Benefits of online booking travel solutions

Are you looking to improve the efficiency of your company’s travel policy? Perhaps you’re seeking a way to reduce your corporate travel spending?

A centralized travel booking process provides significant advantages for businesses to improve their productivity and drive greater cost savings. The modern-day business traveler may carry multiple devices; therefore, it is increasingly important for companies to invest in travel technology that meets the needs of their business and traveling workforce. Whether you’re a Travel Arranger, Travel Manager, business traveler, or all three, online booking travel solutions can provide the answer to your travel management needs.

Online booking travel solutions save time and money

Bookings made through online booking tools (OBTs) incur lower fees than those made through Travel Agents. In addition, travelers are more likely to opt for cheaper airfares if the cost difference is visually represented before them. Furthermore, some OBTs require travelers to submit a reason for choosing an airfare if it isn’t the cheapest available; the user is then accountable for any lost savings. OBTs also save time by streamlining the booking process. CTM’s proprietary OBT, Lightning, provides an end-to-end booking system, allowing users to book air, hotel and car hire all in one place, eliminating the need for multiple web pages and long phone calls.

Increase employee efficiency

An OBT eliminates the need for an in-house travel booker, allowing office professionals to focus on their day jobs. Leading travel management companies, such as CTM, provide training to ensure everyone understands the OBT features available, so companies can be sure they are getting the most value from their travel management solution. Inbuilt approval features ensure no time and money is wasted on unapproved travel. This can be set up to allow different levels of authority for different users (travelers, Travel Managers, Travel Arrangers). Intuitive technology means all user information is stored within the OBT, leaving less room for error when it comes to entering frequent flyer numbers or spelling a traveler’s name correctly.

Bespoke online booking travel solutions & service offering

CTM’s online booking tool Lightning stores the required personal information for each traveler, such as unused ticket credits, frequent flyer information and preferred suppliers. Different filtering options allow for customized content display options. Whether you prefer your content displayed in lists or maps, you can personalize your display to what best suits your company. CTM’s Best and Rest Feature helps speed up the booking process even more, by bringing to the front of the screen hotels that are considered “the best”; preferred, recent stays or received a CTM SMART Review the last stay.

Ensure duty of care

Pre-trip approval features allow companies to designate different levels of approval and functionality to users. Responsibility is then delegated appropriately and decision-makers are held accountable for their travelers. Traveler tracking and risk alerts allow companies to easily locate and contact their people promptly to warn them of any potential threats. Our OBT is highly configurable and can ensure 100% mandate to in-policy buying, such as airlines and hotels that meet your duty-of-care commitments.

Book on-the-go

You no longer need to worry about spur-of-the-moment changes to travel arrangements. With the development of apps like CTM Mobile, you can now take the functionality of your OBT on the go, with the full OBT experience replicated on your mobile device. The ability to complete end-to-end bookings on your mobile device means that if delays prevent you from making a connecting flight, you can immediately book a later alternative no matter where you are. You can even book your connecting flight before you land with your carrier’s in-flight Wi-Fi service. Travel arrangers can book after hours via the app, saving time and money and in-app notifications keep the traveler informed while on the go.