9 Questions You Should Ask When Hiring New Corporate Travel Management Company

Posted by Kunal Sutar on October 1st, 2019

Change is hard.

And, there is no exception for corporate travel.

When it comes time to re-evaluate your existing travel management company (TMC) contract, don't let the worry of the unidentified keep you from making the best choice for your organization travel program.

We've been handling travel for more than 40 years and recognize with "factors" for staying with your existing company travel agency-- afraid of change, staff member resistance, desire to prevent tourist interruption, and so on. As a travel manager, you're already exceptionally hectic.

While those are all legitimate concerns, that does not negate the fact that you may not be partnered with the best supplier for your service travel requirements.

If you choose its time to try to find a new travel management company, here are a few questions to ask:

Help my company comprehend the requirements of a Duty of Care program.

Supplying superior Tourist Danger Management and Responsibility of Care is not just necessary in today's travel environment, Task of Care is a legal responsibility employer should offer staff members. It's important to keep in mind that the failure to collect information on tourists, no matter the reason, does not excuse a company from their Responsibility for Care responsibilities. For this reason, it's vital to have the ideal threat management procedures in place. Worthy travel management companies will work with your travel supervisor and assist you to make the best Responsibility of Care choices possible. Remember that Duty of Care responsibility isn't just for worldwide travel programs.

What can you do to improve my company's travel policy and increase traveler compliance?

This is seriously crucial as any travel management company (or anyone with a computer) can merely reserve tickets. The advancement and enforcement of your corporate travel policy is key to realizing expense savings through your organization travel efforts. A great account management group need to work carefully with you to implement your travel policies and examine locations of prospective improvement/further savings, compliance, and execution.

Can you provide an ROI?

Statistically speaking, the simple response from the majority of, if not all, travel management companies must be yes. Many trustworthy managed travel programs can provide an ROI. At the basic level, this comes from leveraging volumes and working out better rates with your preferred suppliers. Yet, the margin of ROI can differ substantially. An experienced travel management company that is extremely bought your success will become your travel program advocate and assist you:

Develop/optimize organization travel management program plans

Negotiate with suppliers on your behalf, utilizing their strategic collaborations to your benefit

Keep you informed of travel patterns that can impact your spend and booking routines

Conduct benchmarking analyses to see how your program is carrying out versus comparable companies

Create positive tourist experiences by effectively and accurately booking travel, which in turn, causes increased travel policy compliance

What's the very best method to handle the change required to present a brand-new travel provider?

Transitions in any service arena include difficulties, but an experienced company travel provider will guide you through a seamless changeover with interaction methods and change management plans. While changing providers is not an issue to be taken lightly, your corporate travel program should have the best of the very best. Worry of modification must not restrain your goals.

What tools, programs, and services do you provide that help my company manage our travel program?

While this subject will most definitely be the core of your discussions with travel management service providers, it is essential to stay concentrated on your company objectives. Your travel program is distinct and shouldn't need to suit a supplier's cookie-cutter program offerings. You want to partner with a company travel agency that will tailor their solutions to fit your requirements, not the other way around. Does the supplier just provide core services or do they offer conference and event management, executive travel solutions and/or thorough reporting solutions? Is it an all-or-nothing type of offer or can you pick based upon your existing advertisement hoc needs?

What levels of service can we expect?

You're going to hear a great deal of similar and basic responses. When it pertains to service level contracts, the point of focus ought to rally around the quality of the corporate travel agents. Ask about their experience levels and if they're outsourced or internal. An excellent corporate travel representative will be able to encourage and make booking recommendations within your policy, maximizing your travel manager to put more focus on program improvements, however, this is not something every TMC can supply their customers.

Can you help us fulfill any supplier variety of objectives?

Lots of companies have provider diversity objectives that should be satisfied. Is it possible your potential travel management company can help you with this? For example, Corporate Compass is a qualified Business, which does, in fact, please diversity objectives.

What level of interaction and assistance will we have from an account management viewpoint?

You know better than anyone that your program is nuanced. It can be aggravating and detrimental to have multiple "managers" handling your travel program. If your travel program is being passed between so-called supervisors, how exists any focus on improvement?

How can you help my company reach our goals?

It all boils down to this question, doesn't it? Keep in mind - larger isn't always better. You want to focus your search on an appropriately-sized TMC for your travel program's spend. Look for a corporate travel bureau that has the experience and innovation to support your travel manager and program, while also not being so huge that you get lost in the shuffle.