If you’re in charge of a corporate travel program, then you know that visibility is the key to keeping employee travel expenses down while also providing your travelers with a positive experience. You need to be able to see where your employees are, what they’re spending, and how they’re getting around. But visibility isn’t just important for the administrators who need to enforce the company travel expense policy. Employees need to be able to see their own itineraries and expenses so that they can make the most of their travel and stay within budget.
In a world where technology makes it easy for employees to book their own travel, giving them the tools they need to stay informed is more important than ever. So, how do you give your employees the visibility they need while still keeping travel expenses under control? Read on for our tips.
The importance of visibility in a corporate travel program
Visibility is key for two main reasons:
- You need to be able to see where your employees are.
- You need to be able to see what they’re spending.
If you can’t track your employees’ travel, then you can’t be sure that they’re staying safe or staying within budget. At a basic level, the finance team needs accurate accounting, but there’s a safeguard for employees, too. Your travelers may experience an unexpected change of plans or a necessary expenditure that exceeds the budget, and clear communication in your company travel expense policy can help employees feel both protected and accountable for their spending.
How visibility can help improve efficiency and save your company money
Corporate travel programs are often plagued by inefficiencies and waste. Visibility can help you root out these problems so that you can save your company money. For example, if you can see that your employees are booking last-minute travel, you can work with them to plan their trips better in advance. Or, if you see that significant amounts of their employee travel expenses are being spent on taxis, you can provide them with alternatives like corporate shuttles or public transportation options. By making small changes based on what you can see, you can make a big impact on the efficiency of your corporate travel program – and on your bottom line.
Tips for improving the visibility of your corporate travel program
There are a few simple things you can do to improve the visibility of your corporate travel program:
- Use corporate travel software. Corporate travel management software can help you keep track of all aspects of your travel program in one place. Look for a software that offers features like itinerary management, real-time reporting, and tracking of employee travel expenses.
- Encourage employees to use your corporate travel software. The more employees that use the corporate travel software, the more visibility you’ll have into the program as a whole. Of course, using the software should be part of your company’s travel expense policy, but take the extra step to make it easy for employees. Provide access, training, and support. Give them incentives to use it such as rewards for booking their travel early or discounts on ground transportation.
- Use data to your advantage. The data generated by your corporate travel program can be a valuable tool for improving visibility. Use data analytics to identify trends and patterns in employee travel expenses and habits. And use reporting features to generate reports that will help you track progress and spot problems.
Improving the visibility of your corporate travel program doesn’t have to be difficult. By using corporate travel software and encouraging employees to use it, you can make a big impact with just a few simple changes.
The bottom line
Visibility is key to a successful corporate travel program. It helps keep employees safe, informed, and within budget. And it can help you root out inefficiencies and save your company money. So if you’re not already using visibility to manage your corporate travel program, now is the time to start. Your employees – and your bottom line – will thank you for it.
How Telios Travel can help
When your company wants to cut down on spending, give us a call. Telios Travel is a qualified travel management company that can reduce travel spend without scaling back on the quality of your travelers’ trips. We bring 35 years of experience, insider knowledge, and industry partnerships to the table. Talk to a dedicated agent today to learn how we can help your team comply with your company travel expense policy more effectively and efficiently. Call today to get started.
