Within the framework of establishing the company today, employees enjoy the comfort of acquiring new information essential to their career development, all thanks to the Internet and digital platforms. However, there are some tasks, activities, and training that cannot be performed easily while sitting in front of a computer. We are talking about deal making, networking, leadership seminars and relationship building. Therefore, corporate travel is still important these days. When implemented properly, business-to-business trips can boost your employees’ spirits, thereby improving their productivity and helping your business grow.
Having said that, corporate travel planning isn’t a piece of cake either. With so many moving parts in the equation, this endeavor can be extremely difficult to plan, and individual supervision can lead to costly mistakes. Believe it or not, there are a lot of ways in which you can spend a lot on your company travel. So, to help you, we have compiled several methods in this post that can help you avoid these costs and make your travel program as productive and cost-effective as possible.
4 Easy Ways to Avoid Hidden Corporate Travel Fees
- Develop clear travel policies
Clear travel policies are the first step to controlling your travel expenses. Your corporate travel policy will allow you to determine the acceptable cost of travel – and what not. It also helps you to monitor your total travel expenditures more effectively, and to determine whether the proposed budget should be revised and / or revised.
Here are some pointers to remember when creating your company travel policy:
- Include all food, housing, transportation and entertainment expenses.
- Ask your legal advisor to review your travel policy before distributing it to your employees.
- Determine acceptable travel expenses.
- Include specific instructions on how to submit expense reports.
- Include the key person to whom employees can submit their expense reports.
- Set a deadline for expense reports.
- Review them annually and update them as necessary to cover increased travel costs.
- Select specific travel agents, hotels, auto services, or any partner travel sellers.
- Book flights online
With the help of technology, you can now book your business trip online, allowing you to save a significant amount of time and money in the process. This is because if you book your flight without an internet connection, the airline will charge you for the activities and personal interaction provided to you by their agent.
If you are not required to book your flight through the designated travel agency like EXPRESSEARTH, we recommend that you book your flight online either through the airline’s website or through third-party and applications available in the market today. Just be sure to carefully review the confirmation page to ensure no reservation fee is included in the final payment.
- Keep an eye on airline add-ons
From more legroom, seat selection, fee changes, rebooking, etc. – there are a lot of ways airlines can drain your company’s travel budget without you knowing it. Before budgeting for your company’s travel, consider the average cost of hidden airline fees:
- Handbag: Free up to $ 45.
- Checked baggage: 1st bag: free up to $ 45. 2nd Bag: Free to $ 55. 3rd bag: $ 50 to $ 150.
- Pet hosting: $ 10 to $ 200.
- Cancellation or change of flight reservation: free up to $ 150.
- Phone and personal reservations: Free up to $ 45.
- TV or movie on board: Free up to $ 8.
- In-flight Wi-Fi: $ 5 to $ 14 for a 24-hour unlimited pass.
- Unaccompanied minors: Free up to $ 100.
- Extra legroom and seat choice: $ 4 to $ 199.
- Snack: Free up to $ 10.
- Meal: $ 3 to $ 14.
- Non-alcoholic drink: Free up to $ 10.
- Alcoholic drink: $ 5 to $ 10.
- Pillow or blanket: Free up to $ 10.
- Avoid hidden hotel fees
Just like airlines, many hotels generate billions of dollars in revenue just by charging “extra” fees for services they consider standard. This fee often includes newspaper delivery and use of the workout room, pool and other facilities at the hotel. Moreover, you should be aware of hotel service fees that tend to increase each year, such as housekeeping fees, concierge fees, energy usage fees, and even Wi-Fi costs. There are even some hotels that charge you extra dollars before they allow you to keep your bags for a few hours after check-out.
To avoid hidden hotel fees, the best thing you can do is to do a thorough research before booking. Firstly, it is best to contact the hotel and inquire about the fees that will be applied to your stay. For unbiased information, you can also check hotel review sites like Trip Advisor and Oyster to write off any hotels that have received negative reviews not only on their hidden fees but also on their overall service.
