Travel management 101: Back to the basics 

Managed vs. unmanaged travel 

Managed travel refers to any business travel that is supported by the services and expertise of a TMC. Travel bookings are either made with a dedicated travel manager or via the travel company’s online booking tool (OBT), all of which are consolidated into a single, easy-to-digest report. 

Unmanaged travel, on the other hand, is where an organisation handles its own business travel arrangements. In some cases, travel tasks and responsibilities may be delegated to a travel arranger or assistant. In others, businesses leave employees to book for themselves directly on InsertAirlineHere.com.

For some businesses, unmanaged travel a highly attractive option. But things aren’t always as they seem. 

Is your travel program unmanaged? Check out our article on managed vs. unmanaged corporate travel to see some key benefits to a managed program that you might not know you’re missing out on.

5 key components of an effective corporate travel management program

No matter the size of the organisation, number of stakeholders, or software employed, an effective corporate travel management program typically consists of several key components. 

1. Inclusive corporate travel policies 

This one might seem obvious, but we can’t stress it enough. Your travel policy is an extension of your travel program and company culture. A travel policy is the glue that holds your travel program together – from approvals, expenses, booking processes, and emergency contacts. 

Having a travel policy helps you: 

• Control travel costs
• Determine how reimbursement works
• Compile a list of trusted and approved travel vendors
• Manage an employee’s travel experience and safety
• Cut rogue bookings – and simplify approvals
• Budget, report on travel expenses and activity and reconcile bookings 

As a company though, your travel policy helps centralise your travel program, makes data and tracking more accurate and easier to navigate, and it saves time and money (including on expense management). Plus, if you take the time to craft your policy in an intentional and inclusive way, you’ll have a policy your travellers are happier to follow. 

2. The “right” corporate travel booking tool 

Not all online booking tools are created equal. 

Look for a travel platform that helps you develop processes that simplify: 

Travel policy compliance – You've gone through the trouble of building a policy that meets all your travellers' needs. How can you make sure your travellers follow it? A corporate travel management platform, like Your.CT, allows you to outline your travel policy in the platform and alerts bookers when they are selecting options outside the company guidelines to help them stay on track. 

•  Centralised booking – Booking across different websites and compiling it into one organised itinerary is tricky. Your.CT brings all the available booking options, including flights, hotels, and transportation, into one platform. Say goodbye to that browser full of open tabs
• Preferred vendor integration – Have a preferred airline? Like a specific hotel bed the most? Collecting rental car loyalty points? Our travel platform, Your.CT, delivers your preferred vendors first so you always find what you're looking for. You'll rest easy knowing your travellers are choosing from the negotiated rates and exclusive deals that save your bottom line.
• Approval workflows – Jump off the approvals merry-go-round. With Your.CT, you can set up a custom approval workflow to make sure that travel requests are routed to the appropriate managers for review. Once approved, Your.CT takes care of booking the rest. 

3. Consolidated reporting and expense management 

Your travel program looks blurry when you're looking for your travel spend data among different sources. This is where consolidating your travel data with a single travel management company proves its worth: 

•  Centralised data management: The sheer volume of travel data can be overwhelming to say the least. You can spot trends and opportunities to cut travel costs and enhance your travel program from one dashboard.
•  Leveraging the right tools: TMCs offer a range of tools for various aspects of travel management. With a TMC, you can consolidate the tools you need for reporting and quickly view everything from travel expenses to carbon emissions tracking.
• Nothing gets past you: A common challenge companies face with their travel programs is booking leakage, where employees make bookings outside the approved channels. With consolidated travel data, you can more effectively identify and target booking, supplier, or channel leakage. 

4. Corporate travel discounts & rates 

Business travel isn’t cheap. And if it is not managed effectively, it can be a black hole for your company’s budget. 

Corporate travel rates are special deals that are offered to companies by travel service providers. These rates are specifically designed to cater to the travel needs of individual businesses, giving them access to more economical options and perks that might not be available to the average solo traveller. 

Why? Essentially, travel services providers want to give businesses like yours a more attractive rate so that they can gain your loyalty and secure a high volume of business. 

This includes air travel, hotels, car rentals, and rideshare accounts. 

So how can you benefit? That’s easy – invest in a full travel management package. 

Here at Corporate Traveller, you can expect greater choices without missing out on business travel savings. With a network spanning 90+ countries and counting, we can hook you up with ALL the rates. 

5. Proactive duty of care 

Duty of care is a company’s moral and legal obligation to monitor its employees' safety and security.  And when your employees venture beyond the borders of their familiar workspace, their health and safety take centre stage. 

Most incidents that occur on business trips are not a matter of life-or-death…but they’re still pretty inconvenient. From a stolen phone to food poisoning, small incidents may add up to lost workdays, wasted business trips, and unhappy employees. 

To keep your travellers safe, they need support and assistance - anytime, anywhere. This not only ensures that they are safe, but also that they feel safe. The safer your team members feel on their travels the more relaxed and productive they’ll be, improving staff retention and streamlining the travel experience. 

The best way to ensure your traveller’s safety? Preparation. Put a plan in place to reassure your travellers and give them a game plan for every situation. With the right prep, you’ll know exactly where all your travellers are and how to reach them at any point of their journey.