With a volatile economy, a local currency that changes value on a daily basis and ever increasing international visa restrictions, it is not always easy for South African businesses to send people overseas. This has resulted in many companies asking themselves what makes financial and operational sense when deciding to invest in an in-house corporate travel booker or to outsource to a tried and trusted corporate travel agency such as TravelManor.
Before making this decision, however, we think you should consider the following:
Sending a person overseas is a major cost for any local company, which is why businesses need to weigh up the costs of managing such a process. In our experience travel management companies are more likely to focus on cost savings and curb unnecessary expenditure, while still ensuring that corporate travellers remain safe. They also need to have more transparent reporting capabilities, which is good for managing costs. Additionally because of purchasing power travel agencies such as us tend to have more opportunities to negotiate better airline and accommodation prices on behalf of you, our corporate clients. Internal travel agents don’t necessarily have the same infrastructure set up to this, however, which can in some instances increase the costs of travel.
We know that it is always nice to be able to walk over to a desk and ask an in-house agent a question or two about your corporate travel arrangements, but the truth is that in this digital day and age it is simpler to use email or other forms of electronic communication to pose the questions you need answers to. This is even more so in a corporate environment, where time is money and accountability can be tracked by email trail. This means that it does not matter if your corporate travel expert is down the hall or across town, what counts at the end of the day is that the job is done and the questions are answered quickly and efficiently - something we’re exceptionally good at!
This is something you’ll need to seriously consider, as in many businesses travel can be seasonal. You’ll need to be very sure that there is enough year-round corporate travel bookings to keep your in-house agent busy. If this is not the case, then there can be additional unnecessary office and salary expenses that are incurred. We’ve also found that in some cases in-house corporate travel agents get paid a straight salary, so are not motivated to find the best possible travel and accommodation deals. When outsourcing your corporate travel to a company such as us this is not the case, however, as it is in our best interests to keep costs down and provide you with the best possible accommodation - all within a budget! This is literally a process that benefits both companies, as you keep business travel costs down, and we keep you as a satisfied corporate travel customer.
When you outsource your corporate travel arrangements to a company such as us you’re not locked into any contract. You’re not only free to shop around but also don’t have to worry about paying a salary or managing an internal staff member. This gives you the unprecedented freedom to choose what is best for your business at any time!
Countries, regions and even your own company will have travel policies that need to be adhered to, and we at TravelManor can assist you with this! All legal, financial and procedural compliances will be dealt with by us, and this helps to make us the perfect corporate travel partner. Because we work with a range of different clients, all of whom have different corporate needs, we are able to expedite compliance issues a lot quicker than most in-house travel agents due to the fact that we’ve encountered every problem or compliance issue imaginable. This benefits you both at a cost level, and at a time and inconvenience level, and we’ll always be on hand to help you anywhere in the world 24/7/365.
Each and every one of our dedicated corporate travel agents and TravelManor staff members are constantly learning from one another. They share both knowledge and expertise and undergo continual on the job training. This is not the case for a single in-house travel agent, as they more often than not find themselves separated from the ever-changing corporate travel environment, and have to rely on themselves to learn what is new and innovative within the industry.
Would you like to discuss your travel management options, or learn more about how we can help you make the correct decision when it comes to In-house or External Travel Management Companies? Then please feel free to contact us and talk to one of Corporate Traveller’s travel experts today.
