Corporate travel checklist: A travel manager’s best practices guide

Business travel today looks different than it did a few years ago, and it will continue to evolve over time. As a result, travel managers, as well as their processes, policies, and systems, must be flexible and adaptable. If you’re looking to optimize your travel program, this business travel management guide is for you.

The role of the travel manager in modern organizations

Over the last several years, corporate travel has changed dramatically. Where travel managers once flew largely under the radar, focused on tactical projects like developing policies and managing relationships with travel management companies (TMC) and vendors, their roles are expanding.

Corporate travel managers now must focus more on strategy building, including demonstrating ROI, supporting sustainability efforts, enhancing the employee experience, and managing evolving travel-booking behaviors. They're in the spotlight like never before, and while keeping everyone moving is getting harder, there’s still room for travel managers to soar. 

Travel policy development

Travel programs that withstand the test of time start with simple yet strong travel policies that answer three essential questions:

• Who travels, and how often?

• Where do they travel (domestic, international, higher-risk locations, etc.)?

• What types of trips matter most (sales, conferences, team travel, etc.)?

Once those questions are accounted for, company leadership can weigh in to establish:

• How employees should book travel

• The spending limits for common expenses

• When approvals are required

Then, the policy can be drafted to encompass the specific details, including:

• Travel booking: Which suppliers and booking methods are preferred, what fare ranges are acceptable, as well as any other factors, such as the use of personal vehicles, mileage reimbursement standards, and trip and car insurance.

• Accommodations: Booking method preferences, guidelines around reimbursement claims after travel cancellations, and any other necessary clarifications.

• Travel-related expenses: Which travel-related expenses are acceptable and within policy (baggage, parking, currency exchange rates, etc.), as well as those that are not (mini bar items, movies, traffic tickets, etc.).

• Food and entertainment: Guidelines around meal expenses, client or team-building activities, limits per person, alcohol policies, and any other ambiguous items that need clarification.

Vendor and supplier management

A key part of a travel manager’s role is vendor and supplier management. Travel managers need to select vendors, negotiate contracts and corporate discounts, enforce policy compliance, and monitor performance in several different categories:

• TMC: A travel management company that serves as the primary partner in executing a corporate travel program.

• Airlines: Fare classes, preferred carrier agreements, and seat upgrades.

• Hotels: Chainwide agreements, negotiated rates, and last-room availability.

• Car rentals: Loyalty program integrations and corporate rates.

• Ground transportation: Rail, airport transfers, and car services. 

Traveler safety and duty of care

It’s in every company’s best interest to take care of its most valuable asset: its employees. And when corporate travel is involved, it becomes a legal obligation, not just a suggestion. Traveler safety and duty of care should therefore be top of mind for any travel manager. They need to consider:

• Traveler safety: Ensure employees are comfortable with the travel assignment and inform them of the options and resources available to them on the road, especially when traveling to higher-risk locations.

• Physical and mental health: Embed mental health considerations into travel and work policies, offer accessible resources like counseling and self-help tools, and provide flexible work arrangements.

• Socio-economic and geopolitical shifts: Conduct regular risk reviews, quantify the potential impact of various crises, and evaluate the cultural and ideological considerations.

• Reliable data and intelligence: Integrate trusted data to avoid disinformation and ensure employees have the details they need to make and manage travel plans.

Travel spend visibility and reporting

As corporate travel evolves, travel managers are being asked to take on more strategic tasks, like proving travel program ROI. Yet with so many moving parts, keeping track and reporting on it all is nearly impossible without visibility. After all, there are countless ways to book travel, from TMC agents and travel agencies to direct booking sites and apps. What’s more, employees are using these various booking methods, booking outside of the approved tool even if the company doesn’t have a multi-channel booking program.

The more integrated a travel manager’s systems are, the more control they have over the process and the more insights they can gather from the data. Instead of having to manually keep track of disparate booking methods and risk the loss of important data from each, travel managers can rely on a centralized solution that automatically captures data from any bookings made outside the approved system. With the information housed in one place, reporting only requires a few simple clicks instead of a few (or more) frustrating hours of searching.

Technology and automation checklist

Having the right technology and tools in place is essential for managing corporate travel. As travel volume grows or spend become more complex, manual processes struggle to keep up. An integrated travel and expense platform that utilizes automation and AI, however, enables travel managers to stay ahead. Here’s what travel managers should look for in a T&E solution.

Pre-trip planning and approvals

Data-backed cost estimates to justify trips before any money is spent and automated approval routing for faster planning.

Booking automation

Automatic policy application, approvals, and real-time flags for faster, more compliant trip planning, and preferred vendors suggested for easy selection.

Expense capture and report creation

Generative AI that quickly analyzes and itemizes hotel folios, as well as built-in audit rules with incomplete entry notifications to ensure accurate reports.

AI-powered auditing and compliance

AI features that automatically check every expense and analyze expense data to identify potential fraud and repeated non-compliance.

Mobile accessibility

Mobile app for on-the-go booking, easy-to-use dashboards, and faster expense capture.

Integrations

The ability to integrate with ERP, CRM, HR, and accounting systems for a unified view of spend data.

Corporate travel is only getting more complex, which means manual processes can only take you so far. Talk to an SAP Concur expert to learn how our automated solutions can streamline your T&E to take your business where it wants to go.

FAQ

What are the main responsibilities of a corporate travel manager?

A corporate travel manager oversees an organization’s travel program, including policy development, supplier and vendor management, traveler safety, spend visibility, and reporting. Today’s travel managers are also tasked with demonstrating ROI, improving the employee travel experience, supporting sustainability goals, and leveraging technology to streamline booking, approvals, and expense processes.

What should a corporate travel policy include?

A corporate travel policy should explain who can travel, how employees should book trips, which suppliers and booking methods are preferred, when approvals are required, and what spending limits apply. It should also clarify rules for flights, hotels, ground transportation, meals, entertainment, reimbursements, cancellations, and other travel-related expenses.

How can travel managers improve policy compliance?

Travel managers can improve policy compliance by making policies clear, straightforward, and easy to follow. It also helps to have a booking tool that can apply rules automatically during booking, route approvals before trips, and flag out-of-policy choices in real time. A centralized travel and expense platform helps travel managers capture bookings, monitor spend, identify repeat non-compliance, and access the data they need to guide better traveler behavior.