Business travel often falls within the job specification of
the procurement department. But it’s very different from buying stationery.
Travel is an emotional issue. Employees don’t care about the type of paperclips
their employers buy, but they do care about the type of travel, so it’s
important to create a clear set of guidelines.
When creating a travel policy, make sure you navigate the
seven Cs:
Culture – every company has a different
set of shared values and practices. It’s important that a travel policy reflects
your corporate culture
Care – the best way to ensure
Duty of Care towards your travellers is to ensure that your policy works and
travellers comply with it.
Content – include all travel
elements. Air travel gives you the greatest potential for savings, but also for
overspending. Hotel rates should include
extras such as breakfast and wifi. Rail travel is prone to leakage. Ancillaries such as car
hire, transfers, and visas will be more cost-effective if booked in advance
Comprehensiveness – a successful policy
covers everything – how to book, approval processes, designated class of
travel, how many hotel nights are allowed per meeting, expense allowances, payment methods, advance
booking requirements, and travel documentation
Communication – ensure that you have a
solid communication plan in place, backed by a senior manager. Don’t just rely
on the staff intranet. Never underestimate the importance of winning the hearts
and minds of company executives, so that they buy into the policy.
Control – approval processes need
to be stringent and manageable. Work in partnership with your TMC to ensure
compliance by travellers and bookers
Compliance - make sure bookers and
travellers stick to the policy and book within its guidelines. Use your TMC’s
expertise and MI reporting to show compliance on a cost-centre and individual
level
No one likes being told what to do, but a well thought-out,
clearly communicated travel policy is the only way to achieve savings on
business travel spend, however large or small.
This post was written by Jo Greenfield, General Manager, FCm
Travel Solutions UK.
For further information visit www.fcmtravel.co.uk
Some travelers enjoy their business trips and forgett the taxes they have to pay for in their homeland. They should let expatriate tax services take over.
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