There are numerous benefits that a corporate traveler can gain by using the services of a professional business travel agency. Those who choose not to use such services not only lose out on exceptional customer support but also lose money as well. In this article, discover what exactly a business travel management company is responsible for and 9 reasons to use this service.

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What is a Business Travel Agency?

Business travel agencies, also known as travel management companies, provide travel-related services with discounts and perks, which can be adjusted to meet the company’s travel policy and duty of care for business travelers.

These business travel agents are made up of independent or in-house travel experts that are responsible for managing and monitoring travel expenses as well as arranging travel for companies or corporate individuals. The article, “What is Travel Management”, explains the role of TMCs for businesses in more detail.

Business Travel Agency: 9 Reasons to Use One

Business travel management companies can be highly beneficial for businesses for several reasons. To get a better idea of just how useful they are, here are 9 of the main benefits for using a business travel agency to manage your corporate travel.

1. Discount Travel

A business travel agency can provide companies with many perks, including discounts on flights and accommodation. Business travel agencies in the travel and tourism industry often book large volumes of flights and hotel rooms for individuals worldwide. This puts them in a favorable position regarding obtaining better flight rates or discounts. By using a business travel agency, you are more likely to get a special rate on your business travel than if you were to make the booking yourself.

But that’s not the only perk of using a corporate travel agent. Since they have been working in the industry for a long time, (the long-established agencies), they can also access flight and hotel room upgrades, VIP lounges, and first-class ground transportation.

2. Save Time and Money

Saving time and money are clear advantages of using a business travel agency. Due to their industry contacts and expertise, they can easily find you the best deals. Most businesses choose business travel agencies that specialize in dealing with customers in the same industry as them. This is highly beneficial as experienced business travel agencies can optimize your travel strategy, thus saving you time and money.

3. Round-the-Clock Assistance

Your corporate travel agent acts as an emergency contact, whenever you or your employees need their support before, during, or after their travels. Whether traveling domestically or internationally, you’ll likely need the support of a business travel agency, especially if you don’t speak the local language. You may even find yourself stranded during a political or adverse weather upheaval. This is where your business travel agent will rescue your day or night.

No matter where you are, your business travel agency will take the stress out of your problems by contacting their contacts and getting everything sorted immediately so you can continue enjoying your business trip.

4. Inside Knowledge

Since business travel agencies have years of experience in their field, they can provide you with inside information, which isn’t openly available to the public. Their vast knowledge and inside information keep them on top of the latest happenings with flight price changes.

Another key benefit of their inside knowledge is that itinerary changes can be done without you having to pay any fees. A corporate travel agent can change itineraries at little or no cost to you, thus saving your business money.

5. Complying with Corporate Travel Policy

Any small or large-sized company with employees who travel for work must enforce a corporate travel policy to ensure their staff complies with basic rules. These rules include specific flight class, rental car star, and hotel class rates.

A business travel agent helps enforce this policy by guiding employees on all the compliant options. By using a business travel agency, you’ll ensure that your staff members adhere to your company’s travel policy without needing extra effort to track travel compliance.

6. Greater Access to Resources

Corporate travel agents can provide extensive access to all the resources you need to make your business trip go according to plan. These agents use the best online tools to determine any factors affecting your business trip. They can also print your flight tickets, find out about potential delays, make sure your driver is scheduled to pick you up from the airport, and various other important processes to make your trip go as smoothly as possible.

Since business travel agencies have greater access to online tools, they can prevent any mishaps that may occur during or before your scheduled trip. Even if weather changes result in flight delays, your agent will quickly book an alternative flight. When you use a business travel agency, you will not only have peace of mind during your business trip but also know that there is a team of competent professionals behind you should any problems arise.

7. The Best Travel Booking Systems

As previously mentioned, business travel agencies have access to the best online systems for making travel bookings. In the modern world of business travel, web-based end-to-end booking is necessary as it eliminates the hassle of making individual bookings for flights, rooms, etc.
With the help of a business travel agency, you can be sure that you are getting the best rates possible. No hidden strategies are involved in the process, as the agent uses a reliable and consistent booking platform.

A modern business travel agency provides all the necessary tools, including a mobile app to submit your travel plans and request changes at any time of the day or night. Using the right technology and software, you can keep the communication line open between you and your travel agent.

Cutting-edge technology plays an important role in this industry. If you were to manage your employees’ travel itineraries, the whole process could take up so much of your time. On the other hand, using a mobile app or software to send your travel plans over to the agent can easily be done within a few minutes.

8. A Fully Comprehensive Service

In addition to booking car hire, flights, rooms, and airport transfer, a corporate travel agent can also take care of the visa arrangements to the destination you or your employees are traveling to. Travel insurance, exchange rates, parking, business venues, meetings, events, and more than a business travel agency can arrange for you. A business travel agency can provide a comprehensive service from the start to the end, so you won’t need to worry about anything during your business trip.

9. Dedicated Agents

Finally, the last reason to use a business travel agent is their dedication to getting to know your travel needs. Most agencies build company profiles and appoint their agents to specific clients. This makes travel arrangements become simple and precise. Furthermore, your specific requirements will be met every time with a dedicated agent, so you won’t have to go over the details with them again and again.

Specific requests include seat numbers, smoking rooms, dietary requirements, and frequent flyer processing. Agents with company profiles ensure that travel policies are followed with every booking. These are all important in order to ensure a business trip runs successfully.

Finding the Right Business Travel Agency

Choosing the right agent for your company shouldn’t begin with the agent itself. You should first assess your own travel policy. Once you’ve come up with a clear travel policy, the agent you choose will also align their services based on your company’s exact needs. You must also consider the destinations your employees are most likely to travel to and your budget for these business trips. Read on to find out how to choose the best business travel agency for your company.

The type of agent you select should be based on your company size and the industry you work in. For example, if you are a large corporation that needs to attend business events regularly, you will need a travel agent to arrange the right venues for your meetings or events. They will also need to be adaptable enough to make last-minute itinerary changes.

Finally, another key component of finding the best business travel agency is ensuring they fit your company culture. As these agents will work closely with your staff, they must adhere to your policies. For example, if your company emphasizes work schedule flexibility for employees who are on business trips, you will want an agent who can also abide by that policy.

How Travel Companies Can Increase Revenue with the Help of A Business Travel Agency

Frequent business travel can be costly and complicated, especially if the trips consist of multiple travelers with separate itineraries. Most companies don’t have the time or resources to carry out such tasks on their own, which is why they opt for the services of a business travel agency. Business travel agencies not only arrange and manage business travel for companies, but they are also highly beneficial for the hotel industry since they need to make multiple room bookings regularly.

Most business travel agencies use a GDS system (global distribution system) to book accommodations and much more. Hotels can also take advantage and maximize their profits by connecting with a GDS system. This system provides real-time access to your hotel’s room prices and availability, thus increasing the chances of attracting more business travelers and boosting revenue at the same time.

In the detailed guide, “Global Distribution System (GDS): What Are the Benefits for Hotels?” you will find out what a GDS is and how it can benefit the hotel industry.

Top Business Travel Management Companies

Since it’s the job of a business travel agency to arrange business trips and events for the employees of companies, hotels can, in turn, attract more business travelers by making their rooms and services accessible for business travel agencies to book. If you are a hotel manager or owner and wish to attract more corporate travelers to your property, look at this informative article, “Corporate Travel Agents for Hotels to Gain More Business Travelers”.

A business travel agency not only books business travel but also encourage companies’ employees to comply with corporate travel policy. Although a business travel agency can come at a price, most businesses would be lost without them, especially when getting the best travel deals.

More Tips Regarding Business Travel

The corporate travel market is receiving an increased focus from many in the travel industry, partly business travelers often spend more money on their travels, especially when their employer covers their costs. However, more importantly, business travel is growing, thanks to factors like globalization and the availability of flights. In the following articles, you will find more information about the corporate travel market:

More Tips to Grow Your Business

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This article is written by:

Martijn Barten

Hi, I am Martijn Barten, founder of Revfine.com. With 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry, I specialize in optimizing revenue by combining revenue management with marketing strategies. I have successfully developed, implemented, and managed revenue management and marketing strategies for individual properties and multi-property portfolios.