Working with a corporate travel agency for your business not only helps to fully manage your travel program effectively but adds value to your employees, upholds your requirement for duty of care and delivers savings through strategic negotiations on your behalf and access to a larger global network of airline, hotel and ground transportation discounts.
Does one size fit all?
Depending on the size and requirements of your company’s managed corporate travel program, you may choose to work with a global, national or regional corporate travel agency. Every company, regardless of their size, ideally demands the same requirements for their travel program:
- High-Touch Service
- 24/7 Travel Assistance
- Ability to Book Travel with an Agent or Online through a Booking Tool
- Consolidated and Detailed Reporting
- Best Available Rates
- Lowest Pricing/Transaction Fees
In today’s landscape of corporate travel agency providers, you have a range to choose from:
Smaller ‘boutique’ corporate travel agencies who manage some corporate travel but lack some of the necessary resources or technologies compared to other travel agencies
Larger regional corporate travel agencies, such as Teplis Travel, who focus on the small to midsize (SME) market, working with companies with annual travel budgets ranging from $1-20 Million USD
“Mega” agencies who focus on the midsize to large-enterprise clients with travel budgets ranging from $20 – $200 Million USD
Where does your company fit? Every corporate travel agency may claim to have the right resources and expertise to manage your travel program and surely can do it better than the last guy, but doing research and comparing their solutions and capabilities is key before you sign on the dotted line.
The proof is in the pudding
In some instances, working with a mega corporate travel agency when you’re a small to midsize customer could mean your employees’ travel would be handled from a call-center environment, vs. having a personal designated or dedicated team of agents that you would get with a boutique or regional corporate travel agency. With a mega agency, you may find the level of service is below par and leaving your employees unhappy about the provider you’re working with.
Teplis Travel recommends having detailed conversations with the corporate travel agents who would be assigned to your account to really understand the configuration and level of service you can anticipate receiving.
Technology is another big factor when comparing corporate travel agencies. Ask for demonstrations of all the tools and technologies that are available to manage your program and support your travelers on the road. Get into the details to see how they can be customized to meet your company’s needs and any additional costs associated. Sometimes you may find a gap in the technology suite or how expensive it is to utilize the available technologies.
Finally, Teplis Travel recommends requesting client references from the corporate travel agency you’re reviewing. Speaking with current or past clients gives you a true picture of what to expect when you’re their customer.
To learn more about Teplis Travel’s customized solutions for effectively managing corporate travel programs, contact us at 800-669-6547 or email sales@teplis.com.
