Corporate Travel Policy

9 Corporate Travel Policy Compliance and Distribution Online Booking Tools and Mobile Apps for Policy Distribution Traditionally, travel policies were distributed to travelers as hard copies. With recent developments in online booking tools and mobile apps, travel policies can now be accessed digitally in the same places employees are booking their travel or claiming their expenses post trip. This improves the user experience as they can refer to the travel policy from anywhere, at any time, in order to ensure they are always compliant. Additionally, booking tools provide software guardrails embedded in the technology, which prevent employees from booking outside of policy. This is a highly effective but less obtrusive way of ensuring that policy guidelines are followed and business goals are achieved. Driving Travel Policy Compliance There are a number of ways that organizations can drive travel policy compliance. First, mandate and enforce that travelers book travel by leveraging the solutions available to them. Second, provide easy access to the latest travel policy via the online booking tool, mobile applications, or the organization’s intranet. Compliance can also be checked at the reimbursement stage via the expense management tool as long as travel policy guidelines are configured into the expense reporting process. While this is the least preferable method of policy enforcement as the expense has already been incurred, it allows organizations to catch any non- reimbursable spend by the traveler and withhold payment for out-of-policy expenditures. Travel Policy Audit There are five key points throughout the travel process where travel can be audited; 1. Prior to the trip using a pre-trip approval process, 2. During the booking process itself, 3. After booking travel, 4. After submitting expenses, or 5. After expenses have been paid to the traveler. Travel policy audits focus on the enforcement of travel policy. The selected audit method(s) should be articulated in the travel policy together with the potential implications of non-compliance. It is advantageous to audit travel bookings against the travel policy as early as possible so actions can be taken to prevent non-compliant travel or prevent reimbursement of non-compliant travel where possible. The earlier non-compliance is identified, the better, especially if it is prior to the expenditure of funds. That said, post-reimbursement auditing can be used to identify habitual non-compliance, even at a low level, that may not have been detected earlier in the process. Online booking tools, TMC’s, and expense management tools can provide reports specifically designed to identify non-compliance. Traditionally, travel policies were distributed to travelers as hard copies. With recent developments in online booking tools and mobile apps, travel policies can now be accessed digitally in the same places employees are booking their travel or claiming their expenses post trip.