What should you ask a potential partner before signing a business travel contract?
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If you're thinking about choosing a trusted partner to handle your company's comprehensive business travel organisation, you're in luck! In this article, we'll explore why internal analysis and defining your business travel needs are crucial before making a decision. We'll also discuss why a travel policy is so important and what to ask a potential service provider.
Analysis of the company's needs related to business trips
Before deciding on a company to organize your business trip, gather internal data on past trips. Analyse the opinions of key departments, including Finance (budget control), HR, Administration (organization and logistics), and the travelling employees themselves. You should review previous reports related to business trips. Next, document the company's current business travel needs. You can use the following points as a guide:
- Travel purposes - define the main reasons for travel (e.g., meetings with clients, conferences, training, acquiring business partners).
- Numbers and dates - determine exactly how many employees travel and how often.
- Budget - determine the annual domestic and international travel costs for your company. Estimate the overall budget for travel and the costs of individual components (flights, hotels, transportation, and additional costs such as visas and insurance).
- Standards - indicate the expected level of comfort (flight class, hotel standard) and preferred types of suppliers (e.g., airlines, hotel chains).
Combining hard data and the perspectives of different team members is the first step in choosing the right service provider who will approach your company's needs individually.
Creating or updating a business travel policy
If your company doesn't have a formal policy, it's high time to change it. If you do have one, it's worth checking to make sure it's up-to-date and doesn't require modification. A travel policy should include clear rules, such as:
- Criteria for selecting the standard of hotels and flight classes - precise definition of who and under what conditions can travel (e.g., economy class, 3-4 star hotels, taking into account the length of the flight).
- Rules for using other means of transport - clear guidelines for renting cars, using services such as Uber, Bolt, or taxis (e.g., preference for more economical options).
- Minimum booking deadlines for business trips - introducing the obligation to book well in advance, e.g., 14 days before departure, which has a direct impact on money savings.
- Price ceilings for individual services - cost limits for elements such as airport-hotel transfers or per dies.
- Settlement, invoicing, and payment rules - simplifying the process by standardizing procedures.
The travel policy helps to organize all processes related to business trips and facilitates the selection of the right service provider (e.g., replacing a traditional travel agency with an intuitive platform).
Which business travel management method should you choose?
Choosing a business travel management method is a decision that directly impacts budget, work efficiency, and employee travel satisfaction. Not all providers operate equally. Before making a choice, it's worth thoroughly researching the market and identifying the differences between modern online tools and traditional travel agencies.
| Characteristic | Online platform for booking business trips | Traditional travel agency |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 24/7/365, just a few clicks, fully intuitive | Only during the agent's working hours |
| Budget control | Automatic verification of travel policy compliance and real-time reporting | Manual budget control is manual and is usually only possible after the fact |
| Reservation process | Standalone, simplified, and fast | Requires contact (e-mail, phone), long waiting time |
You can find a detailed comparison here.
Key questions to ask your service provider
It's worth asking specific questions about the offer and its customization options. The best solution is to choose a company that offers flexible and innovative solutions. Key areas to pay attention to:
- Infrastructure and technology - ask for a concise description of the company, its values, and its technological infrastructure. Learn about its practical processes and whether the company provides 24/7 travel agent support.
- Range of additional services – what is the range of services offered beyond the reservation? Aspects that guarantee safety and convenience are important: for example, purchasing an insurance policy, visa mediation, or assistance with organizing airport-hotel transfers.
- Personalization - find out how a company can tailor its offering to your needs.
- Testing the tool - if you're considering an online tool, ask to try it out in practice. You need to ensure that the promised intuitiveness is truly high.
- References and case studies - check out previous clients, preferably from your industry.
- Concierge and VIP offer - find out if a given company also provides other non-standard services, such as meet & greet, fast truck, check-in, or assistance.
Travel expenses and reporting
Comprehensive business travel management should translate into real savings in time, money, and simplified billing. Get answers to the following questions:
- How does the company plan to comply with its internal business travel policy to avoid unnecessary expenses and keep travel costs in check?
- Does this solution automatically summarize all costs in one place, making it easier to settle travel expenses?
- Is reporting available in real time? What data can be filtered (e.g., by department, employee, travel purpose, expense category)?
- Is it possible to eliminate the need for employees to use their private funds to pay for travel?
- How are documents collected and stored? Can they be accessed online?
Organize your business trip effortlessly
Choosing a partner is an important, strategic decision. We recommend basing it on a thorough review of reporting, automation, and support capabilities. The right service provider will allow you to easily settle travel expenses and transform business trips into a process that's as simple and intuitive as possible. If you're looking for a company that guarantees full budget control and simplified processes for every department, contact us to discuss implementing a modern solution in your company.
