Selecting the right business travel management company for your growing business

fcm-hw--blog-selecting-the-right-tmc-1

Managing corporate travel is absolutely about saving money, and getting more value from your travel plans. But travel is personal, and the traveller experience is critical, so the best travel management programmes encompass costs, traveller satisfaction and wellbeing.

Choosing the right corporate travel management company (TMC) is a strategic decision that will have a significant impact on your company's operations and culture. How do you find a travel management partner that aligns with your dynamic business needs and offers services that scale with your growing company? 

Here are some points to consider, and questions Swedish companies should ask when evaluating service providers in the business travel management space:

Defining travel management service expectations

Consider the level of service and support your business needs. Does your growing company value innovative technology for booking and managing travel? Is personalised service and support delivered by experienced business travel agents more critical?

Here are questions to ask business travel companies that will help you define service success:

  • What technology do you integrate into your services that will make booking travel easier for business travellers and travel arrangers? 
  • What technology, reporting, and analytical tools do you offer to support and inform travel buyers?
  • Can we expect 24/7 support from business travel experts and how do you help us when travel disruptions happen?
fcm-hw--blog-selecting-the-right-tmc-2

Identifying travel pain points

Understanding your specific business travel management challenges is key to finding the best business travel agent. Though pain points vary by company, here are questions to ask to make sure that the TMC you select aligns with your needs:

  • Can you tell me how much our company is spending on business travel?
  • How can I view all my travel data?
  • We want to stop a certain behaviour in travel bookings, how can we encourage our travelling community to book what we want?
  • What proactive steps do you take to anticipate and mitigate issues before they affect our business travellers?
  • Can you provide examples of how you've resolved travel issues for other companies in our sector?
  • Our business travel needs may change as we grow and evolve. How do you make sure that your travel solutions will scale with us?

Matching priorities with TMC capabilities 

When selecting a corporate TMC, it's important to be sure that their service offerings align with your business priorities. Whether traveller safety, budget tracking, resource management, or sustainability is your biggest goal, your travel management partner should offer the right tools and insights. 

Traveller Safety

  • What tools and support systems do you have in place for tracking and communicating with travellers when incidents occur?

Budget Management

  • What reporting and analytics solutions do you provide to help us manage and predict travel expenses?
  • How can you help us save money or get discounts with certain travel suppliers?

Resource Management

  • Are you able to fully oversee our travel programme? If so, how do you maintain a seamless and transparent experience for our employees and executives?

Sustainability

  • How can you support us in achieving our sustainability targets from a business travel perspective?

Conducting thorough research

Choosing a TMC that is the right fit for your business sometimes requires a deep dive into the landscape of corporate travel services. In the business travel space, this is typically addressed with a request for proposal (RFP). Starting your journey with an RFP can give you a structured approach to evaluating potential partners. The questions you ask should be tailored to your needs as a growing enterprise. 

If you go to RFP, or decide to approach multiple business travel companies, consider asking TMCs the following questions: 

  • When did you last review your service offerings and how do you stay competitive in the market?
  • How do you tailor your services to meet the specific needs of a company in our industry and size?
  • Can you guide us through a typical RFP process with your company? What information would you need from us to provide the best possible proposals. 

An RFP isn't just a formality or something that every business "has to do". It's a strategic tool used to gain insights and forge long-term partnerships. The questions you ask and the answers you receive from TMCs should be useful, actionable, and differentiating. 

Finding the right cultural fit

The approach of your TMC should resonate with your company's own culture. Collaboration, trust, and communication are the pillars of a strong partnership. Here are questions to ask TMCs that will help you determine if they align with your company's values:

  • How do you approach collaboration with your clients?
  • Can you give examples of how you've built trust with companies similar to ours?
  • How will you work with us to define and evaluate success in our partnership?

Remember that it's not just about cost savings or booking travel. It's about finding synergy that propels your business forward. The right TMC will help guide you in your business journey, steering you towards your goals with expertise and care.

Want to learn more? Our team is here to help. Contact us today to learn how we can collaborate to build a business travel programme that grows with your business.

 

Learn more!