How to Choose a Travel Agent for Your Small Business

Managing travel is no small feat for small businesses. Every minute spent on booking trips or handling last-minute changes takes time away from core business operations, making travel both time-consuming and costly.

A travel agent takes the logistical load off small business teams and brings insider access to exclusive deals and discounts, offers expert insights, and provides personalized support. Partnering with a travel agent can be a strategic game-changer for companies aiming to save time and travel smarter.

Here’s how to find a travel agent who fits your small business’s needs, which can save your company time, money, and headaches. 

Why Small Businesses Use Travel Agents

For small businesses, partnering with a travel agent means delegating the often time-consuming process of booking flights, hotels, and transportation. This partnership also means access to exclusive corporate travel discounts that are unavailable through direct booking. 

Corporate travel agents can:

• Manage itinerary changes and cancellations
• Assist with emergency travel adjustments
• Help navigate administrative tasks like visa applications and travel documentation 

Benefits of Working With a Travel Agent 

Expert Insights

A travel agent offers small businesses access to invaluable industry expertise. Travel agents bring deep knowledge of the corporate travel world and can leverage their established relationships with airlines, hotels, and car rental companies to secure better rates and exclusive deals. Their experience helps small businesses navigate complex travel logistics for smoother, more cost-effective trips.

Cost Transparency

Travel expenses can be a significant part of an organization’s overall budget. These costs include transportation, lodging, ground transportation, meals, and incidental charges like seat selection. Managing these expenses can be time-consuming for employees who need to track receipts and for accounting teams that process them. 

Here, too, agents can help. They’re well-versed in managing small businesses’ unique challenges, such as last-minute budget changes. Their understanding of industry trends and regulations can help avoid unnecessary expenses, compliance issues, and travel disruptions. By tapping into this expertise, small businesses can focus their efforts on operations while gaining a strategic advantage in managing travel efficiently and cost-effectively.

Personalized Care

Additionally, business travel agents provide personalized service by tailoring travel arrangements to meet each business’s unique needs. This hands-on approach saves time and helps ensure a seamless travel experience, allowing companies to focus on their main operations.

Tip: Seek out a travel agent who’s familiar with your industry. This will help ensure the agent is more familiar with your business travel needs and goals. 

Read more: 8 Best Corporate Travel Agencies 

Checklist: Find the Ideal Travel Agent for Your Small Business

A great travel agent should handle more than just booking flights. Make sure they offer a full range of corporate travel services and have a proven track record. 

Save time when evaluating your options with this checklist.

Industry Expertise

___ Knowledge of your specific industry’s travel needs

___ Experience handling similar-sized clients and budgets

Comprehensive Travel Services

___ Full-service booking (flights, hotels, ground transportation)

___ Multiple inventory sources for broader options and competitive pricing

___ Support for international and domestic travel

Support

___ 24/7 emergency assistance

___ Quick support via chatbot and live agents

___ Dedicated VIP and guest travel support for executives and clients

___ Dedicated account manager for personal service

Cost Management and Savings

___ Transparent pricing and no hidden fees

___ Corporate discounts and access to special rates

___ Budget monitoring and policy compliance tracking

___ Proven methods for securing discounts and reducing costs

Duty of Care and Safety

___ Real-time traveler tracking and assistance

___ Risk management protocols and emergency support

___ Health and safety compliance for all travel

Data and Reporting

___ Detailed reports on travel spend, trends, and savings

___ Access to real-time data for better decision-making

___ Customizable reporting tools aligned with company goals

Proven Client Satisfaction

___ Positive reviews and case studies from similar clients

___ Reliable references and high retention rates

___ Strong reputation in corporate travel management

Why Consider an Alternative Option

Many agencies simply handle bookings based on client requests. However, a travel management solution offers more comprehensive services like policy compliance, real-time expense tracking, and automated approvals. These features help ensure that employees are traveling within set guidelines and that costs don’t spiral out of control.

Travel agents can help small businesses save time, offer cost control through exclusive deals, and provide expert support. However, agencies often lack direct expense management and may not be able to help companies align travel spend with company policies. Alternatives like hiring a travel manager or using travel management software offer more control and compliance. 

Read more: What Small Businesses Can and Can’t Get from a Travel Agency.

Software solutions like Navan offer the best of both worlds: 24/7 agent support, automated processes, travel expense management, and real-time travel insights, making them a more comprehensive option for growing businesses.

Ready to discover a one-stop booking, expense, and compliance solution? Book a demo.