What to look for in a modern corporate travel management solution

In the early days of corporate travel management, businesses relied on travel agents to book business trips. While this process worked, it was highly time-consuming and inefficient. 

Business travel management has come a long way thanks to online booking tools, travel management software, expense management technology, and mobile apps. Today, modern travel management companies (TMCs) help all kinds of business travel programmes with the entire process: travel booking, real-time policy compliance, traveller support, travel data, and risk management.

Travel management has continued to evolve, and new tools and processes are essential given how global business travel has rebounded since the pandemic. Business travel management is again a top concern for global companies, and leaders are looking for tech-first providers that can handle today’s unique challenges, which include team travel, business travel, and blended leisure and business travel.

Key factors to consider when choosing a corporate travel management solution

Here are some key factors to consider when considering a corporate travel management solution.

Dynamic travel policy

With dynamic travel policy, companies can adjust travel spend limits for hotel rooms based on the market’s best available prices. Using a dynamic policy removes the need to set static booking price caps which fail to consider seasonality and other causes of price fluctuation.

High traveller adoption

A solution with high traveller adoption gives travel managers the visibility they need into traveller safety, travel cost savings, and more. Navan customers see higher than 90% adoption rates.

Live travel agent support

In today’s travel climate, arming employees with reliable support is integral to duty of care and risk management. Plus, it boosts employee wellbeing because they know they’re only a message away from travel experts who can help solve their needs.

Best-in-class global inventory

To minimise leakage and increase adoption, travel platforms must provide broad access to the most desirable inventory, including airfares, car rentals, hotel rooms, rental cars, ground transportation, and business class options at the best prices.

Travel inventory: the broader the better

Look for a corporate travel tool with a broad travel inventory from multiple sources, including Global Distribution Systems, New Distribution Capability (NDC), direct connections, aggregators, and online travel agencies (OTAs).

Optimised for safety and compliance

Modern travel management services can go far beyond what was possible with a traditional travel agency in order to minimise travel risks.

Sustainability features

Businesses can rely on corporate TMCs to provide the real-time data required to make emissions decisions, educate travellers on their carbon impact, and build tools designed to help companies meet their business travel sustainability goals.  

Designed for use

Businesses and travellers expect a consumer-grade, personalised, mobile-first, chat-enabled, AI-augmented interface. Outdated interfaces will lead to external bookings, decreased adoption rates, and the inability to gain visibility and insights.

Integrated expense management

Expense reports were once a drawn-out process after a business trip. Today, they can be automated, saving significant time across the company.

During the trip, travelling employees are empowered with a corporate credit card that they can use on travel expenses. All spend is intuitively checked against corporate travel policies, and non-compliant spend prevented at the point of sale. 

Cost optimisation

With new software programmes, businesses can get the best deals on corporate travel and save money on their overall travel budget. With real-time visibility, they can see which departments are spending the most on business travel and make adjustments.

Increased efficiency

New technology has made corporate travel management much more efficient, so business travellers can get more work done while on the road.

The Navan difference

The travel industry is tackling the challenge of how modern corporate travel programmes should evolve. Many modern travel management solutions claim to improve the travel experience, provide a 360-degree TMC, offer a smooth UX for itineraries, and provide support. While Amex GBT, Egencia, and others are trying, Navan has already produced an innovative, all-in-one travel, corporate card, and expense management solution.

With Navan, finance and travel teams can easily configure and auto-enforce policy to ensure compliance while leveraging real-time reporting to ensure traveller safety and a unified view of all spend. As a result, organisations can achieve high adoption rates and get real-time spend visibility to make the best business decisions to drive cost savings, productivity, and compliance. Navan delivers an experience employees love while giving finance teams real-time spend visibility and control. With a consumer-grade user experience, employees can easily book travel, manage itineraries, and manage expenses.

Manage your business travel expenses with Navan

Thousands of global customers trust Navan with their travel, corporate card, and expense management programmes. Learn more about Navan today.