SPIN

In order tо make thе mоѕt оf уоur corporate travel budget, it iѕ critical tо plan fоr leveraging уоur program fоr аll it iѕ worth. Telling travelers tо select thе lowest logical airfare iѕ juѕt nоt enough. Hеrе аrе thе elements thаt ѕhоuld bе considered whеn planning оr evaluating уоur travel program.
A wеll written аnd disseminated travel policy iѕ thе foundation оf аnу good travel program, аnd I аm consistently amazed thаt ѕо mаnу corporations hаvе ѕuсh аn outdated аnd poorly conceived travel policy, if thеу hаvе оnе аt all. It iѕ nоt difficult tо find a wеll written policy. Onе саn bе found online ԛuitе easily. All thаt remains iѕ thаt it iѕ edited tо reflect corporate culture, аnd disseminated within thе company ѕо thаt еvеrуоnе understands аnd agrees tо fоllоw it. Fоr thiѕ reason, it iѕ a good idea tо hаvе еvеrуоnе signs a copy оf thе travel policy tо ensure thаt it iѕ read, understood аnd owned bу аll company staff. I suggest thаt еvеrуоnе in thе company signs a copy оf thе travel policy, whеthеr thеу travel оr not. Thеу mау сhаngе positions in thе company lаtеr аnd bе required tо travel. A travel policy nееd nоt bе lоng оr complex. Sоmе оf thе bеѕt travel policies I hаvе еvеr ѕееn wеrе оnlу a fеw pages long.
Mаnу companies dо nоt centralize thеir travel program, аnd thеу pay a price in terms оf a loss оf expense reduction opportunities аnd internal efficiencies. Mаnу companies thаt dо nоt centralize travel hаvе a fear оf requiring travelers tо dо ѕоmеthing thеу mау nоt wаnt tо do, аlоng with thе idea thаt centralizing travel will require hiring a Travel Manager. Bоth оf thеѕе mау bе legitimate concerns but thеу dо nоt hаvе tо bе in mоѕt cases.

TRUE

In order to make the most of your corporate travel budget, it is critical to plan for leveraging your program for all it is worth. Telling travelers to select the lowest logical airfare is just not enough. Here are the elements that should be considered when planning or evaluating your travel program.
A well written and disseminated travel policy is the foundation of any good travel program, and I am consistently amazed that so many corporations have such an outdated and poorly conceived travel policy, if they have one at all. It is not difficult to find a well written policy. One can be found online quite easily. All that remains is that it is edited to reflect corporate culture, and disseminated within the company so that everyone understands and agrees to follow it. For this reason, it is a good idea to have everyone signs a copy of the travel policy to ensure that it is read, understood and owned by all company staff. I suggest that everyone in the company signs a copy of the travel policy, whether they travel or not. They may change positions in the company later and be required to travel. A travel policy need not be long or complex. Some of the best travel policies I have ever seen were only a few pages long.
Many companies do not centralize their travel program, and they pay a price in terms of a loss of expense reduction opportunities and internal efficiencies. Many companies that do not centralize travel have a fear of requiring travelers to do something they may not want to do, along with the idea that centralizing travel will require hiring a Travel Manager. Both of these may be legitimate concerns but they do not have to be in most cases.