Corporate Travel policies—they’re the bread and butter of the corporate travel world, and yet, so many businesses either don’t have one, or don’t know how to use their corporate travel policy effectively!
As corporate travel slowly resumes around Australia, it is becoming more important than ever to ensure your business travel policy is up to scratch. Your business travel policy can save you not only a tonne of time but also a tonne of money, so if yours isn’t up to scratch (or if you don’t even have one yet), keep reading our guide below!
What is A Corporate Travel Policy?
A corporate travel policy is, essentially, a set of guidelines for business travel. A bit like a business travel bible!
Created to ensure that all business travel undertaken by members of the company follows a strict set of instructions, your travel policy is likely to be the new vital tool in your business toolbelt once corporate travel is underway again. Corporate travel policies are as unique as snowflakes. While there’s no end to the number of things a strong travel policy can include, your policy may include which airline to use, what hotels to book and who you prefer to use for car hire. This allows you to not only ensure the safety of your employees, but also to save money and obtain exclusive travel discounts with various suppliers. Who doesn’t love a good discount!
Who Needs A Corporate Travel Policy?
If you’re travelling for business purposes, you need a travel policy. Regardless of whether you have a large number of employees travelling regularly or you book just a few essential flights, you should have a travel policy in place if you’re booking business travel of any kind. Not only will your travel policy ensure that all of your employees are on the same page when it comes to booking travel, but it may also save you money and protect your business in the long run.
How To Write A Corporate Travel Policy:
Now that you’ve decided a travel policy is essential for your business (don’t we love the word essential?), it’s time to get one written. While you can write a travel policy yourself, it’s much less painful to employ Pulse Corporate Travel to do it for you. Creating a corporate travel policy is part of the Corporate Travel Services on offer at Pulse Travel, and not only will they ensure that your wishes are written down clearly and concisely, but they will be able to provide you with advice on other considerations and ensure your policy is watertight.
If you’re ready to write your policy with Pulse Travel but not sure where to start, here are a few things to think about before you get going! Create a word doc and make a note of your ideas as you go, so you don’t miss anything.
What Should Be Included?
If you have never written a travel policy before, or even if you need to refresh your policy for 2022, there are a range of things you’ll need to think about. While a travel policy will vary from business to business, there are a few essential things that you must include:
1. Your Preferred Travel Agency
Working with one corporate travel agency when booking business travel is important to ensure consistency. When writing a travel policy for the first time, a corporate travel agency such as Pulse Travel will be able to walk you through the process, providing you with a template and suggestions for what to include. Once the policy is written, the team at Pulse Travel will be able to implement it and help you to make further adjustments in the future as needed.
2. Any Preferred Suppliers
If your business has any agreements with airlines, hotels or car hire companies, this is where you include it!
Including your preferred suppliers may not only impact your itinerary, but it can also save you money. Establishing agreements with suppliers can help you to secure certain discounts for your travel, but keep in mind that once you establish those relationships, you need to stick with them. Like the song ‘Stand By Me’ by Ben E. King, you need to stand by them!
3. Travel Insurance Details
Travel insurance is absolutely essential for both leisure and corporate travel. As such, it’s important to ensure all of the specifications of your travel insurance are included in the policy. While your regular health insurance may cover you in certain instances on domestic trips, it’s vital that you ensure effective travel insurance before heading overseas, as not all countries will afford the same level of healthcare.
If you find you or your employees will be travelling internationally frequently, ensure that your corporate travel policy takes this into consideration before you jet off overseas.
4. Which Expenses Are Reimbursable
Let’s be real, everyone wants free stuff. Unless you want your staff attempting to claim every purchase they make, when you’re planning or updating your travel policy for 2021 and 2022, you’ll want to consider which expenses will be reimbursed! Considering which expenses are and aren’t reimbursable is important for two reasons. Firstly, it ensures that your travellers know they won’t be left out-of-pocket for certain expenses, and secondly it prevents your employees from over-claiming expenses which may not have been necessary during the trip. Unfortunately, this may mean you can’t write that fancy 5-course meal off as a business expense!
Things such as certain meals, transportation and laundry may need to be included, but the team at Pulse Travel are able to assist you in customising your accepted expenses to suit your needs.
5. Which Airfare and Hotel Room Type to Book
As much as we would all love to fly first class and stay in a penthouse when travelling, it’s generally not realistic. To ensure that you don’t accidentally book the most expensive room in the house, or the most expensive airfare on the market, it’s important to include this information in your travel policy!
As travel will be different for every business, it’s good to keep in mind the comfort of your employees as well as your back pocket. While it’s perfectly acceptable to enforce the cheapest flight and cheapest hotel room for shorter stays, you may wish to consider better options when undergoing long-haul flights or staying in one place for a longer period of time. Depending on your individual circumstances, the team at Pulse Travel will be able to advise the best course of action.
Where To From Here?
Once you have considered all of the above, and decided on the most appropriate responses for your business, it’s time to consult with the experts at Pulse Travel! Their team of experienced corporate travel agents will sit down and discuss your travel needs with you, fill out a template and then keep it on file for when you’re ready to start traveling again!
With more than 30 years of experience in the industry, the agents at Pulse Travel will be able to customise any business travel to suit your needs, so if you’re wanting advice on how to perfect your travel policy, get in contact today.
