If you want to manage your business travel efficiently, investing in travel management software can be a great way to streamline your processes. However, you may find it a challenge to choose with so many travel management tools available. No worries; we have you covered!
Investing in this technology could save your business time and money. No more hassle when you book business travel for everyone from C-suite level to low-level employees.
The best features every travel management tool should have
Here are some of the best features you should look for in travel management tools.
User-friendly booking interface
Every business relies on the user experience. Supposing employees face difficulty booking a flight, hotel, or car rental, they will waste their time and energy hopping between other options. That is why it is so essential to choose a booking tool that is easy to use.
A user-friendly interface makes it easier to book business travel for managers and employees. As a company, you want to simplify the journey for new users to learn.
Clear layouts, icons, and simple navigation can help users find quick information. The best part is that an easy-to-use interface can save you time and make you more productive. It will let you quickly adjust to the features without having to do a lot of training.
Customizable policies
The travel policy is one of the most critical parts of travel management tools. Even if you are an office supervisor or travel manager, you still need an in-app travel policy to keep administrators updated.
You should be able to tailor your policy to different criteria for travelers. That may include C-suite level executives or a department that usually has last-minute flight bookings. You may also want global policies for night hotel rates, city-by-city rates, global policies for the highest domestic or international flight cost, and more.
Further, your travel management system should let you set up your travel policy so it is live and working whenever someone books a trip. That way, you need not worry about passing around a hard copy document for everyone to refer to.
AI Technology and chatbot integration
A travel management system with AI technology can help you learn your employees’ travel habits. It can also speed up the booking process, making it easier for them to book business travel.
Technological advances have also brought us more. Chatbots provide 24/7 travel assistance with real-time flight info, hotel info, weather info, and other travel information. This feature gives users access to help and information whenever they want, even when they are out of the office or across time zones. Chatbots are equipped with real-time travel data and can speak multiple languages. Users get help and information without any delays.
Traveler tracking in real-time
Once you booked the trip, there is still work to do. That is when a travel manager has a job. They must provide practical services, like accommodations, invoicing, check-ins, check-outs, and tracking travelers.
Travel management tools with live tracking give travel managers real-time information on how their team members perform. Also, it helps keep them safe by ensuring they stick to the itinerary. At the same time, if a traveler has any issues, you can help them immediately. If they get sick or hurt, you can get them medical help.
Incentivize with loyalty programs
Loyalty points can be a great way to get the most out of your travel expenses. Many reputed airlines and hotel chains offer loyalty points to help you save money, improve the business traveler experience, and achieve employee satisfaction.
This inducement not only helps you save money but also talent retention. Always connect the travel management system to your travel service providers. That way, you can claim any points or rewards that come up. Loyalty points can open up options for your employees, or you can use them to dazzle your clients. The possibilities are many.
Insightful data analytics
Data is a must-have in travel and provides valuable insights. To get the most out of your travel management tools, make sure they offer reporting and analytics. That way, you can analyze business growth, traveler patterns, and expenses. You also want to ensure you have the right tools to help you make informed decisions, spot improvable areas, and enhance strategy for growth after looking at past travel habits. Look for customizable dashboards, live reporting, and data visualization tools and get the best results.
Mileage expense management
If you have an expense management system, you can use Google Maps to track your mileage expenses by figuring out how far you traveled.
Team members can log their mileage expenses by typing in the transit distance or recording the start and end times of the car mileage.
Meanwhile, the most reliable way to track mileage is through the GPS on your mobile expense app. Even better, your employees can log mileage expenses for multiple trips in one day as one expense.
Flawless integrations
The travel management tools you pick should work well with your other systems and apps. They should be able to transfer data quickly and easily, so you need not manually import and export your expense data. Ensure the software works well with your accounting system, other payment systems, HR, accounts, CRM tools, and other apps.
Easy payment system
When you are on the go, you want a tool you can count on with a range of simple and up-to-date payment processes, such as QR codes, Unified Payment System IDs (UPIs), online bank payment modes, debit and credit cards, and more.
Any device/mobile accessibility
Nowadays, ambitious professionals know that travel is imperative, so you want to ensure your travel management tool has a mobile app or web interface. When the app is compatible with Android and iOS devices, no matter what device you use, you can download and use it to manage your travel. Mobile accessibility also means your team can elevate the traveler experience and handle any issues quickly, wherever they are.
Closing thoughts
Those are some travel management tools and features you want when you are looking to book business travel. Automation streamlines the travel management process, whether travel approval or expense management.
With an automated travel and expense system like ITILITE, you will have a workflow that takes care of every aspect of your trip. You can book business travel with access to centralized customer data management, seamless booking processes, and analytics. Such travel management tools demystify operations and streamline your processes to perfection!
