Controlling your company’s travel spend, minimizing travel disruptions, and keeping employees safe and productive when they’re on a business trip ultimately comes down to one thing: having a comprehensive system in place to manage travel efficiently.
Whether you work for a large, multinational corporation managing global travel or a small business coordinating the occasional domestic trip, the right travel booking system can make all the difference to your employees’ comfort and safety—and to your company’s bottom line. If you’re in the market for a travel booking management system or just want to evaluate the effectiveness of your current platform, this article explores the key features that will meet all your business needs.
What is the purpose of a booking system?
Business travel is constantly evolving, so before we dive into the features you need, it’s important to understand the role a booking system plays in controlling costs, maintaining compliance with your corporate travel policy, and enhancing the travel experience for your employees.
For employees, a travel booking system streamlines the process of arranging travel so they can easily compare pricing and providers and book flights, hotels, and other services quickly and efficiently. It also provides access to a dedicated support team if they need to make last-minute changes to their travel plans.
For travel managers, a well-designed booking system provides a centralized platform for managing all aspects of corporate travel. With the right platform, you’ll be able to easily monitor expenses and adherence to your corporate travel policy, plus it provides insights into travel patterns that can help you make data-driven decisions about your company’s travel program.
Key features of a business travel booking system
There are a number of travel booking companies out there. As you’re evaluating the top travel booking platforms, be sure the programs you’re considering offer these eight features:
1. User-friendly interface Is the booking software designed with a user-friendly interface that simplifies the travel planning process? The system you choose should offer intuitive navigation that creates a smooth user experience, making it easy for employees to search for and book flights, hotel rooms, and other travel services and compare pricing.
2. Comprehensive search and booking options Look for a platform that offers a range of options for flights, hotels, car rentals, and other travel services that are tailored to the needs of your organization. For example, if your employees frequently travel worldwide, be sure to choose an international travel booking system that offers access to an inventory of flights and accommodations worldwide.
3. Policy compliance and approval workflow Enforcing compliance with corporate travel policies is a critical function of a business travel booking system. The system you choose should allow you to set parameters for your preferred suppliers, booking classes, and expense limits, and should include an integrated approval workflow that makes it easy to review and approve all travel plans before they are finalized, reducing the risk of non-compliant bookings.
You may also want to look for a corporate travel booking company that offers features like automated alerts and notifications that remind employees of policy requirements. This not only streamlines the booking process, it verifies that all travel arrangements align with your company travel policy.
4. Cost management and reporting One of the primary benefits of a travel booking system for small businesses and larger corporations alike is the ability to manage costs effectively. The system should provide detailed reporting that makes it easy for travel managers to track expenses, monitor spending patterns, and identify areas for savings. This is particularly important for businesses with a high volume of travel, where even small cost savings can add up over time. On the other hand, if you work for a small business a travel booking system can give you access to competitive rates that might not otherwise be available to your organization.
The ability to generate customized reports on various aspects of travel—such as spending by department, destination, or supplier—can provide you with valuable insight into travel and spending trends so all decisions you make about your travel program are grounded in data.
5. Integration with other systems A comprehensive travel booking management system should integrate seamlessly with the other tools and platforms your organization is already using, such as expense management systems, HR software, and accounting platforms. This helps travel data flow smoothly between systems, reducing the need for time-consuming manual data entry and minimizing the risk of errors.
For example, integrating your travel platform with an expense management tool can automate expense reporting, making it easier for employees to submit their expense reports and receipts and for manager approval. This doesn’t just save time, it also improves the accuracy of financial reporting.
6. 24/7 support and assistance Business travel often involves last-minute changes and unexpected challenges, making access to round-the-clock support essential. A reliable corporate travel booking system should offer 24/7 customer support that offers employees assistance whenever they need it, whether they’re dealing with a flight cancellation or a last-minute change to their itinerary.
Make sure that your corporate travel booking partner provides a dedicated team of travel agents or concierge services to assist with complex travel arrangements. This level of support is particularly valuable for international travel, where language barriers and time zone differences can complicate the booking process.
7. Mobile accessibility In today’s mobile-centric world, the ability to manage travel on the go is a must-have feature. The business travel booking system you choose should offer a mobile app or a mobile-friendly booking tool that allows employees to book, modify, and manage their travel arrangements from their smartphones or tablets. This feature is particularly useful when travelers need to change plans mid-trip.
Mobile accessibility also enhances the overall user experience by providing traveling employees with real-time updates on their bookings, including flight status alerts and check-in reminders. This can significantly reduce travel-related stress and improve employee satisfaction.
8. Security and data privacy Security is a top priority for your online travel booking system. Your chosen system should have robust security measures that protect personal and financial information. This includes encryption of data, secure credit card payment processing, and compliance with data protection regulations.
For travel managers, the ability to control system access and manage user permissions is also crucial. With a booking system in place, only authorized personnel can make bookings or access sensitive information, reducing the all-too-real risk of fraud or data breaches.
Ready to transform your approach to business travel?
Choosing the right travel booking system is a critical decision for your business. The key features outlined in this article—such as a user-friendly interface, comprehensive search options, policy compliance, cost management, and mobile accessibility—are essential for choosing a system that meets the needs of your business and your employees.
Discover how AMEX GBT’s cutting-edge travel booking solutions can elevate your business travel experience—explore our offerings today.
https://www.amexglobalbusinesstravel.com/ca/business-travel-solutions/
