Hertha BSC future-proofs with Navan’s travel management solution
Results
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Cost savings
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Transparency and control of spend
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Time savings
Hertha BSC is one of Germany's most established football clubs, founded over 130 years ago and playing at Berlin’s iconic Olympiastadion. Being a professional club comes with extensive amounts of travelling, whether it’s matchday staff going to and from domestic league games, club scouts travelling internationally to find new players, or office staff travelling regularly for business. In the context of the challenging economic climate, Hertha BSC sought a new travel provider that would bring savings and structure to its travel programme.
Before Navan
Previously, Hertha BSC didn’t use a central travel provider. For matches, travel was arranged by the team administrator through a travel agency or directly with hotels.
Non-matchday travel was primarily booked by the employees themselves. With no standardised booking tool, employees across the club were booking and managing travel differently.
Employees were encouraged to compare prices on several platforms before manually submitting a request for approval. They could only book the trip after they had received approval.
It was clear this approach wasn’t cost-effective, created extra work, and limited the travel data the club could access, so Hertha BSC set out to find a new solution.
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Simplifying the business travel process, for both travellers and controllers, was the main goal in seeking a new business travel solution. Navan was the perfect choice.
Thomas E. Herrich
Managing Director
Why Hertha BSC chose Navan
User-friendly platform
When assessing different providers during the selection process, Hertha BSC prioritised a unified, user-friendly platform that made it easy for all types of employees to book their own trips. In this regard, Navan’s comprehensive travel platform stood out from the competition.
Next, it was time to put the platform to the test. Hertha BSC used Navan to book some of its staff's travel to a training camp in Spain; the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Thanks to virtual cards tied to each booking, the travel expenses were processed directly in the platform and submitted automatically at the time of purchase.
Furthermore, the platform promoted a selection of suitable, pre-approved flights at a glance, making the booking process easier than ever before. The trip was booked in minutes, and Hertha BSC’s team was won over.
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The booking of travel and accommodation is perfectly combined in one tool, simplifying the process and saving valuable time.
Thomas E. Herrich
Managing Director
A close cultural fit
During the selection process, Thomas E. Herrich, Hertha BSC’s Managing Director, recognised the close cultural fit between the club and Navan, in particular the “open people, clear communication, and fast decision-making processes.” It was, he says, “exactly how we imagined the perfect business travel partner to be.”
What’s more, the acquisition of German travel provider Comtravo in 2020 gave Navan a deep understanding of the German travel market, a detail that left Thomas with no doubt about the decision.
Looking ahead
With the implementation of Navan imminent, the launch teams at Hertha BSC and Navan are working closely on the preparation process.
At first, Navan will be used by non-matchday travellers before launching for players and coaching staff soon after.
In addition to the logistical advantages of Navan, Thomas is looking forward to giving Hertha BSC employees access to Navan for personal travel, so they can book holidays on the platform and enjoy beneficial rates. “We see booking personal trips via the Navan platform as a company benefit, which is why we’re making the tool available to all employees,” says Thomas.
Future-proofing
Another priority for Hertha BSC is future-proofing, both in terms of finances and sustainability, and using Navan to support its goals in these areas.
The Navan platform will give Hertha BSC admins comprehensive reporting options that help the club identify ways to reduce its environmental impact. “Travelling will always cause emissions. However, we are convinced that Navan can help us minimise our CO2 emissions through its market-leading position and continuous innovations in the area of sustainability,” says Thomas.
Regarding costs, the Navan platform will give Hertha BSC full control of spending, while admins can depend on dynamic policy guardrails that adjust according to the market rate to keep costs lower.
All in all, Navan will help the club future-proof in just a few months — a goal of the season for its business travel strategy.