What is a corporate travel agent

If your team travels a lot for business purposes, you might want to check if a corporate travel management agent is right for you.

Both a corporate travel manager and corporate travel agent are responsible for keeping track of all your business travel, travel policies, and spending. However, the latter is usually an external liaison.

What is a corporate travel agent or business travel agency, what are the advantages and disadvantages of working with one, and should you hire one for your business? Read more in the article below.

What does a corporate travel agent do?

The role of a corporate travel consultant can be outsourced via an agency or hired internally. In both cases, the corporate travel agent’s responsibilities cover everything related to corporate travel – from travel planning to travel policies and risk management.

The point of hiring a travel management agent or travel agencies for corporate travel is to have everything under control while unloading your organizational burden. A business travel agent should either be familiar with your travel policy or help your team create one. Also, they need to make sure your employees are safe and prepared. That means taking care of:

• Travel visas
• Accommodation bookings and car rentals
• Duty of care responsibilities
• Travel itineraries
• Travel expenses
• Emergency situations
• Securing proper insurance
• Expense and spending management
• Booking or changing flights

Travel management challenges

When dealing with corporate travel, you never know when problems will arise. From natural disasters to incorrect trip budgets, you can encounter many challenges throughout the experience.

When it comes to business travel, the most common challenges companies face are:

1. Non-compliance with the travel policy – Supervising the correct interpretation and application of the travel policy is a task of its own.
2. Overspending – Like in any business, successful budget management can be tricky.
3. Catering to diverse travelers’ needs – No two business travelers are alike, so juggling everyone’s needs can be difficult.

The most common problems are:

1. Forgetting the appropriate visa and documents – No one wants to get stuck at customs or get to the airport only to realize they aren’t prepared.
2. Not packing the appropriate hardware – Forgetting a travel adapter or materials for a presentation can put a damper on your whole trip. You can avoid these mistakes by using this handy packing list.
3. Inappropriate flights or lodging – A business trip can be stressful by itself, so booking a longer flight than necessary, picking cheap accommodations without Wifi, and so on can cost more in human resources than in money.
4. Unfamiliarity with the destination – A business trip can take you places where you’re unfamiliar with the culture, emergency services, weather, and even which side of the road to drive on.
5. Insufficient budget – Not knowing how to budget for a business trip can cause a lot of losses for a company. Too much, and employees might take advantage of it. Too little, and they could grow unhappy and unwilling to take future business trips.
6. Employees not keeping receipts to get reimbursed – Before your employees leave on a business trip, make sure they’re familiar with their rights and obligations. From making your travel policy accessible to everyone in your company to asking for feedback – these are just some tips and tricks for ensuring your employees’ happiness.
7. Inappropriate debriefing upon returning from a business trip – Improving your travel policy and employees’ travel experience should be a continuous process.

Advantages and disadvantages of using a corporate travel agent or business travel agency

Travel agencies for corporate travel are a great solution for your company, especially if your employees go on corporate trips regularly. Some advantages are:

• Leaving an expert business travel consultant to deal with the challenges of corporate travel booking services
• Having all points covered under your travel agent’s responsibilities and not missing anything important
• Having a team of business travel consultants always available in case of an emergency

However, working with corporate travel booking companies can also include:

• High travel agent service fees and hidden costs for the company
• Unfamiliarity with your travel policy and company rules
• Lack of control over the final decision

Opting for an in-house travel manager

As you can see, all the disadvantages come from outsourcing these responsibilities. For smaller companies in particular, opting for an in-house travel agent over a small business travel agent might be the best decision.

From cutting out travel agent service fees to knowing you can count on someone familiar with your travel policy, an in-house travel manager might be the perfect solution for you.

With the Tripeden.com for Business tool, you can organize business trips and make sure everything goes according to plan – all in one place. This free tool can help your employees focus on business instead of worrying about the trip.

No matter the size of your business or ambitions, your company and employees deserve the best. Take care of their travel needs and ensure their success by covering every aspect of the business trip. Whatever you choose for your company—internal travel manager, external corporate travel booking companies, or a self-service tool—make sure you consider all the advantages and disadvantages for your business.