In the manufacturing industry today, everyday decisions are often a moving target. Your needs right now might be very different than your needs a month from now.
This begs the question, when is the right time to evolve into a managed travel program? And what exactly does that involve?
Why partner with a travel management company?
Travel management companies (TMCs) work full-time behind the scenes to help you save money, take care of your travelers, and streamline your business travel processes. They help remove bottlenecks and disruptions to make sure your travelers reach their destinations efficiently, no matter what comes their way.
When you partner with a TMC, travel transforms from random bookings to becoming a strategic tool for your business. It can help you save money, shape your company culture, give you a competitive edge, and even help you attract and retain top talent.
When is the right time to get started?
The short answer: right now. If you want to optimize your business travel spending and resource utilization while making travel better for your employees (and your contractors), it’s time to partner with a TMC. And if your company’s travel needs are complex with high-stakes initiatives, it’s even more important to get everything in place – like approval routing processes – before any unplanned disruptions arise.
What’s the next step?
To start, take a fresh look at how you think about travel management. If your company’s leadership currently sees business travel as nothing more than an expense to cut, it’s time for a rethink. The companies with successful travel programs – the ones that get a great return on their investment – view business travel not as an expense, but as something worth investing in.
When you hold business travel management as a strategic investment, it opens a world of possibilities. Instead of simply asking, “How can we spend less on flights and hotels?” you can consider things like how can we strengthen supply chain relationships by using business travel?
How do you find the right fit?
Once you start looking at business travel as an investment, it’s time to think about what kind of travel management company will fit your company best. Here are three key questions to help you get started:
- How Comfortable Are Your Travelers with Technology and Automation? Think about how tech-savvy your employees and contractors are. Do they prefer doing things manually, or are they all about using mobile apps for everything? Depending on your answer, you’ll want a TMC with experienced travel agents or one with an easy-to-use platform and a mobile app for self-service travel.
- Is Strategic Savings a Priority? In today’s challenging economic environment, closely monitoring your bottom line is paramount. If strategic savings rank high on your list of priorities, seek out a TMC that excels at reducing business travel costs in various ways, while increasing efficiency and keeping employees happy. To maximize your investment, opt for a TMC equipped with an extensive range of negotiated rates and automation that works discreetly behind the scenes to save money and automate and improve internal processes.
- How Much Does Data Matter to You? Modern manufacturing companies understand the value of data-driven decision-making. Data can strategically inform when to hire, where to expand into new markets, and which manufacturing processes deserve your investment. Consider whether you’re comfortable treating your business travel expenses — like per diem spend — as a blind spot, or if you’d benefit from partnering with a company that can provide high-quality, real-time insights and analysis.
Don’t wait for travel problems to arise in your business before getting strategic about your business travel management. For manufacturing companies of all sizes seeking cost savings, improved internal processes, enhanced risk mitigation, and benefits that make your travelers happier while actively contributing to smart growth, now is the right time to partner with a TMC.
Want more? Read ‘What Should Manufacturing Companies Look for When Choosing a TMC?’
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