What are the Introductory Points to Take Care of while doing Business Travel Booking?

A surge is being noted in the number of employees engaging in domestic and international business travel after the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of these corporate professionals travel regularly to various destinations for customer acquisition and revenue generation purposes.

At the same time, many employees engage in business travel occasionally to attend conferences, seminars, trade shows, and other corporate events. But no employee can accomplish business travel goals without remaining safe and stress-free during business trips.

Seasoned business travelers enhance experience and safety by focusing extensively on business travel booking. They remain safe and stress-free during business trips by booking the right flights, accommodations, car rentals, and other travel products.

Likewise, they save money on business travel booking by complying with organizational travel policies. First-time business travelers can adopt best practices followed by frequent work travelers by taking care of some important and introductory points.

12 Introductory Points to Take Care of at the time of Business Travel Booking

1. Organizational Travel and Expense Policy

Before starting a business travel booking, you must spend time understanding your firm’s travel and expense policies.

The understanding will help you know what travel products you can book and what travel products you should avoid.

Also, you can speed up travel expense reimbursements by complying with rules and guidelines governing business travel.

2. Business Travel Approval

As highlighted by several studies, work travelers cancel travel bookings and reservations more frequently than leisure travelers.

Hence, firms require employees to get the required approval before booking a business trip. You must send the business travel request to the appropriate authority according to organizational policies. Also, you should start business travel booking only after your request is approved.

3. Booking Deadline

It becomes easier for firms to reduce the average business trip costs when employees book business travel products early. Organizational travel policies discourage late travel booking by setting deadlines.

You should complete business travel bookings within a specific time frame after your business travel request is approved.

4. Travel Booking Tool

Some firms centralize business travel booking by working with a travel management company, while others automate the process using travel management software. Hence, you have to book business travel products according to the option selected by your firm.

However, you should focus on comparing essential business travel products like flights and accommodations according to your preferences.

5. Flights

While making business travel arrangements, you can book either direct flights or connecting flights. But you should remember that connecting flights often make passengers experience stress and anxiety by increasing airtime.

Also, they impact business travel sustainability negatively by increasing carbon footprints. Hence, you should prioritize direct flights over connecting flights while complying with organizational travel policies.

6. Accommodations

Organizational travel policies these days allow employees to book hotels or alternative accommodations. You can enjoy several amenities and facilities by staying in a hotel during a business trip.

But you can experience the local culture and meet local people by opting for alternative accommodations like homestays.

Hence, you should book stress-free and safe accommodations that create opportunities for you to leverage downtime.

You may like to check out: 5 Easy Ways To Keep Fat Away While Travelling.

7. Ground Transportation

While arranging ground transportation for a business trip, you have the option to choose from car rental companies and car-sharing companies.

Car rental companies allow you to rent a car for more than 24 hours. But car-sharing companies allow you to rent a car for a certain number of hours.

Hence, you have to consider your business travel itinerary to choose from car rental and car-sharing options.

8. Travel Product Rates

Firms these days get corporate rates by networking or negotiating with travel vendors and suppliers. Hence, you can book flights, accommodations, and other travel products at lower than market rates by choosing suppliers recommended by your firm.

However, you should not forget to save more money on business travel booking by looking for special offers and deals provided by travel suppliers.

9. Cards

Large companies simplify business travel bookings by providing employees with corporate credit cards. On the other hand, small companies and startups require employees to book business trips using business credit cards.

The credit cards provided by your employer make it easier for you to avoid using your personal funds. Hence, you should use a corporate or business credit card while making a business travel booking.

10. Travel Expense Reporting

Most firms these days support post-trip travel expense reimbursements. You will generate and submit travel expense reports after the business trip.

But you can speed up travel expense report generation by keeping invoices, receipts, and bills organized. That is why; you must collect invoices and store them safely at the time of booking.

11. Bleisure Travel

Many firms these days keep work travelers motivated by supporting bleisure travel. They set travel policies that allow employees to indulge in leisure activities during or after business trips. But most firms require employees to fund leisure activities personally.

If your organizational travel policy supports bleisure travel, you should plan leisure activities at the time of business travel booking.

12. Travel Information and Support

You have to travel to new and unfamiliar destinations for business purposes. You need elaborate destination information to plan and book the business trip properly.

Likewise, you may need expert advice and assistance to choose and book the right travel products. Firms these days provide relevant information and assistance to employees by working with corporate travel consultants.

You must interact with the corporate travel consultant to choose the best travel products and manage business travel risks.

Conclusion

Most firms these days enable employees to book their preferred business travel products by implementing flexible travel and expense (T&E) policies.

Also, they simplify business travel booking by working with a travel management company or implementing travel management software.

Hence, you have the option to choose from a wide range of travel products according to travel policy and budget. But you can book the best travel products at the best rates only by considering several introductory points at the time of business travel booking.