How Zoom Beat the 'Cheaper Elsewhere' Booking Problem

“One of the biggest issues in corporate travel is people saying they can book cheaper or get better rates elsewhere,” said Rebecca Linton, Global Head of Accounts Payable and Travel and Entertainment at Zoom.

It’s a problem because when employees book outside of a travel management platform, it disrupts centralized expense tracking and compromises a company’s ability to enforce travel policies and provide adequate support for travelers.

But convincing employees to book on-platform can be tough when off-platform options are cheaper and more convenient.

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Navan Expense is a major time saver. I run a lean team at Zoom, and we have actually been able to reduce reconciliation time from weeks to under an hour each month.

Rebecca Linton

Global Head of Accounts Payable and Travel and Entertainment

The company solved this common pain point after Zoom turned to Navan in 2018 to manage its corporate travel. It’s also achieved some impressive results:

• 98% online booking adoption: Employees have embraced Navan’s user-friendly interface.
• 15% overall savings on travel: Navan’s direct connections with airlines and negotiated rates have significantly cut costs.
• <1-hour monthly reconciliation: Automation has reduced reconciliation time from weeks to less than one hour per month.

Explore the benefits Zoom gained from using Navan.

Why Navan Stood Out

Prior to Navan, Zoom faced several issues:

• Inefficient budget management due to a lack of centralized data
• Long reconciliation processes
• Difficulties in enforcing travel policies
• Inadequate traveler tracking and support

The company chose Navan for its ability to centralize travel administration, offer comprehensive traveler support, and simplify booking processes.

According to Linton, Navan provides competitive rates and an extensive inventory — ensuring no more “cheaper elsewhere” complaints.

“The way the Navan platform is built, we simply don’t have that issue,” she said. “This helps drive compliance and helps the employee understand why we’re using the platform.”

Find out how Navan ended Zoom’s travel cost complaints.