How travel management goes beyond booking a flight & hotel

Last Updated on: March 7, 2023 at 9:26 am

Imagine this scenario: You have a business trip coming up in a matter of days that requires you to fly halfway across the globe for an important meeting. There are work tasks to complete in the days leading up to your trip, and travel arrangements to be made – visa, passport, flight tickets, hotel booking, vaccination certificates and Covid-19 testing. You may also be anxious to travel due to unknown health and safety risks, and may be unsure about your company’s duty of care. 

Business travel is rewarding but it can be stressful, and the pressure can get in the way of work. Ideally, all aspects of your business travel should be seamlessly handled.  

Choosing the right accommodation and the best flight route for you is important, but it is only the tip of your travel arrangements. And what if there’s a delay? Or if something goes wrong on your trip – you fall ill, lose your passport or need foreign currency? This is where travel management makes a difference to the whole travel experience. It goes far beyond just booking a flight and hotel.

Good travel management makes sure you have everything you need to be productive, and that your business travel is hassle-free. It is also about making sure you are covered in case of an emergency, and that you have support in times of need. You can focus on what matters – your work and the business.

Here’s how the right travel management partner can help you at every stage of your business trip – from start to finish:

Setting up your business travel programme

For businesses, the right business travel setup does more than enable employees to travel. It empowers employees to make choices, gives them confidence that they are taken care of, and aligns with your business goals including – cost management, risk management, productivity, welfare and safety. 

The right travel management tool has your and your travellers’ interest at its core:

Smart automated travel policy: 

Travel managers can build the company travel policy into the platform. You can set different policies across employee groups and even make policy exceptions. When employees make bookings, they can adhere to company policy effortlessly. If a request outside of travel policy is made, it will be flagged to travel managers for approval. 

How it helps your business: Productivity, Cost management 

Flexible travel:

Travel plans can change at the last minute whether due to travel conditions, schedule changes or employees taking ill. Choosing a travel management solution with a flexibility option can save you a lot of cost and hassle. 

How it helps your business: Productivity, Cost management, Risk management, Welfare and safety

Traveller monitoring and risk alerts:

Keep your travellers safe and protected at all times with up-to-date risk intelligence and travel information.  

How it helps your business: Productivity, Risk management, Welfare and safety

Before your business trip

When it comes to travel, the pre-planning stage makes the most difference to how your trip unfolds. The right travel management platform empowers you to decide what arrangements work best for you and gives you control over your travel choices. You can make plans confidently knowing you have everything you need and you are supported every step of the way. 

Here is how TruTrip can make business travel quick, easy and enjoyable for you at every stage: 

• Searching for the right flight and accommodation: Huge travel inventory at your fingertips. Need a flight with shorter transit? Or want to freshen up at an airport lounge? Looking for company-wide stays or unique boutique hotels? Make your selection based on your needs and preferences. 

• Easy checklist of all travel requirements: With Fit-2-Fly, you can view a detailed checklist of all documents and travel requirements including passport, visa, vaccination and Covid-19 testing. Fuss-free and you can reach out to the support team for assistance any time.

• Booking of local transportation: Getting around in an unfamiliar city can be a little intimidating. TruTrip lets you book taxis and airport shuttles ahead of time, and you will be able to view the rates and the details of your booking.

• Travel advisory: Get up-to-date travel restrictions and risk intelligence all in one place. 

While you are travelling and when you reach your destination

Your business trip is planned and you are all set to go. While you focus on giving your best at your meetings, here is how TruTrip helps you:

• Access to your travel details: You will be able to access your travel details, such as your itinerary and boarding pass, at any time. 
  
• Risk alerts: In partnership with Riskline, you will be alerted if there are any risks to your health, safety and travel plans. This gives you the heads-up to take action if necessary.
  
• 24/7 Support: If something goes wrong while you are travelling, our support team is available to help throughout. 

Looking after you post-trip 

The last thing you want to do after your business trip is compile receipts and go through a tedious claims process. With the right integrations, you can keep track, report expenses and make claims easily. 

For travel managers, the expense report will help smarter planning of future business trips. Improve your business travel programme by allocating resources based on expense patterns and travel trends.

Smart & thoughtful business travel with TruTrip

We’re always thinking of how we can make business travel better and easier for you. Book a demo or sign up for a free trial to see how TruTrip can take you places.