Travel is a necessary element of work for many employees globally. Companies who rely on both national and international travel will meet inevitable obstacles,  Danielle Mahoney, HR Manager at SilverDoor gives her top tips for booking business travel.

1) Choosing the right accommodation

Placing employees in the right accommodation can be integral to a successful and productive business trip. Traditionally, hotels have been the first port of call for those booking business travel, however those in the know are starting to realise the benefits that a serviced apartment can provide for both the company and the employee. With more than just the four walls of a hotel room, a serviced apartment offers more space, flexibility and privacy to your employee and considerable savings can be made, particularly on long-term stays.

2)  Be aware of the bigger picture

When booking business travel it’s always important to keep the bigger picture in mind. Booking the cheapest accommodation or the cheapest train fare doesn’t always make it the cheapest overall option. It may result in more taxi fares as the accommodation is further away from the office, or if an inflexible, advanced train is missed, coughing up for an extortionate train ticket on the day.

3)  Book in advance

Contrary to popular belief, air fares are usually cheaper the further in advance you can book as opposed to the elusive last-minute deal. If you have a set itinerary, try and book as early as possible for the best fares.

4)  Talk to your TMC or agent

Let your travel manager or agent know how flexible your employee can be, this way they’ll be able to find the most affordable option. It’s also best to give an agent a call rather than using an online booking system. This way you can make them aware of possible extensions, particular requirements and you can find out additional information to pass onto the traveller. It also means that the agent can talk to accommodation providers about the nuances of your booking, finding availability that an online booking form just wouldn’t allow.

5)  Be prepared

Send your employees digital versions of all the important documents they might need whilst away, including their passport and any booking confirmations. This’ll save on panicked phone calls from employees half way around the world who can’t remember where they left their passport or the address of the apartment they’re supposed to be staying at.

6)  Make use of loyalty schemes

Maintaining brand loyalty when booking air travel or organising car hire can ensure you reap the rewards of loyalty schemes. Use these points to upgrade members of staff or to book free flights.

7)  Communicate

Spend time listening to the business travellers within the company, it’ll help you to gain an insight into their wants and needs when travelling. One way of doing this would be to send out a survey to your frequent travellers and collate the feedback.

8)  Use an online tracking system

Some agents will be able to offer you this service so that if disaster strikes and you need to know the exact whereabouts of all your business travellers at any one time, you can.

9)  Don’t avoid it!

Business travel is an important part of building relationships with clients and partners, a conference call can rarely compare to a face-to-face meeting, even in this digital age!