- Like
- Digg
- Del
- Tumblr
- VKontakte
- Buffer
- Love This
- Odnoklassniki
- Meneame
- Blogger
- Amazon
- Yahoo Mail
- Gmail
- AOL
- Newsvine
- HackerNews
- Evernote
- MySpace
- Mail.ru
- Viadeo
- Line
- Comments
- Yummly
- SMS
- Viber
- Telegram
- Subscribe
- Skype
- Facebook Messenger
- Kakao
- LiveJournal
- Yammer
- Edgar
- Fintel
- Mix
- Instapaper
- Copy Link
From providing services and meeting prospective clients to attending corporate events and scouting areas for expansion, traveling is a necessary part of conducting business. Though essential, the associated costs of corporate travel can get out of hand. Entrepreneurs and companies must make room in the budget for transportation, hotel accommodations, and necessities. For organizations with a small budget, however, keeping these expenses under control seems impossible.
Traveling isn’t cheap. However, the good news is that there are things you can do to reduce your costs without compromising the comfort or convenience of you or your team. Continue reading for some practical solutions.
Don’t Wait Until the Last Minute
The worst thing you can do is plan a business trip at the last minute. Sure, there are times where you may have to leave town on a whim, but advanced planning works to your advantage. It allows you enough time to ensure you’ve acquired everything you need. You’ll also find that there are more deals available to save money on travel expenses. Once you’ve ironed out a date for travel, start making plans right away.
Rewards Programs
You can save money on corporate travel by signing up for rewards programs. These are savings opportunities offered by credit card companies, airlines, car rental services, and hotels. While each program differs, the idea is that you’re rewarded with points or discounts every time you use their services. There are many perks for the member to use, from frequent flyer miles to free nights at luxury hotels.
Free Upgrades
Did you know that you could get free upgrades on airline tickets, car rentals, and hotel stays? While it’s not often advertised, doing online research for free upgrades or contacting service providers can make a big difference. If you read more here, you can see how travel experts can help you upgrade to business class for free. Car rental agencies periodically offer free upgrades to new or loyal members to keep their business. Hotels are always interested in gaining new guests and are often willing to upgrade your room without charge. Sometimes, all you have to do is ask.
Daily Budgets
Whether your travel policy requires you to reimburse employees for travel expenses or you provide an allowance in advance, setting daily budgets is essential to keep costs under control. Decide how much you can afford to spend each day on things like transportation and food. You’ll need to do some research to ensure that the amount you’ve chosen is reasonable. Then, inform your employees of this daily amount, so they don’t go over budget.
Location
When it comes to reserving a hotel room, keep the location in mind. When it comes to reserving a hotel room, keep the location in mind. For example, LA hotels are great but they can be pricey. The further you or your employees have to travel from the hotel to their intended destination, the more it costs. If you can find a close room, it eliminates the need for car rentals. For example, if you’re sending your team to a corporate event, reserving a place in the hotel where the event will be held saves money. They can come out of their rooms and head downstairs. The same is true for other accommodations like food and entertainment. By reserving a hotel or vacation rental in a central location, employees save money on getting to things they need.
Alternative Living Arrangements
You don’t have to break the budget to reserve a luxury hotel. You also don’t have to sacrifice convenience and comfort by selecting a cheap motel with limited amenities. There are alternative living arrangements that can be just as affordable as they are convenient. Vacation rentals, for example, have several rooms, full kitchens, living, and dining rooms. They provide all the creature comforts of home, house more than one person, and often cost less than overnight stays in hotels. Additionally, you can choose a luggage storage facility to make your stay more convenient. As the experts at RadicalStorage explain, having a luggage storage facility near your venue can free you up for your meeting without having to worry about your belongings. Plus, it will cost you just a fraction of what you might have to spend on hotel bookings, just for the luggage.
Work with a Travel Agency
If planning a business trip isn’t your forte, working with a travel agency is advised. Travel agents are trained to find you the best accommodations while sticking to your budget and needs. They also have access to deals and other travel resources that you may not find on your own, which can save you even more.
There are times when travel is necessary to conduct business. While it costs to get around, you don’t have to spend an arm and a leg to acquire everything you and your team need. With careful planning and the money-saving solutions provided above, you can travel affordably and comfortably.
- Like
- Digg
- Del
- Tumblr
- VKontakte
- Buffer
- Love This
- Odnoklassniki
- Meneame
- Blogger
- Amazon
- Yahoo Mail
- Gmail
- AOL
- Newsvine
- HackerNews
- Evernote
- MySpace
- Mail.ru
- Viadeo
- Line
- Comments
- Yummly
- SMS
- Viber
- Telegram
- Subscribe
- Skype
- Facebook Messenger
- Kakao
- LiveJournal
- Yammer
- Edgar
- Fintel
- Mix
- Instapaper
- Copy Link