For many years there has been talk of how technology would replace the need for business travel. The reality is, however, that most companies see technology as supplementing rather than replacing the need for face-to-face meetings. According to the British government’s Office for National Statistics, 2018 saw 6.6 million business trips overseas by UK residents, which was a very small 3% fall, compared to the previous year.
As environmental concerns loom increasingly large, it is especially important that business travel is made as efficient as possible, and here the responsibility of large companies to get their international business travel right is absolutely crucial.
When you have a large number of employees who are travelling around the world, it is important that the company’s corporate travel arrangements are not only efficient and cost-effective but also ethically and environmentally responsible. Corporate responsibility is a big concern, especially for those companies which are household names, but this also has to be balanced with the requirements of the individuals who work for the company.
Millennials increasingly make up the bulk of the workforce, and whilst environmental concerns are important to them, it is also true that the possibility of international business trips can be a big motivating factor in recruiting and retaining them. It can be tricky, therefore, for large companies to get the balance right.
Perhaps the most important thing is for large companies to have a transparent structure in place for managing their corporate travel and, without doubt, one of the easiest ways to do this is by using a business travel management company, such as Travelworx.
This is how Travelworx helps large companies manage corporate travel:
Putting in place and implementing a corporate travel plan
Travelworx has years of experience of working with many different companies including large multinationals, so they know what does and doesn’t work. They will help you to put in place a corporate travel management policy, which will allow your team freedom, whilst minimising costs. It will be completely transparent so that every member of your staff knows what is and isn’t permitted. You will be allocated your own business travel manager who will get to know your business and your team and understand what is important to you. Since everything is booked through one central point you can be sure you are always getting the best price and that nothing is going over budget.
Taking care of the details to minimise travel spending
Everyone knows that old adage about taking care of the pennies, but when you’re responsible for hundreds or even thousands of business trips, it really does hold true. Travelworx honed its travel management skills by dealing with the needs of airlines and international flight crews, which is where its experienced team of travel professionals learned that details really do matter. Travelworx manages the entire booking process so that you can keep track of who is where when. Right from the planning stages, you will be given a cost estimate for each trip so that you can be sure that you are getting the best value for money on your travel spending. It will allow you to evaluate whether a business trip is truly necessary and to book flights and hotels at the best possible rates.
Managing business travel expenses
For large companies, corporate travel is not simply a case of benefitting from the best possible rates for booking flights and hotels. It is also a matter of keeping track. Booking through a corporate travel management agent such as Travelworx means that everything is managed through a central system. This helps right from planning a business trip, to the process of allocating expenses and invoicing clients. Your large business will receive an invoice for each trip with itemised details. If you wish, you can give Travelworx the details of departments, clients or offices so that expenses can be allocated accurately right from the start. When you are part of a multinational organisation with multiple offices throughout the world it really helps to have one expert travel professional managing your corporate travel requirements. Your accounts teams will certainly be grateful that they are not having to deal with multiple individual travel claims and receipts. Even for a relatively small company this saves time, but for a large business this service is invaluable.
Using online booking tools to save time
Travelworx manages all of your corporate travel online which means that large companies with offices in multiple locations can all access the system for their own needs. Using a system which works and which has been developed specifically for the needs of large international companies, such as airlines, means that you can be sure that your needs will be met. Whether you need to book a straightforward flight or a complicated business trip itinerary, the Travelworx online booking system will help. Of course, if you have queries, and would rather communicate with an actual person, you also have access to the multilingual team of business travel experts 24/7.
Corporate responsibility and staff security
Working with a corporate travel management company such as Travelworx, which is experienced in how to manage corporate travel for large companies, means peace of mind and security for your people, no matter where in the world they may be. We all know that sinking feeling when a flight has been cancelled unexpectedly or a client has changed a meeting at the last minute. Travelworx understands that these things can happen and works with you to minimise the impact on your team and on your bottom line. Even if it is the middle of the night and you are on the other side of the world, Travelworx has a team of dedicated corporate travel professionals on hand 24/7 to make sure that your staff are safe and secure. They will react quickly to make any changes required without fuss and without exorbitant cancellation fees.