Conferences, training courses, seminars, fairs, presentations at customers or meetings with suppliers are fundamental opportunities for the growth of SMEs which therefore regularly find themselves dealing with travel and logistics. But smaller businesses, often made up of only two or three professionals, have a more limited budget than large organizations and certainly do not have a dedicated travel manager who takes care of the entire management of the trip . This could therefore unexpectedly lead to spending more on business trips for SMEs compared to those of large companies, furthermore leaving the environmental impact in the background. Consequently, relying on expert consultancy in Business Travel is also a strategic choice for SMEs who often focus on "do it yourself" in the belief that it is more convenient, without stopping to reflect on the advantages that a specialized travel agency offers.
Build relationships with the right suppliers
Among the advantages ensured by an agency expert in business travel there is first and foremost the choice of suppliers. Precisely because the small size of the company does not allow it to have direct relationships with the players in business tourism, relying on someone capable of finding the best rates on the market is a strategic move that pays off, allowing you to obtain the best business services and the most appropriate rates . We must not forget that respect for the environment is a factor destined to increasingly influence the choice of company suppliers, but also to count among the preferences of workers who are increasingly happy to be able to reduce their ecological impact. Alma Travel is at the forefront both from the point of view of digital travel and that of sustainability, making use of various certifications and indicating the most eco-sustainable options.
Self Booking Tools are not all the same
The time needed to book travel, travel and facilities takes a long time and the result could be quite expensive. The SME that prefers "do it yourself" could risk choosing hotels, flights and rental services exceeding the available budget. In this sense, the main mistake of a business user is to book the trip on any platform in the consumer world, ignoring or not having access to specialized portals where business rates are instead concentrated, guaranteeing flexibility and savings (necessary conditions for business travellers). 'business). This is a common naivety which however increases the final travel costs.
Conversely, if an SME relies on an agency that provides ad hoc it can easily select suppliers on a specialized business travel portal . This is why turning to specialized travel agencies like Alma Travel is an investment, especially if they provide self-booking tools or apps with flexible implementation that ensures functionality and offers in line with business needs. In this way the SME has the certainty of choosing only among already competitive rates, but also of accessing information on the expenses and travel of colleagues to constantly monitor the budget and find out about any unexpected events.
All these features are present in AlmApp , the Alma Travel app that allows you to manage trips efficiently. The customized software remains at the employee's side even during the journey by sending tracking and alerts. But AlmApp is also a reflection of Alma Travel's commitment to sustainability and for this reason it provides detailed reports on CO2 emissions based on the means of transport chosen.
Security and risk management require expert expertise
In addition to worrying about the budget, another challenge for SMEs dealing with business travel is knowing the safety and health situation in the destination country . Whether it is a multinational company or an SME, the employer has the obligation to protect the safety and well-being of traveling workers; but adapting and being competent in terms of "duty of care" is a job in all respects that, above all, a company made up of a few elements could never sustain independently. In fact, if a worker away from home for work reasons finds himself in an alarm situation, or faced with a canceled flight at the airport, the SME is unlikely to be able to intervene quickly by providing the right support: there is a lack of information, knowledge intervention protocols and the right contacts.
This is why relying on a travel agency specialized in Business Travel like Alma Travel is a strategic investment also to guarantee safety and well-being while away. Our 24-hour assistance is guaranteed by a dedicated team, always easily available and able to intervene promptly in the event of any type of unexpected event . A service of this type is not only decisive in the face of natural disasters or pandemic crises: canceled flights, changes of plans from one moment to the next or the need to contact the structure for the stay are very frequent episodes for a business traveler ; but an SME could hardly manage them on its own. By booking independently, in fact, the employee does not share information about his or her movements with the employer or the collaborator who therefore would not know how to intervene. Conversely, a specialized travel agency is structured to ensure the adequate "duty of care" for employees, being in possession of all the information and contacts necessary to manage even unexpected events while traveling without distracting the SME from its work commitments.