Anyone who's been on a business trip is not likely going to confuse the experience with vacation travel. And sure you can book a business trip on a leisure or vacation site, but for companies who seek control and cost savings, it's not the best way to optimize your travel spend and your travel program's goals. Even at Expedia, Inc., we offer a separate corporate travel management solution: Egencia.
In corporate travel, it was once common for companies to book travel all over the place with little oversight and control. In the long run a quick deal may be no deal at all and the general health and growth of a corporate travel program can suffer.
Below I've listed some of the benefits of companies consolidating travel booking and working with a corporate travel company as a single agency.
1. Supplier negotiations create savings opportunities
Suppliers view companies without a designated travel agency as companies with an unmanaged program. They become hesitant to negotiate with these organizations. To gain an edge in negotiations with suppliers, start by consolidating your spend, and your data, with a single corporate travel management company (TMC).
2. Find your travelers in an emergency.
Locating the phone number to a hotel where your traveler is staying is infinitely easier if you know where to look. When travelers all use one agency for their purchases, you have just one place to look for them. A few clicks and you can find their itinerary for any particular point in time. Call the hotel number or leave a message at the front desk.
3. Simplified reporting and reconciliation.
Reports tied to the spending and booking from a single source creates a simplicity and on-demand accessibility you won't have when using several sources. If all purchases aren't being made through one bookig tool, the reports aren't going to capture all the information you need to have a clear view of your company's travel spend.
4. Easier program management
Utilizing the online reports, you can gather travel information quickly and easily. By consolidating that information, you have immediate access to powerful data that can give you greater control over your program. When the information is widely distributed and fragmented so is your control.
5. Relationships in for the long haul
By developing a relationship with a TMC's account manager, you have a partner in facing the challenges of modern business travel. By utlizing a single agency, you're working with a partner who will have a full view of your company's needs and will gain experience working with you as your company grows.
These are just a few of the advantages in advocating a single TMC for your company's travel program. And when the time comes to book a vacation (and no doubt we all need one) our compatriots at Expedia.com are more than happy to help.
