Business travel is an intricate process, often involving numerous approvals, planning, bookings, tight schedules, and, of course, managing expenses. For many companies, travel is a necessary part of their operations, but it often tends to be stressful. What if people could manage everything – approvals, flight and hotel bookings, and expense tracking – all in one app, ensuring every trip is smooth and efficient, both for the employee and the manager? That is the power of a well-designed business travel app.
In this blog, we’ll explore the 7 must-have features that every business travel app needs to help both employees and companies stay efficient, productive, and stress-free.
Cloud-Based Corporate Travel Solutions
As corporate travel continues to grow, the demand for tools that streamline the travel process becomes more critical. Employees need solutions that do more than just help them book a flight. An all-in-one solution that simplifies each step of their trip is the need of the hour.
Cloud-based corporate travel management solutions simplify business travel by centralizing everything – from bookings and approvals to expense tracking and compliance – on one platform. Accessible from any device, these solutions automate travel processes, provide real-time insights, and integrate with existing systems, making travel management more efficient and cost-effective for businesses.
Here is a list of the most sought after features that employees look for in a business travel management app.
1. Intuitive User Interface
When you’re constantly on the move, ease of use is critical. An intuitive user interface helps employees quickly access essential features – whether booking a flight, tracking expenses, or checking their itinerary. It’s like having a well-organized desk, everything is where you need it, saving time and reducing stress.
Studies show that business travelers save up to 30% of their time by using apps with user-friendly designs. A simple, intuitive layout ensures users won’t waste time figuring out how to navigate the app, allowing them to focus on the job at hand.
2. Automated Expense Tracking
Gone are the days of manually entering expenses into spreadsheets. With automated tracking, a business travel management app automatically logs expenses by syncing with credit card accounts and using OCR technology. Think of it as having a digital accountant in your pocket, recording every transaction in real time.
Automated tracking reduces the risk of errors and saves employees hours of manual data entry. In fact, companies report 40% faster processing times for expense submissions when using automated solutions.
3. Real-Time Expense Reports
83% of business travelers say managing expenses is one of the most time-consuming parts of their trip. Employees no longer need to wait until the end of their trip to manage expenses. A good business travel app provides real-time expense reporting, allowing professionals to monitor their spending throughout the journey. This feature works like a GPS for your expenses – giving you a clear picture of where your money is going. With real-time visibility, employees can make better decisions, adjust spending on the fly, and ensure they stay within budget.
4. Receipt Capture and Management
Tell me you’ve never misplaced a bill or receipt, and I’ll find that hard to believe. Paper receipts can easily get lost during a trip. That’s why an efficient business travel expense tracker should include a simple way to capture and store receipts electronically. Employees can snap a photo of their receipt, and the app saves it in one central location, preventing headaches at the end of the trip. A centralized receipt repository ensures that nothing is overlooked, and employees can easily retrieve receipts when submitting expense reports. Moreover, OCR-based online reimbursement filing through apps, is much convenient for the travelling employee.
5. Integration with Popular Booking Platforms
Employees should not have to jump between multiple platforms to book their flights, hotels, and rental cars. A seamless corporate travel solution integrates with major booking platforms, allowing users to handle all their travel arrangements from within the app.
The app pulls in travel options from various providers, allowing users to compare prices and finalize their bookings without leaving the platform. This makes travel planning faster and more efficient.
6. Built-In Policy Compliance
Accidental non-compliance with company travel policies can lead to delays in reimbursement or even penalties. To prevent this, the app should have built-in policy compliance features that alert employees when they are about to exceed approved spending limits or book a non-compliant service. With these alerts, employees can confidently make travel arrangements knowing they’re within company guidelines.
7. Mobile Accessibility
When all the world is going digital, business professionals rely heavily on mobile devices. A business travel management app must be mobile-friendly, allowing employees to manage bookings, expenses, and itineraries directly from their smartphones or tablets. Additionally, it must also enable the employee to seek online approvals, while on the go.
Studies show that 70% of business travelers prefer using mobile apps for booking because of their convenience. With an app that simplifies travel arrangements, employees spend less time on logistics and more time on the actual business tasks. Whether waiting in an airport lounge or attending a meeting, employees can make changes or submit expenses while travelling, keeping everything running smoothly.
Centralized Travel Desk for Employees
Efficient business travel is about more than just booking flights and hotels. With the right corporate travel solutions, you streamline the entire travel process, making life easier for employees and cutting unnecessary costs for the company. A well-designed business travel app integrates everything – bookings, expenses, and policy compliance – into one smooth, easy-to-use platform.
When businesses invest in the right tools, they empower their employees to travel efficiently and confidently, knowing that all the details are handled with ease. Whether it’s real-time alerts, simplified booking, or automatic expense tracking, these features ensure every business trip runs like clockwork.
Simplify Employee Travel Experience with TESS360
Looking for a solution to streamline your corporate travel process? TESS360 is the ideal business travel management app for companies looking to enhance efficiency and ensure compliance. With features designed for today’s fast-paced business environment, the SaaS-based corporate travel management solution helps employees manage travel more efficiently while ensuring smooth corporate oversight.
Streamline your travel management and ensure compliance, all while empowering your employees to travel efficiently.
Schedule a TESS360 demo and experience the convenience of cloud-based business travel management app!
