Business travel has come a long way. So too has the technology used to manage it. And while technology has advanced at super speed, there is one aspect to business travel that hasn’t changed – the need for personal service.
Technology is only part of the business travel equation. The real value comes from utilising your tech to its full capacity with help from the people power behind the scenes.
When it comes to SME business travel, having the human touch behind every click of a mouse is just as important as having the tools themselves.
As Microsoft AI explains in this latest commercial, we have more power at our fingertips that any generation before us. But technology is only a tool, it’s what we do with it that matters.
Let’s break it down in SME business travel speak ….
Tech + People = a match made in heaven
When you partner with a new travel management company (TMC), you’ll want to check their service model offers great technology, as well as personal service. But, because tech is only part of the business travel equation, you’re going to need a TMC that’s capable of supporting your business with dedicated support for the rest of your travel program journey. And it all starts with selecting and implementing that first piece of travel tech. Travellers and/or travel bookers will need to know how to use your online booking tool (OBT) and other platforms. For a larger SME this may take time and can be done in person or via zoom calls. Whatever the format, your TMC or your dedicated Travel Manager should be only a phone call, chat or email away for travel support. This is important not only at the start of a relationship with your TMC but also on a day-to-day basis.
1 x OBT + 1 x dedicated Travel Manager = perfect service solution
A perfect example of how travel technology goes hand-in-hand to support business growth is when businesses adopt an online booking tool (OBT). When businesses hit a stage where they have lots of people travelling and not enough people in-house to manage travel – this is where an OBT comes in super handy. Businesses that adopt an OBT because of growing travel needs will save themselves time and money at all points of the travel management cycle.
Add in a dedicated and personal Travel Manager who can support any offline or complex travel enquiries, monitor travel compliance and advise on difficult booking requests, and you have the perfect service solution for an expanding operation.
Make technology (and your TMC) do the dirty work
As your business grows, more people start travelling and using the OBT to make their own bookings, maintaining policy compliance becomes even more important. And it’s not just for budgetary reasons that compliant bookings matter. Adhering to policy helps your business to manage travel risk.
The great news is, that a platform like Savi, is the perfect policy enforcer! Rather than making your own people act as the policy police, Savi does the dirty work for you. Once you have designed a suitable travel policy for your business (with help from your Travel Manager), you can incorporate your policy and approval processes within your online booking tool.
And because your business is always supported by a real person at Corporate Traveller, any enquiries made offline (ie not through the OBT) can be dealt with by your Travel Manager to keep travel compliant.
Help! I just want to talk to a real person
Emails, chatbots and virtual assistants all have their place in travel. But sometimes when an emergency strikes you just want to talk to a real person. Organisations with solid travel risk management plans in place, draw on great tech and personal support in equal measures.
These organisations usually have a risk management tool that does everything you’d expect a risk tool to do such as keep travellers informed with real-time updates on global events or disruptions, track travellers’ locations, send messages, run country risk assessments and provide a hub for all the relevant travel program info plus more. But these companies also have a dedicated travel manager or team on hand to call 24/7/365 days. And better yet, travellers can reach out to their Travel Manager with the click of a button on any device, any time.
It's also the pre-trip personal advice that a Travel Manager provides for travellers that counts.
A call to your Travel Manager to see what COVID regulations or pre-trip paperwork is required before departure might be just what you needed to feel more comfortable about travelling again.
Add flavour to your reporting
Travel reporting is great but without meaningful analysis of what the data means for your program, it can all turn beige quickly. Enter your Travel or Account Manager who will not only run the key travel reports you need to make informed travel program decisions, but they’ll also add flavour to your reporting with expert commentary.
Having a pair of expert eyes analyse your data will help you to pinpoint where your business is performing well in terms of booking and buying travel, what you need to work on (such as non-compliant or last-minute bookings) and where you can make short and long-term savings. Nice.
Travel and travel technology are known enablers of business growth. But with the use of technology there is also the need to have your technology well supported and backed by real people. People who get where your business is going and are happy help you achieve your growth goals.