Should you automate corporate travel?

Last Updated on: April 2, 2025 at 8:47 am

Corporate travel is a necessary part of operations for many companies, but managing it efficiently is no easy task. Traditionally, travel planning involved a central admin or department coordinating bookings or employees choosing their own flights and hotels, often with little oversight. This manual approach led to fragmented processes, higher costs, and poor policy compliance.

Automation promised a fix. But despite the rise of travel management platforms, businesses still struggle with inconsistent enforcement, policy exceptions, and ballooning costs. The real question isn’t whether to automate business travel—it’s bagaimana to do it without losing flexibility or control.

Mengapa automate corporate travel?

According to TruTrip data, businesses that automate travel policies efficiently save up to 20% more on travel costs than those relying on manual approvals. Automation helps flag non-compliant bookings, suggest cheaper alternatives, and enforce fare thresholds—all in real-time.

1. Cost control through policy enforcement

As observed, in Company A, self-booked flights cost 21% more on average than manager-booked ones. Nearly 45% of these flights were 30% above the median fare due to a lack of budget thresholds and loose policy enforcement.

Compare that with Company B: With structured budget caps and approval flows, their cost difference between self- and manager-booked flights was just 5%.

2. Improved compliance without micro-managing

Automated workflows can improve policy compliance when paired with real-time booking platforms. That doesn’t mean taking control away from travelers—it means embedding smart, adaptive rules that steer them toward compliant choices.

In our internal comparison:

• Company B rejected 10% of requests (stricter approval process), but enjoyed tighter cost control and fewer policy violations.
• Company A had fewer rejections (7%) but higher costs, due to relaxed controls and manual approvals.

Automation gives businesses a middle ground: enforce rules invisibly, guide decisions subtly, and reduce the need for constant intervention.

3. Operational efficiency

Manual processes slow things down. Booking delays of just two days can increase airfare by up to 23%, according to TruTrip’s data. In Company A, bookings were made 2 days closer to departure than manager-booked equivalents, contributing directly to inflated costs.

Even though 90% of bookings on TruTrip are approved quickly, the remaining 10% that go through manual steps can create bottlenecks. These delays are often caused by:

• Travelers choosing suboptimal routes
• Managers are manually overriding bookings

Automated workflows cut through this clutter—auto-approving compliant bookings while flagging only the ones that truly require attention.

4. Smarter use of travel management platforms

A travel platform is only as good as how it’s used. TruTrip’s analysis shows:

• Self-booking works best for experienced travelers with regular routes.
• Manager booking is better for group travel, infrequent travelers, or last-minute plans.

Knowing when to use each method—and automating the rules around them—lets businesses unlock real value.

Key Optimization Levers

1. Data-driven policy design

Generic travel policies don’t work. Use booking behavior, approval data, and fare trends to refine your rules. Platforms like TruTrip surface insights such as:

• Cost deltas between self- and manager-booked trips
• Lead-time impact on fares
• Common reasons for policy exceptions

2. Lead-time enforcement

TruTrip data shows companies that enforce a 7-day lead time for domestic flights save 15–20% on average. TruTrip clients can:

• Set booking windows by trip type
• Require extra justification for last-minute trips
• Automatically approve early, compliant bookings

3. Traveler education

Self-booked corporate travel tends to be more expensive than manager-booked ones, on top of that, one of the most common reasons for a booking request rejection is when managers are able to find cheaper options or more optimal routes. Companies should prioritize educating corporate travellers on:

• Why policies exist
• How to spot cost-efficient choices
• How their decisions impact the company

4. Automated approvals with guardrails

Too many businesses rely on humans to catch compliance issues. Instead:

• Set auto-approval for bookings under a certain threshold
• Geo-restrict travel zones to preferred suppliers
• Flag only true exceptions, not every booking
  

Final take: Make it work for everyone

✅ Empower travelers with real-time price visibility and smart guidance
✅ Use automation to streamline approvals and reduce friction
✅ Enforce policy without sacrificing flexibility
✅ Monitor trends to keep improving

The right automation strategy doesn’t restrict travelers—it supports them. See it in action by mendaftar untuk percubaan percuma atau menempah demo with us. By using data and smart workflows, businesses can reduce costs, increase compliance, and make corporate travel seamless.