Why does booking business travel through independent travel companies leave you at a disadvantage?
When businesses are planning and managing business travel, many companies are tempted to book themselves using independent travel companies. While this may seem like a cheaper option, it’s more likely that when using independent travel companies, businesses will miss savings and lose valuable time. Choosing a dedicated business travel agent or management service can save your business time, money and unnecessary stress.
Limited expertise:
Booking directly with independent travel companies means you lose out on the specialised expertise of a business travel agent that understands the demands of business travel. Booking independently can cause issues when dealing with complex itineraries, last-minute changes, or multiple bookings. A business travel agent like Aeris Travel are, however, trained specifically to meet the unique needs of business travel.
No centralised service:
One of the major drawbacks of booking yourself through independent travel companies is the lack of centralised bookings and services. Without a business travel management provider like Aeris Travel, managing your business travel can become complicated and inconsistent. Booking for yourself can lead to mismanaged plans, incorrect bookings, or issues with expenses. As a business travel management provider, Aeris Travel offers you centralised booking and services, ensuring everything you need is in one place, with a dedicated team of experts managing all the elements you require.
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Mismanaged finances and reporting:
Booking yourself through independent travel companies will rarely give you the level of reporting and cost analysis that your business requires. You may only be provided with basic invoices, but that leaves your business having to independently find and manage the relevant data you need. Tracking your travel spend, analysing trends, or identifying opportunities to save can be time-consuming and challenging. However, working with a business travel agent like Aeris Travel provides you with detailed reporting dashboards and tools to help you stay on top of your travel data.
Lack of support:
When your business chooses to book itself with independent travel companies, you may find that you’re not given the level of support you require to successfully manage your travel. With fewer emergency assistance capabilities, your business can be left vulnerable when unexpected disruptions occur. While some support will be provided for some aspects of your travel, independent booking companies cannot offer you the same level of support that you would receive through a business travel agency. A specialist business travel agency like Aeris Travel provides you with dedicated systems in place for real-time troubleshooting, 24/7 support, and proactive risk management.
Limited negotiation power:
Booking with independent travel companies will not give you access to the same corporate rates or supplier networks that business travel agencies do. This means booking yourself can lead to higher costs and fewer options that suit your needs. Businesses like Aeris Travel utilise their established supplier relationships to negotiate better deals on your behalf, saving your business money.
Why choosing Aeris Travel gives you smarter travel management
While booking yourself through independent travel companies might work for your short-term needs, it doesn’t offer your business value, efficiency, or cost-effectiveness over time. Aeris Travel is designed to provide you with streamlined travel management, giving you better financial control and improved management processes for your employee. Through our membership of Focus Partnership, Aeris Travel benefits from a worldwide network which delivers efficient travel solutions to customers across the globe. If you are looking to elevate your travel management processes, let Aeris Travel show you the difference a personalised service can make. Contact our team today to hear more about the amazing benefits your business can receive by choosing to partner with Aeris Travel.
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