17 questions to ask a travel management company before choosing one
Corporate travel has so many moving parts. A closer look at a business trip will reveal there’s more than going from point A to B. It is about the experience, safety, how much travellers are spending on business trips, reporting of expenses, and analytics of trips for further improvements.
Since business travel is nuanced, the role of a corporate travel management company (TMC) becomes crucial. From booking, boarding to reporting, a TMC has the expertise and an entire team to handle every detail of the business trip.
Role of travel management companies
Travel management companies are crucial partners that handle every step of business travel. They provide valuable services that save time, money and enhance productivity.
But not all TMCs are the same. Some just handle bookings, and others become true strategic partners in corporate travel management.
So, how do you separate others from the gamechangers? Just ask the right questions!
Whether you’re a travel manager, procurement head, or a decision maker, this guide will help you assess the right travel partner. Dive in!
Section 1: Alignment with your business objectives
1. How will you help us achieve our corporate travel programme goals?
Whether your focus is maximising savings, employee satisfaction, tracking travel expenses, or ensuring policy compliance, the TMC should get a good understanding of your end goals, company structure, employee behaviour and work towards them. Look for a good travel management company that listens, aligns with your KPIs, and proactively recommends improvements.
2. Can you provide a detailed breakdown of your tailor-made solutions?
One size doesn't fit all. From pharma to media, every industry has different requirements, turnaround times, and unique needs. Ask the TMC whether they have experience working with different industries and how they have offered customised travel solutions, handled travel costs, and made last-minute travel arrangements, especially when employees travel overseas.
3. Do you have a global network, if we want to consolidate?
For MNCs, managing corporate travel programmes across different countries can be challenging. Imagine- every region with different travel processes, spiralling travel expenses, no negotiated supplier rates, out-of-policy travel bookings, etc. This can impact business goals and consistency. Ask the TMC about their global network, capabilities to handle corporate travel across multiple locations, managing travel spend from every location, and if they are experts in creating one travel policy with local nuances.
Section 2: Ensuring travel risk management
4. How do you handle disruptions and travel emergencies?
No one can predict untoward incidents. Flight cancellations. Closed borders. Natural disasters. While travel disruptions can happen anytime, your travellers should be backed by support during a crisis. Moreover, travel managers should have complete visibility of traveller movement and safety.
5. What duty of care services do you offer?
Traveller safety is non-negotiable. Explore how the TMC monitors global events, sends real-time alerts, tracks traveller locations, and ensures compliance with your travel risk management policies. Understand if the travel management company has support teams for people travelling abroad.
6. Will our travellers be supported by travel agents or chatbots?
A business travel agency must offer 24/7 support with real humans as travel agents, and not chatbots, especially during international travel. Get a complete understanding of how the TMC can support well-being of the travellers on-the-go and emergency assistance during disruptions.
Section 3: Leveraging technology and data
7. As a travel agency, what technology platforms do you use for corporate travel management?
From good to have, technology has become a must-have, enhancing every touchpoint of business travel. Evaluate the TMC’s booking platforms, mobile apps, approval flows, and integrations with your HR, finance, or expense systems. A user-friendly platform equals higher adoption and policy compliance. Ask the TMC if they have platforms where you can store documents such as travel insurance, and other travel documents.
8. How do you ensure compliance and data security?
With personal and financial data at stake, ask about data protection practices, adherence to GDPR or local data privacy laws, and secure infrastructure. You need a partner that prioritises data security, cybersecurity and regulatory compliance.
9. Do you provide analytics on compliance and savings?
How do you measure the success of your travel programme or keep track of it? Real-time insights into traveller behaviour, carbon footprint tracking, and spend breakdowns help you make informed decisions. Ask if their reporting is customisable with detailed reports.
Section 4: Managing costs and delivering value
10. What measures do you take to maximise cost savings?
Cost or maximising savings is not always about the cheapest airline or hotel fare. There are many ways to identify savings opportunities. The TMC should provide valuable insights and share travel data that can tell you about booking behaviour, supplier negotiations, etc. The top priority should be to control overspending to save money by following the travel processes prescribed in the travel policy.
11. How transparent are your fees?
Sudden payment-related shocks can hamper your relationship with the travel partner. Get a clear understanding and detailed breakdown of payments, transaction fees structure of your travel management company, after-hours support, cancellation charges, etc. A great TMC will offer transparent, auditable billing practices.
Section 5: Enhancing business traveller experience
12. How do you support traveller satisfaction and compliance?
Business traveller happiness is paramount, and so is policy compliance. Right from pre-booking, approvals to post-trip, ask how the TMC supports booking processes, if they have an online booking tool for faster bookings, real-time alerts, a robust reimbursement reporting system, and travel and expense management.
13. Are you equipped to manage last minute changes?
At times, business trips can be unpredictable and sudden. Today, you have no plans to travel for a month, and the next day you are on a flight for a corporate meeting! Travel managers can ask whether the TMC can handle bookings, hotel reservations, manage international travel insurance and entire trip planning.
14. What about support through mobile apps?
Smartphones have become the first screens. You cannot expect business travellers to open their laptops to stay updated. They should have everything in their palms to access to bookings, itineraries, updates, and support on the go. Ask for a demo of the TMC’s mobile app and its features, like real-time notifications and chat support.
Section 6: Sustainability
15. How do you embed sustainable practices?
If your company has net-zero goals, your travel programme should reflect that. Ask how the TMC helps you measure and reduce your environmental impact, such as carbon tracking, sustainable hotel recommendations, etc.
Section 7: Continuous improvement and partnership
16. How do you measure and report on performance metrics?
You need a TMC that goes beyond bookings to help improve your travel strategy. Ask about KPIs they track (cost per trip, traveller satisfaction, policy compliance), how often they review them with you, and what actions are taken based on insights.
17. Can you provide references or case studies from similar clients?
Nothing builds confidence like real-world results. Ask for client testimonials or case studies relevant to your industry, size, or travel footprint. This helps you gauge their ability to deliver on promises. A good travel management company will have feedback from clients across varied industries.
Conclusion: Choose a travel partner that makes business corporate travel better
Choose a travel agency that does more than business as usual. A corporate travel partner must understand your company's travel budget, travel spending and policies, handle travel risk management, connect with travel managers extensively to enhance business travel programme. Moreover, the agency should be proactive and provide training to employees for compliance and understanding the systems.|
At FCM, we go beyond bookings to deliver strategic travel management tailored to your goals, travellers, and industry. From AI-powered insights to human-led service, we’re here to elevate your business travel.
Want to learn more? Our team is here to help. Contact us today to learn how we can collaborate to build a business travel programme that grows with your business.