A beginner’s guide to business travel

Before booking travel arrangements, make sure you aren't breaking any rules. Your company will likely have a

business travel policy

outlining the travel spending allowed for airfares, hotel rooms, or transportation. This policy will also lay out any preferred operators or a booking process for your work trip and any

per diem rates for food

and other expenses.Getting up to speed with your organization's travel policy can also ensure you know the correct procedures for reimbursement so you can keep all the necessary receipts and records while you are on the road.

Every expense you intend to claim from your company must be reported accurately on your return. As well as collecting physical receipts, it can pay to take photos just in case you lose the originals.Quick packing tip.

Speed up your expense reporting

on your return, and take a plastic envelope to keep all your business receipts wrinkle-free and separate from those generated by personal purchases. Streamline the process even further by using an expense reporting tool that lets you photograph your receipts and submit them for reimbursement from the road.

No one wants a long wait to be reimbursed for their expenses. If you have kept a good record while you are away, submitting your expense report should be a breeze! Avoid any last-minute stress and send it off straight away. That way, you can fill in any missing details while your memory is still fresh.

How employees book their travel arrangements will depend on whether your organization has a

managed or unmanaged travel program

. Unmanaged corporate travel will usually see team members book their accommodation and flights. A

more managed approach

can help businesses save time and take advantage of the corporate rates a

travel management tool

can negotiate.With a

travel management solution like TravelPerk

, employees can still enjoy the autonomy of booking their hotels and transportation. But rather than searching through a myriad of websites, they have a streamlined dashboard with an industry-leading inventory.On top of benefitting from special rates, businesses can also integrate their travel policies and utilize automated approval systems to

ensure compliance

. Plus, users can benefit from first-class customer support to rapidly resolve any unexpected issues or cancellations.

The security of business travelers is always any organization's top priority. But without the proper tools, keeping your traveling employees safe can be challenging. Manually tracking your itineraries is time-consuming and risky, with oversights all too easy amid a stressful situation. Plus, without external out-of-hours support, a rotating rota of managers has to be on call to cover travel emergencies.With a tool like

TravelPerk

, coordinators can

track all their travelers at the click of a button

. Rather than relying on the news or social media, travel managers and travelers receive real-time notifications for any safety considerations or itinerary changes. With a system in place, management can sleep easy knowing users can benefit from round-the-clock assistance from a team of human customer support agents 365 days a year.

When travel arrangements run smoothly, corporate travelers can tackle their business meetings in the best frame of mind. Ask your business travelers for their travel tips and to leave reviews on any travel management systems you use. These details can be useful for improving the travel experience of a coworker and are especially handy if you are responsible for booking executives' travel arrangements.