The costs of constant work trips can add up. Even a single trip can lead to countless transactions, from flights and accommodation to restaurant visits and coffee stops. Saving on employee (or your own!) business travel isn’t easy.
However, there are a few tactics and techniques you can put in place to help you manage the worst of it, whether your company travels monthly or only a few times a year.
Choose Cost-Effective Accommodation
Accommodation can often end up being one of the biggest expenses in a trip. Fortunately, it’s also one of the areas where planning ahead can help you save big-time.
Set a budget limit on hotel rooms or pick corporate housing over traditional hotels.
For businesses looking to maximize investments with Delsuites short term rentals, this type of option not only saves money in the long run but offers your employees a comfortable and work-friendly zone when they’re away for work.
Tighten Your Company’s Travel Policy
There’s a lot to consider when it comes to a travel policy for your company. From flight booking procedures to meal allowances, how do you handle it all?
Make sure you get the fundamentals in place with a solid approval process, guidelines for bookings, and spending and expense limits. If the rules are clear, it’s easier for your employees to follow them and avoid overspending on their trips. You can even look for travel policy templates online to help guide you!
Save on Flights
We all know just how expensive airfare can be. This is something that should be included in your travel policy – make sure employees stick to economy flights and try booking as far in advance as possible to save costs.
You can also save by using miles, signing up for promotions, and getting alerted on discounted rates so you can book travel at the optimal moment.
Consider Trip Batching
If your company travels often, it can be a good idea to work as much into each trip as possible. For example, instead of traveling to a particular city twice in one month for two different meetings, try to arrange for both of those meetings to take place across a single trip, even if the duration needs to be slightly extended.
You can also choose a specific region and schedule a few different trips within that area for a period of time. Trip batching can save you money on airlines and accommodation and reduce your emissions while also making the process quicker and more comfortable for your employees.
Encourage Productivity
Finally, ensure you’re not losing too much productive time while your employees are away. Being out of town can make general day-to-day work tasks tougher, but it’s important that stuff still gets done.
You can help them by organizing their trip and setting them up in accommodation or a coworking space where they can focus and get work done in between meetings and events. Ensuring a smooth journey and the right environment can help them stay productive and effective even when out of the office.
