Self-service corporate travel tools can make  business travel experiences more convenient and enjoyable.

If you’re a Traveler, when traveling for work, you likely have a few goals in mind. You want to fulfill the purpose of the trip (whether that’s attend a client meeting, present at a conference, etc.). You also want to do so in the most convenient, productive, enjoyable way possible.

If you’re a Travel Manager, on the other hand, you’re looking at other factors, too. You not only want to make your Travelers’ trips easy and stress-free. The trip should be profitable as well as safe. You want it to adhere to duty of care standards as well as the organization’s travel policy.

There’s one thing that can make all of these goals easier, whether you’re a Traveler or a Travel Manager. It’s self-service corporate travel tools.

What are Self-Service Corporate Travel Tools and Why are They Needed?

When business Travelers are working within an organization that implements managed travel, they may sometimes become frustrated with that travel management. This is particularly true if they’re relatively new to managed travel. In the past, they may have had free reign to book their travel as needed. They could change their travel plans on a whim. They could overall act in complete control of their every move while on the road on behalf of the organization.

However, this mode of business travel comes with quite a few risks. These risks are both related to duty of care and overall organization profitability. Managed travel looks at both of these factors, as well as others. It puts policies and parameters in place to ensure Travelers are safe and trips are profitable. That said, managed travel can be implemented in such a way that it stifles Travelers and makes them more stressed.

For example, imagine a Traveler’s flight is canceled at the last minute. They don’t want to go through the steps necessary to get a new flight or new travel arrangements via their Travel Management Company’s trip disruption assistance services. They’d rather manage the situation themselves, but that could mean even more delays, and lost productivity and profitability for their organization.

But how do you strike a balance? How do you give Travelers the freedoms they need so they don’t feel stifled and stressed? Though, how do you also ensure that Travelers adhere to the well-thought-out travel policy that’s in everyone’s best interest?

It all comes down to self-service corporate travel tools.

Self-service corporate travel tools are Travel Manager or Arranger-approved tools that allow a Traveler to make their own decisions regarding their travel as necessary, but within the confines of the existing policy.

For example, JTB Business Travel’s partner Spotnana offers a mobile app and online booking tool that allows Travelers to adjust their trip, mid-trip if needed. They can change myriad aspects of a trip— including flights, seats, hotel rooms, etc.—without talking to their Travel Manager. Additionally, Spotnana’s travel-facing platform takes NDC bookings into consideration. Travelers can adjust their travel as needed regardless of where the booking originated.

Include Self-Service Corporate Travel Tools in Your Travel Policy

So how do you pick a great self-service corporate travel tool? And then how do you integrate it into your travel policy as a Travel Manager? There are a few things you should look for when examining your options.

You want to make the travel process as easy as possible on your Travelers. Make sure that any self-service corporate travel tools are equally easy to use and access. This means these tools should be accessible quickly via an app or phone, for example. They should be accessible anytime, anywhere. They should be simple to use without asking for assistance from a Travel Manager or Arranger, too. After all, what’s the point of implementing a self-service corporate travel tool if you’re just going to need a Travel Manager’s help to work it?

You might also look specifically for self-service corporate travel tools that address the specific needs of your Travelers. Your Travelers may not fly all that often, for instance, and may travel more regionally via train or rental car. In this case, you might not need a tool that helps with flight booking and re-booking. Instead, you might want a travel tool that addresses a different pain point — like planning the trip, putting together an itinerary, accessing all of their travel documents or reporting their travel expenses after the fact.

Thanks to the wealth of travel technology, particularly the AI-powered travel technology that’s becoming more common among business Travelers in recent years, you should have no trouble finding travel tools to help with all this and more.

Once you’ve decided on the tools that will make your Travelers’ lives all the easier, adjust your existing travel policy to include them. Make sure that usage of the tools is clearly explained within the policy and communicated to your Travelers, so that they know exactly how to use them, when the time comes.

Keep an Eye on Duty of Care

However you implement self-service corporate travel tools—no matter which you choose for your organization—be sure to keep an eye on duty of care all the while. Yes, self-service corporate travel tools can make duty of care easier, while giving your Travelers’ freedom. That said, if you must choose between Traveler freedom and duty of care, the latter should always come first.