SME business travel 101: The complete how-to guide
Say hello to your ultimate toolkit for making business travel a breeze. From dodging the chaos of DIY bookings to building a policy your team will actually follow (and saving money while you're at it), this series covers it all.
Business travel that means business
Business travel isn’t just about getting from A to B. It’s how your company grows, connects, and gets things done. From building solid relationships to sparking creativity and team culture, travel plays a big part in driving your business forward.
And guess what? It’s the start-ups and SMEs leading the charge. You’re travelling more than the big guys, which says a lot. Travel is essential; we both know that. But without the right setup, it can get messy fast.
Enter: Your business travel guide
One day, it’s just a few team members booking flights. The next, you’re trying to track who’s where, how much it all costs, and whether your policy even exists anymore. Throw in wellbeing, risk, sustainability, and constant travel updates, and yeah, it gets complex fast.
That’s why we created this business travel toolkit. It’s packed with expert advice to help you take control of your travel program without the stress. From crafting the perfect travel policy to avoiding the pitfalls (and long hours) of DIY travel and uncovering savings, we’ve covered it all.
This series gives you everything you need to build a business travel program that actually works—for your people and your bottom line. No fluff, no jargon, just practical advice, helpful tools, and real talk.
What even is a business travel program?
Spoiler: It’s not just booking flights. A managed business travel program takes all the moving parts—bookings, safety, savings, support—and wraps them into one effortless setup.
Here is a quick checklist to pressure-test your current situation.
Does your current solution:
- Have your travellers back 24/7, no matter where they are in the world?
- Make booking travel easy and quick?
- Help you spend smarter and save money where it counts?
- Allow you to pull any travel data and reporting with the click of a button?
- Offer advice on how to take care of your people and the planet?
If you didn’t mentally check every box, it might be time for a better solution.
How Angus Knight made the move
Angus Knight was juggling more bookings than ever and needed a better structure to keep up.
With a new booking tool and a solid travel policy in place, they finally had the processes and support to match their growing needs.
Chapter 1: Your travel needs some TLC
Here's the 35,000 ft view
- Enlisting a travel specialist, aka a travel management company (TMC), takes the strain off your team.
- DIY business travel booking is bad for business. We'll show you why.
- Real-life stories to show what it means to have help and support.
- Become a pro in picking the right TMC.
Business travel is personal
Every traveller has their own way of doing things—how they book, what they eat on the plane, where they like to crash for the night. And just like your people, every business is different too.
Some want to keep costs tight. Others are all about giving their team freedom of choice. And some just want a real human to call when things go sideways (hello, global pandemics).
But one thing everyone cares about? Safety. Whether your people are in the office or on the road, keeping them well and looked after is non-negotiable.
Feeling the pressure to juggle all of that and make it work for your business? That’s where a travel partner comes in. The type that makes things feel easy, not overwhelming.
In the biz, we call them travel management companies or TMCs. And yep, they handle all the above (plus plenty more).
Real-life stories of when having a business travel team can save the day
Check out these real-life sticky situations and how travel management support has helped:
- To avoid a 3-hour hold with the airline
- Reduce EAs' stress levels with all the travel admin
- Get travellers home when borders closed
Eight reasons why DIY business travel is bad for your business
Booking travel ad hoc on the web? It's wasting time, money and productivity. You'll see...
- How it's putting travellers at risk
- Why travel shouldn't stress anyone out
- How productivity drops without the right tools
Unmanaged or managed travel?
What's in the best interest of your travellers and your company's bottom line? Let's dive into:
- Travel policy and bookings
- Trip approval processes
- Preferred suppliers and tech
Checklist: What to look out for in a TMC
Gotta love a checklist. Use it to map out what matters most in a TMC and tick off your must-haves while you compare your options.
Here’s what you’ll be sizing up:
- The kind of support team you’ll actually get
- How your people will book their trips
- Where your TMC operates (and if they’ve got the reach where you need it)
Guide: Myths and magic of managed travel
Is your business too small for managed travel? Isn't it just quicker to book your travel online?
We'll answer these questions and more in this guide!
Chapter 2: Every. Dollar. Counts.
Here's the 35,000 ft view
Booking business travel is about way more than just finding the cheapest fare
There are quick wins when it comes to saving money (and we love a quick win)
A good TMC can uncover savings you didn’t even know existed
It’s not just about dollars, it’s about time, ease, and less stress for your team
We’ve even thrown in a template to help you track it all
Don’t waste another minute (or dollar) on clunky business travel
Your travel program isn’t the star of your business strategy, and it shouldn’t be. But it is a piece of the puzzle, and if you’re overpaying or wasting time, it’s holding you back.
Booking travel isn’t just about snagging the cheapest fare. Flight changes, cancellations, and booking headaches all add up fast. The smarter move? Zoom out and look at costs across the whole travel program.
Is Mary from Sales spending hours on InsertAirlineHere.com when she could be closing deals? That’s the red flag. And that’s exactly why it pays to have a travel partner who gets what your business really needs and knows how to deliver it.
5 quick wins to save money
If you’re serious about saving on business travel, there’s more than one way to trim the fat. Here are five quick wins to help you lock in better value without cutting corners.
Money (and stress) saving reasons to offload your business travel admin
Surprise! A managed business travel program can still give your team plenty of freedom to choose how they travel. And the perks? They go way beyond just saving money. Here are a few lesser-known ways to get more value from your business travel—financial and otherwise.
Get your head in the numbers with our savings calculator
Time to get your head in the numbers. Head over to our savings calculator, punch in a few key travel stats, and watch the savings roll in. It only takes a couple of minutes, and trust us, your finance team will thank you.
Guide: Don't pinch pennies. Make smart savings.
Business travel putting a dent in your company budget? As line items go, business travel can pack a punch, but there are insider ways to get impressive savings.
Download the guide for advice on:
- Cutting the biggest costs first
- Spending smarter, not harder
- Unlocking next-level savings
Plus, see how one of our customers slashed their travel spend and how you can too.
Chapter 3: Travel policy
Here's the 35,000 ft view
- Travel can change fast
- A fresh take opens the door to big wins
- Unsure where to start? We have the tools to help
- Take your policy from drab to fab
It’s time to rethink your travel policy
Back in the pre–"you’re on mute" days, winging it with business travel might’ve worked. But the game has changed. These days, it’s not just about racking up frequent flyer points; it’s about flexibility, clear communication, and knowing your people are supported at every step.
Travellers now want to know things like:
- How does your company support employee's safety on the road?
- What’s the plan for sustainable travel?
- Can I change my booking without a meltdown?
That’s where your travel policy comes in. It should reflect a new world of agility, wellbeing, and responsibility while still balancing your people’s preferences and your bottom line.
The payoff? Fewer surprises, fewer headaches, and a whole lot of savings.
“Sweat more in peace, bleed less in battle”
Sun Tzu.
When you spend the time and effort to get your policy right, you're setting yourself up for massive gains in the long run.
Annnnnd, surprise! We're here to help!
Guide: How to build the perfect travel policy
Between hybrid teams, global offices, tight budgets, and growing sustainability goals, keeping travel on track is no small feat. Add in rising traveller expectations and shifting business priorities, and it’s clear, an up-to-date travel policy isn’t a nice-to-have; it’s a must.
If you don’t have a formal business travel policy in place, now’s the time. This guide breaks down exactly what goes into a policy that works—for your people and your bottom line.
Download your copy now and get the clarity you’ve been craving.
Benchmark your business travel policy
Got a travel policy but not sure if it’s actually doing the job?
Take our 2-minute travel policy quiz and find out what’s working, what’s not, and how to level up from basic to brilliant.
It’s quick, easy, and a great way to see how your policy stacks up against others in the biz.
Ready to see how your travel policy is really travelling?
Template: Kick-start your business travel policy
Creating a rock-solid business travel policy is about:
- Asking the right questions
- Answering them based on your company goals and your travellers' needs
- Putting your preferences into a clear, simple policy
- Sharing it with your people and making it stick
Easy enough, right?
A starter policy might cover the basics like booking info, flights (domestic and international), accommodation, and transport.
Taking it from good to great takes a little more time and usually a bit of input from your key stakeholders. But don’t stress. To help you kick things off, we’ve pulled together a simple template to guide your first draft.
Take your policy from drab to fab
Every travel policy starts somewhere. Maybe your policy lives in an email. Maybe it’s a tidy one-pager. Or maybe it’s a multi-page masterpiece. However it’s shaped, there’s always room to level it up.
Sure, most travel policies share a few basics, but the best ones are tailored to fit your company culture, ways of working, and your people.
Want to see what great looks like? Check out our example of a modern, visual travel policy built for today’s SMEs.
Approval processes…streamlined
“Transitioning to the services offered by Corporate Traveller, including their online booking tool, now allows our managers to approve travel online. The sophistication of the technology has also meant it's been easily adopted across the board including by the CEO, who now often books his own travel.”
Peter Homan, General Manager of Finance & Corporate Services, Angus Knight
Chapter 4: Teamwork
Here's the 35,000 ft view
- Travel consultants are just the start
- A good TMC includes travel superstars behind the scenes
- Good service is a must for your travel program
- Onboarding can (and should) be smooth
Look, we're lucky. Travel sells itself. It's in our human nature to connect with others, whether it's pleasure or business. And with so many flights, hotels, and options out there, you’ve got plenty of choices.
So, where do we come in as your TMC? We’re the team that knows how to make that plane seat comfier, that hotel stay smoother, and the whole journey feel less like a hassle and more like a win. Because when your travellers are supported, they perform at their best. Simple as that.
And it’s not just our travel agents making the magic happen. Behind the scenes, you’ve got onboarding pros guiding you from day one, an in-house emergency team on call when things go sideways, customer success legends keeping things sharp, and negotiators working behind the scenes to get you the best deals possible.
It takes a whole crew of travel experts to keep things moving, and we’ve been doing just that for 40 years.
Let’s just say you’re in good hands.
Who's on your team?
Customer Success keeps your travel program flying
Corporate travel’s got a lot going on, but it doesn’t have to feel that way.
When you zoom in, there are loads of moving parts (and people) behind every trip. But making it all run like clockwork? Totally doable, and that’s where we come in.
Every customer at Corporate Traveller gets access to our experienced customer success team. What do they do? Well, the clue’s in the name.
They’re here to make your travel program smooth, smart, and seriously successful.
READ MORE ABOUT CUSTOMER SUCCESS
Travel consultants with serious know-how
Some of our travel teams have over 100 years of experience between them, and yep, that’s as impressive as it sounds. All that knowledge, ready to go when your travellers need help with bookings, changes, or solid advice. Whether it’s a quick tap or a phone call, you’ve got serious expertise on speed dial.
READ MORE ABOUT TRAVEL CONSULTANTS
The onboarding process
Q&A with Global Head of Onboarding, James McIlvenna
Onboarding is the bridge between sales and customer success. It's all about people, culture, and goals.
With years of experience in our Customer Success team, James knows exactly what it takes to set new customers up for smooth sailing, no matter where they are in the world.
We picked his brains on what really matters during onboarding (and how his team makes it look easy).
Service – The #1 Concern
We’ve all been there—stuck in a queue, left on hold, or wondering if anyone’s even listening. That’s why service isn’t just a nice-to-have for us, it’s non-negotiable.
We asked our team (and a few of our awesome customers) what great service really looks like when you're travelling for work. The results? Worth a look.
Change loading...getting buy-in
The toughest part of change? People, not tech. Rolling out new tools or processes is one thing, but the real challenge? Getting your people on board. Internal resistance can be the biggest roadblock of all.
This guide includes:
Leadership and change management across the generations
3 steps: designing, deploying and driving change
When (and why) to bring an expert on board
Chapter 5: Getting techy with it
Here's the 35,000 ft view
- Great tech gives your travellers control of their trips
- Travel tech is more than just an online booking tool
- Tech is better when blended with real-life personal service
- Why you need a good business travel mobile app
Let’s be honest. When you tell the team you’re partnering with a new TMC, someone’s bound to ask, “Can I still book how I want?”
Totally fair. Some travellers love the control of booking things themselves, while others prefer to hand it all over. We’ve already shown you how we deliver when it comes to personal service. Now, let’s talk about how our tech has the self-bookers sorted too.
The truth is, the online booking side is the easy part. We’ve integrated hundreds of airlines, hotels, and car hire options into our platform. Yes, even the tiny regional carriers that fly to the middle of nowhere. Your travellers get instant access to everything they need, all in one place.
But the real magic happens when our tech starts to learn their preferences. Favourite airlines, go-to hotels, flight times that work best—it’s all served up automatically, making every booking feel just right.
And beyond booking, the rest of our tools are top-tier too. From approvals and risk management to powerful reporting and our sleek mobile app, we’ve got it covered.
Whether your team likes to click or call, we’re built for both.
Five must-have travel business tech tools
Technology in business travel should do one thing really well: make life easier. It’s all about simplifying bookings, streamlining approvals, giving you full visibility of spend and travel activity, and most importantly, keeping your people safe and informed.
On that note, here are our top five technology tools SMEs need for business travel.
Tech + people = The perfect combination
Technology is only one piece of the business travel puzzle. The real value comes when you pair it with the people who know how to make it work for you.
In SME business travel, the tools matter, but so does the human touch behind them. It's that combination that takes your travel experience to the next level.
Tech vs. touch: The great balancing act
A recent report from Skift found that 70% of travellers have, at some point, felt like they were left to fend for themselves when something went wrong on the road.
Why is that? Was the tech not smart enough to flag the disruption and connect them to support? Or was the chatbot useless at handling the situation?
The companies that will stand out are the ones that know how to balance automation with real human help.
Download our insights piece to see why getting the tech and touch mix right is one of the biggest game-changers in business travel.
About Flight Centre Travel Group
The Flight Centre Travel Group is one of the world’s largest travel retailers and corporate travel managers. The company, which is headquartered in Brisbane, Australia, has company-owned leisure and corporate travel business in dozens of countries, spanning Australia, New Zealand, the Americas, Europe, the United Kingdom, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, and Asia. ASX listed Flight Centre Travel Group (FLT) also operates the global FCM corporate travel management network, which extends to more than 100 countries through company-owned businesses and independent licensees, along with Corporate Traveller, the flagship business specific to the small-to-medium-sized enterprise sector. For more information, visit fctgl.com.
