Businesses are increasingly engaging with international partners, customers, and clients. These activities often require personnel to visit overseas locations. SMEs using online booking tools (OBTs) are more likely to build strong programs and protocol for travelling employees, track their expenses accurately, and ensure the organisation’s international activity is productive, meaningful, and cost-effective. Configuring OBT technology correctly is essential to help organisations make the most of their travel investment.
Regardless of how many different employees are travelling for various reasons and from separate divisions or departments, it’s important that managers use one OBT solution across the organisation. This keeps travel details organised, easy to find, and consistent.
Additionally, once a quality OBT is implemented, managers can configure the software to match travel and expense policies. This means OBTs can automatically allow or block purchase or reimbursement requests that fall inside, or outside, of an organisation’s travel mandate.
Clever configurations can also help SMEs gain and maintain global partnerships on their growth journeys. Companies using a global partner network to support their travel program will find that giving their travel agencies access to different configurations of their site is useful, providing a comprehensive global view of all travel.
Travel management companies (TMCs) can provide important local expertise and fulfilment to travelling employees. Organisations can configure their OBTs to view TMCs as fulfilment agencies, meaning the TMC has a divisional view of the organisation’s site to view travel booked by them. This helps organisations ensure TMCs can operate to their full potential and provide enhanced benefits, while additional separate travel and expense data is kept confidential and protected.
Companies need to realise the weight and value of data stored in OBTs. This data can often hold private details about travelling employees’ health needs, or classified financial information. It’s critical that OBTs offer quality visibility into bookings and information for TMCs so they can do their work effectively while prioritising data security and maintaining risk management practices.
Going global can signal serious transformation for many SMEs looking to gain more territory, customers, and growth. As organisations grow, they’re likely to bring on global partnerships and external assistance with travel management. It’s essential globally-expanding organisations are supported by the right OBTs that store travel and expense details securely, while providing partners with the information they need.
Fabian Calle, General Manager – SMB, SAP Concur ANZ
