How to Select a Corporate Travel Agent
A corporate travel agent should offer you the kind of service that fits your business. Because these professionals handle the travel arrangement for your corporate or business, they have to understand something about the business that you are in as well as your travel needs. The agency should have the scope to plan the kind of business travel that you need and relationships with different travel vendors that you will most often use including airlines, hotels and car rental companies. It should have the time to take on your business as a client and be prepared to book your travel for you every time you need it. Before choosing any corporate travel agency, it is essential to create a list of your travel needs first. Determine whether you are traveling domestically or internationally or if it is air travel arrangement only or hotel and other accommodations. Decide whether you need 24/7 availability or contact during business hours only. Look for an agency with employees that are familiar with the cultures or country you will do business with. Consider if you are looking for someone who is good at budget travels or more adept when it comes to upscale bookings. Research different travel agencies and compare their assets against the priorities that are in your list. Read publications to find a list of corporate travel agencies in your area. Prioritize your list against the strengths of the company. For instance, if the agency has great connections leading to excellent deals on international travels but the travel needs of your company is primarily domestic you should be looking for another company. Make sure to check if the agency is a member of an industry organization. Once you have a list of a few potential agencies to hire, interview each and every one of them. During the interview, ask about how they would handle the specific travel needs of your company. The corporate travel agents should be able to tell you how much time they would be willing to commit to work with your company. Hire only a corporate travel agency that is staffed sufficiently to do so.