Richard Viner
UK Country Manager, TravelPerk
In the past, the business travel experience could be a bumpy, stressful ride. But today’s business traveller expects a process that’s smooth and streamlined, augmented by intuitive, easy-to-use technology.
Modern companies are learning to balance saving money with understanding their travellers’ needs in order to maintain a healthy, happy workforce. The key? Embracing a modern, automated travel management process.
Frequent travel can increase the risk of depression and anxiety
It’s no surprise that business travel can induce a long list of stressors. From disrupted sleep patterns to delayed transportation, the negative effects of the road-warrior lifestyle can be numerous.
Travellers are prone to behavioural and physical risks, including depression and anxiety, leading to escalating costs for companies due to reduced employee performance and burnout.
Technology can be utilised to improve traveller wellbeing, increase job satisfaction and decrease costs for companies.
Travel spend is notoriously one of the hardest costs for companies to keep under control. Outdated budgeting systems make it nearly impossible to keep track of the cost of employee travel.
Historically, whenever companies sought to reduce travel spend, their first reflex was often reactive, negatively impacting travellers and ultimately increasing costs. Short-term measures often took precedence over longer-term travel management planning.
Don’t let cost cutting jeopardise employee health
Maintaining a healthy, travelling workforce is one of the best ways for companies to lower travel spend costs. By understanding what works for travellers, companies can build a tailored, automated travel management programme that keeps business travel wellbeing at its core, mitigating risk factors like escalating costs, while still providing for employee preferences.
Automated technology can personalise and streamline travel
Technology can be utilised to improve traveller wellbeing, increase job satisfaction and decrease costs for companies. Corporate travel automation can have a lasting effect on this important aspect of business.
Automation enables self-booking, allowing travellers to book the types of trips they want (especially with cost-saving options like Airbnb included) within travel policy, one that can be embedded into a modern booking platform to ensure compliance.
Platforms that enable easy booking, in addition to simplified approval flows and integrated expense management, make modern business travel processes frictionless.
Any problems travellers encounter on the go can be easily resolved with platforms that provide access to 24/7 customer support via chat through their app, as well as by phone and email.
As modern travel companies look increasingly towards technological growth to aid companies in making business travellers happy and travel management more time and cost-effective, innovations in the marketplace are flourishing.
For example, new features like FlexiPerk by TravelPerk, allow travellers to cancel business trips at any time and get 90% or more of their trips refunded with a simple click inside the app.
Saving costs when it comes to business travel has never been easier, and companies can do so safe in the knowledge that their travellers will still enjoy a great, supportive experience.