Travel Management Company Vs. The Internet

Is it time for you to ditch booking your business travel via the internet and reap the benefits of a travel management company? You may be thinking, ‘why would I use a travel management company (TMC) when I can book everything myself online?’. It’s a great question and one that’s not easily answered, as it all depends on the amount of travel your company does per year. 

If you had just one or two employees flying to Sydney or Melbourne twice a year, then perhaps you could just book online yourself. However, if it’s more than that and you’re looking to save time, stress and money without sacrificing the comfort of your travellers, then a Flight Centre Business Travel dedicated Travel Manager might just be the answer for you!

So, what are the key differences between a TMC and booking online?

Putting an itinerary together alone is time consuming. In fact, it was found that pre-covid, it can take up to 32 visits to 10 different websites just to book an airline ticket. Fast forward to 2023 and booking travel has become even more complicated in terms of credits due, T&Cs, travel restrictions and entry requirements. And booking travel is just one of the six stages of business travel, with each stage just as important as the next. 

Here at Flight Centre Business Travel, we’re your one-stop-shop for all your corporate travel needs. Your dedicated Travel Manager can secure the best rates across flights, hotels, car hire and more. Plus, we keep your travellers’ preferences on file to maximise loyalty programs and access exclusive SME benefits (competitive rates, lounge access and free upgrades anyone?), all whilst ensuring each booking adheres to company policy.

We’ll even reduce the time you spend reconciling and reporting on your travel accounts by 50%! The secret? Consolidating your travel program equals full visibility over your travel spend, more control and zero surprises.

Thanks to the Flight Centre Travel Group network across the globe, we have access to great corporate rates. When we analyse your business, we look at where your travellers are staying and approach corporate rates with hotels for the company. This makes it easy for your travellers and the hotel gets to know them and their preferences! 

A TMC can work with you to determine the easiest and most cost-efficient way for your business to pay for travel.

There are quite a few solutions and options available at Flight Centre Business Travel, it depends on what you want to achieve and your payment processes. One option that may be suitable for eligible customers is an FCBT invoice account, which helps to streamline payments with cyclical invoicing and removes the need to pay merchant fees. 

A huge benefit of using a TMC is data. At Flight Centre Business Travel, we can analyse your business over a half-yearly period and provide recommendations on how you can better manage your travel.

This advice could range from cost savings to how long you're booking in advance. If the majority of travel is with one airline, we can recommend airline loyalty programs or benefits of consolidating with an airline. We look at all your corporate travel and look at reducing business costs without compromising the comfort of your travellers.  

Get in touch today or call us on 1300 797 826