuel costs resulted in an overall increase in the cost of travel — at a time when budgets are tight.
To travel managers it may come as a surprise but there are ways to maximize savings on business trips. Starting with forming a partnership with the most appropriate travel management company that will ultimately save time and money. The benefits of TMCs are that you can gain access to an extended array of deals, ease of booking tickets, T&Cs, and instant support when the unthinkable happens like canceled flights or prolonged delays.
TMCs provide saving opportunities throughout the trip, from pre-booking, flight scheduling, expense management, consultations, etc.
Here are ways to save time and money on business travel:
Consider how useful it would be to see your actual travel details in black and white. You want to know how much you’re spending on flights and accommodations, but there’s more to it than that. How frequently does your team travel? Is it possible to make a reservation in advance? There are several methods to find efficiencies and make minor (and large) changes to get the most out of your trip budget.
The most effective approach to saving money on travel is to establish a formal travel policy. Let’s face it, keeping track of travel costs is difficult when everyone can book when, when, and what they want. Boundaries are beneficial and they don’t have to be lengthy and complex; even the most basic travel regulations can have a significant impact. However, putting everything down on paper, including:
Many SMEs have a single person in charge of all travel arrangements. It’s often tacked on to their regular day-to-day duties, but they’re great at it, so it’s easy to maintain the status quo. It can be difficult to keep track of everything, especially if the team is rapidly expanding and travel requests are pouring in thick and fast. In-house travel managers are responsible for shouldering the requests, costs, and post-trip administration work. If things were ever to go south then they are all to blame, we’ve got to understand their situation. TMCs save plenty of time and money by taking care of all bookings, including last-minute trips and changes. If there is ever an incident or event (think unexpected border closures) they’re on hand to bring their travelers home.
Online travel booking may seem like an easy alternative as compared to partnering with a TMC but is that really the best use of your team member’s time? Searching, comparing prices, seat and date availability, payment and booking can take up to 30 minutes or more. These time-consuming activities can be solved in 5 to 10 minutes with the right TMC on board and the best part about it is that you can get the best available price on the day.
Unpredictable situations arise at the most unexpected time. Travel managers will not be able to predict when they will receive an SOS call from a distressed traveler. If the call happens during the weekend there is a possibility that the traveler might not be able to contact the TM. TMCs will make that problem disappear. With dedicated 24/7 support, business travelers will never feel alone during unfortunate circumstances. Have an edge in global travel with a dedicated travel partner. It will make your future business travel seamless. SMEs have started taking advantage of the benefits that TMCs provide so should you.
1. Look into past travel data
Consider how useful it would be to see your actual travel details in black and white. You want to know how much you’re spending on flights and accommodations, but there’s more to it than that. How frequently does your team travel? Is it possible to make a reservation in advance? There are several methods to find efficiencies and make minor (and large) changes to get the most out of your trip budget.
2. Establish ground rules
The most effective approach to saving money on travel is to establish a formal travel policy. Let’s face it, keeping track of travel costs is difficult when everyone can book when, when, and what they want. Boundaries are beneficial and they don’t have to be lengthy and complex; even the most basic travel regulations can have a significant impact. However, putting everything down on paper, including:
- Preferred airlines
- Guidelines for booking economy, premier, and business class
- If there is a limit on how much they can spend on a hotel room per night
- Who is responsible for signing off on everything?
3. Make your travel manager’s life easier
Many SMEs have a single person in charge of all travel arrangements. It’s often tacked on to their regular day-to-day duties, but they’re great at it, so it’s easy to maintain the status quo. It can be difficult to keep track of everything, especially if the team is rapidly expanding and travel requests are pouring in thick and fast. In-house travel managers are responsible for shouldering the requests, costs, and post-trip administration work. If things were ever to go south then they are all to blame, we’ve got to understand their situation. TMCs save plenty of time and money by taking care of all bookings, including last-minute trips and changes. If there is ever an incident or event (think unexpected border closures) they’re on hand to bring their travelers home.
4. Let your team do what they do best
Online travel booking may seem like an easy alternative as compared to partnering with a TMC but is that really the best use of your team member’s time? Searching, comparing prices, seat and date availability, payment and booking can take up to 30 minutes or more. These time-consuming activities can be solved in 5 to 10 minutes with the right TMC on board and the best part about it is that you can get the best available price on the day.
5. Utilize 24/7 support from TMCs
Unpredictable situations arise at the most unexpected time. Travel managers will not be able to predict when they will receive an SOS call from a distressed traveler. If the call happens during the weekend there is a possibility that the traveler might not be able to contact the TM. TMCs will make that problem disappear. With dedicated 24/7 support, business travelers will never feel alone during unfortunate circumstances. Have an edge in global travel with a dedicated travel partner. It will make your future business travel seamless. SMEs have started taking advantage of the benefits that TMCs provide so should you.
