More and more businesses seem to be turning to conference calling and other online features in order to manage their relationships abroad and to try and secure new clients. This is highly ill advised. It may seem like a good idea but there is a much less chance that you will secure new business, it is much more effective to meet and hold a proper meeting with the person(s) in question. Nonetheless, you are probably thinking; it is all well and good saying that, but it is too expensive. That much may be true. But once you use the following travel expense management tips you will find that travelling can be extremely cheap, and when you secure those clients the ROI will cover it anyway.
Utilise travel management software
There are many companies who provide a travel management service. The importance of using this cannot be stressed enough. There are many advantages to be gained. You will reap the rewards of the cheapest deals; in terms of travel, accommodation and anything else you need for your trip. You will be able to manage everything from one centralised place. This allows you to plan your trip more effectively. You can have everything from car hire, to conference venues, to airport transfers sorted in advance. This saves you time and money. You will be provided information on the quickest and most convenient routes. Furthermore, there are even some companies who will provide you with advice on the best travel in terms of using the littlest amount of carbon footprint.
Consider flexibility and re-booking options
The world of business is always changing. People cancel their appointments with you or an employee can’t make the trip so someone else has to take their place. You need to ensure that you consider this when you are booking. Opt for a service whereby you can make last minute changes. For instance, you should be able to change the flight or the name of the individual flying without having to pay high fees. The last thing you want to do is pay hundreds of pounds on a flight only to lose it all and then have to pay the same amount again for the rescheduled journey.
Make clever savings
The final tip is to make clever savings. What does this mean? Well, when trying to save money on travel a lot of employers will simply find the cheapest budget hotel and get their employee to stay there for the trip. The problem with this is that it will decrease the productivity of your employee and reduce the effectiveness of the trip substantially. How are they supposed to be alert for meetings if they can’t get a good night’s sleep? How are they meant to do significant research if the hotel does not provide Wi-Fi? Instead, you may find that you can make savings if you are flexible regarding your travel times. This is again whereby the software will come in handy because it will be able to point this out to you.