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Now that the new year has begun and your holiday hangover has worn off, it’s time to refresh your corporate travel policy or to create one from scratch. There are several things to keep in mind when coming up with an effective policy that will maintain balance between company needs and employee satisfaction. Read on to find out how you can kick off the new year with a business travel policy of steel.

PLANNING THE POLICY

Before you begin writing the travel policy, make sure you set goals and negotiate deals.

#Goals

Okay fine, when most people use the popular “#goals” hashtag, they probably don’t have corporate travel policies in mind. But most people aren’t you! As Travel Manager, it’s important that you set goals before writing up the policy. Meet with the relevant people in the office to discuss the business plan for 2019 so that you can create a travel policy that’s the right fit for your company this year. Goals can include anything from cutting corporate travel costs to making your employees happy so they stick around longer. Once you’ve established what your goals are, you can get to work on ensuring the travel policy matches those goals.

Hotel haggling

Now that you’re clear on your goals, you’re ready to negotiate. All employees appreciate the flexibility, so you’ll want to negotiate travel discounts with various hotels in specific cities to keep your travelers’ options open. The idea is to save your company money through great discounts while giving your employees as much of a selection as possible. Not a great negotiator? Ask your accommodation partner to help you close deals. We’re an excellent haggler.

WRITING THE POLICY

You’ve set your goals and negotiated deals with hotels. Next, you’ll want to include the following elements in your travel policy.

Expense rules

Even the most loyal employee can exaggerate their travel expenses. By writing a crystal clear section on expenses, your employees will know what they’ll be reimbursed on, and you’ll limit the element of surprise when it comes to crazy expenses. No more “Surprise! I bought my dog a cashmere sweater with company money, because of course I had to take him with me on the business trip, and he gets cold.”. A travel management platform can greatly help you establish approved expense categories and non-refundables so your employees will know exactly what they will and won’t be reimbursed for.

Expense reporting process

You’ve listed the allowed expenses. Now you need to lay out the process for reporting expenses and getting reimbursement. This can vary from company to company, so it’s up to you to choose what works for your business. Be sure to describe what documentation you’ll require from your travelers (such as receipts), and when the deadline is for submission. Do you require pre-approval for any expenses? Mention that in the policy, as well as who should be contacted for pre-approval. The more specific you get, the less room your employees will have for asking for reimbursement on irrelevant expenses.

Employee safety

If you want your employees to be an asset to your company, you’ll probably need to keep them alive! Detail safety procedures in your travel policy so your travelers can stay protected. Explain what kind of travel insurance the company has, and who should be contacted in case of emergency. Also, a little light stalking never hurt anyone! Use an online booking tool that lets you track your travelers during their trip. That way, if anything goes wrong, you can know where they are. Not in a creepy way.

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Of course, there are more details to consider when creating a business travel policy, but these points should help get you started! To best manage employee travel, try Arbitrip’s personalized travel platform.

As a travel manager, you’re no doubt well aware of how critical corporate travel can be to your company’s business. I mean, if the title of this article had been “5 Reasons to Stop Business Travel,” you’d probably be pretty bummed out, since that would put you out of a job! Lucky for you, the Big Boss at your company already knows how important employee business trips are – that’s why he hired you!

The fact that your company acknowledges the need for corporate travel, however, does not mean that they’re happy about all the money it’s costing them. Thankfully, there are things you can do to decrease costs. Trust me – your CFO will thank you. Read on to find out some simple tricks to help you cut down on business travel expenses.

1. Plan like a pro

Scheduling your employees’ trips ahead of time can save you a lot more money than you think. If you book flights over a week prior to departure, you can help save your company more than $100 per employee plane ticket.

In addition to scheduling in advance, you can also save money by considering the specific time you have your employees travel. You’ll want to avoid the dates of major events like London’s Fashion Week, for example. Same goes for spring break – try to avoid it (unless you’re eager for an “employees gone wild” sort of trip), and work around the specific dates of spring break. I know, I know, this isn’t a perfect world, and you have to allow for last-minute needs. But when you can, booking in advance and being careful about timing is a must.

2. Make saving a win-win

If you have kids, you probably know how well the rewards system works with them. Rather than focusing on the punishment your child will get every time they break a rule, offering them a treat each time they do something good makes them feel proud and accomplished for good behavior.

Newsflash: adults are just like kids. We like to be rewarded too – whether in the form of praise or free stuff. That’s why rewarding your employees for saving money instead of punishing them for spending too much can be wise. Face it – your employees don’t care about saving your company money. They need an incentive. There are different ways you can go about this. You can choose to set a specific budget for your travelers, and if they spend less, give them credits for future trips. Alternatively, you can allow your travelers to keep a percentage of whatever they save. That will help keep them stay within budget without making them feel like you’re cheaping out on them.

3. Perfect your policy

Establishing an effective corporate travel policy is no easy feat. There are tons of things to consider, including booking flights and hotels and setting an allowance that makes sense. Check out the travel policy you currently have in place, and decide if it needs improving. Make sure everything is laid out clearly so that your travelers know everything they need to know in order to stay in budget.

4. Set up pre-approvals

How many times have you seen employee trips being canceled and money being wasted? Probably enough for you to know that a good pre-approval system is key. If you set one up, you’ll be able to save your company money on unnecessary costs. Make sure all employees understand who they need approval from for travel, so you can avoid canceled trips.

5. Get smart with travel tech

Your phone’s smart, your watch might be smart, (hopefully you’re smart), now it’s time your travel management processes be smart! Gone are the days of pretty much anything manual. By using travel management technology, you can do everything I mentioned above in a fast, simple way. A travel management platform will help you plan business trips, set clear budgets, establish a pre-approval system, and come up with an optimal travel policy.

Check out Arbitrip’s business travel program to get you started on decreasing business travel costs today.

Why Every Business Should Have A Travel Program

Noise canceling headphones? Check. Passport? Check. Travel program? Not so much…

Whatever the size of your company, startup, or scale up, business travel will inevitably be one of your management challenges. Unfortunately, many growing companies don’t have a clear travel program in place. And this can be a big mistake.

Your team’s travel needs can be quite unpredictable throughout the year. Businesses often require that the office manager, HR department, or personal assistant takes on the responsibility for booking flights, hotels, taxis, and everything else that comes with it. As you might imagine, without a clear policy or travel program, a company may run into miscommunication or overspending related issues.

Having a clearly defined travel program can help keep things running smoothly and avoid a few headaches along the way! So let’s take a look at the benefits of implementing one in greater detail.

Establishes rules

First and foremost, a travel program will define a number of rules, which will help the travel manager or executive assistant make decisions much more easily. It will also help establish boundaries and ensure that team members don’t seek out preferential treatment.

Keeps budgets on track

Travel is expensive and it’s easy for costs to get out of hand – especially when it comes to booking flights and hotels. Having a travel program will help you keep your expenses in check and follow a strict budget.

Reinforces the need for planning

A travel program also helps set deadlines for business travel. This will help reduce the number of last minute trips (where possible) and will lower the number of stressful unplanned scrambles to find suitable hotels, transport, etc.

Standardizes suppliers

By carefully evaluating which hotel chains and airlines offer the best value, you can save time, money, and ensure a certain standard of service. Of course, you must also take into account the number of stopovers, comfort and safety of your staff when selecting suppliers. Make sure you get feedback from your team each time they travel and re-evaluate when costs rise, or the quality of the service drops. If you use a dedicated travel agency, you will be better able to keep track of your team’s whereabouts.

Clarifies expenses

Travel programs must also establish what expenses are covered, how they should be claimed, and who should be made aware of them. A blurry travel expenses policy can lead to misspending, confusion, or even quiet resentment when different team members are given preferential treatment. If you provide an expenses card for regular travelers, you’ll be able to keep tabs on your costs more effectively.

All in all, an effective travel program will help you to reduce costs, track spending data, avoid stress, automate approvals, and ensure that every team members knows where they stand when it comes to business travel.

Do you have any questions about setting up a travel program? Arbitrip is here to help! Drop us a line – we’d love to hear from you.

The problem with business travel – particularly hotel stays – is that there’s too much choice. Not just concerning the inclusion of breakfast, airport transfers, and proximity to company offices/conference venues – but how the darn thing gets paid for.

We can pay online, in person, on arrival, at checkout, or have someone else handle it completely. But actually, when you think about it, you can group these into two primary transaction types: Pre-Pay and Post Pay.

There are many differences between the two types: in terms of cancellation policy, changes flexibility, cost, and operational process. Let’s take a closer look…

Post Pay

When the business traveler pays at the hotel at the end of their stay. The company or travel agent just put a credit card up as a guarantee.

Main Advantages

1. You can usually cancel post pay bookings at the last minute.
2. Post pay bookings are usually more flexible: so if a traveler needs to shorten his stay while he’s already there, it’s usually not an issue.
3. Payment isn’t taken until the visit, which can be easier on companies’ cash flow.
4. Employees can use their travel credit card and earn points as part of a hotel loyalty program.
5. Reclaim VAT. The invoice is issued from the hotel directly to the business: meaning the company can claim for a VAT refund.

Main Disadvantages

1. Employee uses a company credit card or submits the cost via expense report.
2. Some employees might not be crazy about having a £2,000 charge on their credit card bill.
3. Post pay rates tend to be more a more expensive option.

Pre-Pay

The company pays for the hotel before the traveler arrives. A voucher is issued which the traveler shows during at check-in.

Main Advantages

1. Employees don’t pay at the hotel (company pays directly).
2. Usually more competitive rates than Post Pay.
3. No need to reimburse or issue a credit card to employees.

Main Disadvantages

1. Usually more restricted cancellation policy: you can cancel up to 48/72 hours before the check-in date.
2. Less flexible in terms of changes: some rates even prevent a guest name change and most won’t let you shorten your stay (though often this depends on the hotel booked and the rate paid).
3. Sometimes employees have problems claiming their loyalty points. Since the room was booked through a 3rd party and not directly with the hotel, some hotels will not consider their stay as valid.

While different companies and individuals will have their own preferences, Arbitrip offers the benefits of both: the flexibility of Post Pay with the cost savings of Pre-Pay. You simply set a budget and our matching algorithm finds the right kind of hotel for your stay and re-books it when a better deal becomes available.

Want to find out more (about Arbitrip!)? Get in touch.

The Business Travel Conference (TBTC) – happening in London between September 19 and 20 – is an unmissable opportunity for travel managers looking to make new connections and get some insider tips from those in the know.

Previous delegates describe TBTC as the only conference to attend if you’re in the industry! Here are five reasons you should come along too…

1. Learn the Tricks of the Trade

TBTC is a chance for anyone tasked with organizing company travel to absorb new information and gain the skills and knowledge needed to help them overcome the hurdles they face in their day-to-day roles.

This year’s program includes sessions on getting to grips with travel technology; how to get the best accommodation rates; negotiating airfares; and getting your rail fare spend under control.

2. Network!

Ok, so it’d be strange if you went to an event like this and didn’t expect to mix with other delegates and exhibitors. But the key difference with TBTC is that there are specific networking opportunities throughout the event; held in smaller and more friendly settings. You’ll be able to meet all the suppliers from the exhibition – including airlines, hotels, and travel technology specialists. Oh, and don’t forget: there’s also a free lunch and evening drinks reception (if that sort of thing appeals…!)

3. Over 60 Leading Business Travel Suppliers

Whatever kind of travel booking you’re responsible for within your company, you’re guaranteed to find plenty of leads to follow up on from the exhibitors at this year’s conference. Take a look at the exhibitor list here. You won’t get hounded or be given the hard sell, just the opportunity to walk around the exhibition and meet with the suppliers you want to connect with.

4. It’s Free!

A two-day pass (or one day if you can’t tear yourself away from the office) for the entire event is free for anyone who works in business travel planning. Last year more than 80% of attendees said they would be able to save their company more money as result of attending TBTC – and more than 90% said they took away ideas and knowledge that they could put into practice when back at work. Not bad for a free pass!

5. Come and Meet Arbitrip!

You’ve been reading the blog – maybe you’ve even learned a thing or two from us (!). But now we want you to come meet us in the flesh. Yup, we’re gonna be at TBTC too, so don’t be a stranger! Come talk to us and find out how we can help you manage your travel, save your company money when booking online and increase your travelers’ satisfaction.

We can talk you through how our technology works (if that’s your bag), give you advice, and explain the benefits using us will give your company. So do stop by and say hi: we look forward to meeting you!

You can find out more details about the conference here.