By 2022, global spending on business travel is expected to reach $1.7 trillion.

With the demand for corporate travel services increasing year over year, the market has become flooded with providers of all experience levels and price points. But with so many options to choose from, how can you tell the high-quality services from the duds?

Whether you are planning a corporate event or sending your employees for development trips, choosing the right corporate travel services can make or break your experience.

Want to guarantee a seamless business trip? Follow along to discover 8 key tips for how to plan corporate travel and choose the best services for the job.

Corporate Travel Services

1. Identify Your Needs

Before you begin your corporate travel service search, evaluate what your top priorities are.

What service offerings do you need? Are there travel policies you need to adhere to? Will you need the travel service to represent your company culture and what does that look like for you?

Breaking down your needs will help you decide which services are best set up to accommodate you and which ones to forgo. For example, if you are hosting clients and want to deliver classy and professional transport from the airport to your event, you’ll benefit from seeking services specific to this application. You can narrow your search from a generic corporate travel agent to limo services for corporate travel.

The more specific you are with your priorities, the more specialized you can get with your service providers.

2. Notice Customer Service

Providing great corporate travel options is only half of the job when it comes to travel services. The best services don’t stop when your plans are confirmed. Instead, these above and beyond companies will strive to make sure your trip is carried out seamlessly.

This could include features such as a 24-hour phone service, confirmation and reminder messages, or even proactively addressing issues that may come up.

Take note of the customer service efforts from prospective services and choose the ones that value their customers enough to go the extra mile. These high-quality services may drive the price up slightly, but the added reassurance of a top-notch customer service team can help ease your mind and ensure there will be no hiccups.

3. Secure Budget

Establish your travel budget and shop within your means. Each business will be able to include different services based on their price point. Fortunately, even if you have a smaller budget, you can still secure fantastic service at a reasonable rate.

Choose companies that are transparent with their pricing and won’t surprise you with an unexpected tax or add-on when the bill arrives. The best travel services will provide upfront pricing with no tricks or tactics for squeezing extra money out of each booking.

4. Consider Expense Reporting

On the subject of finances, you’ll want to ensure your corporate travel plans can be documented and expensed accordingly. To do this, you’ll need to ensure your chosen services can provide professional invoices and receipts.

Even if a service is offering cheaper rates, a lack of appropriate paperwork can cause more expensive issues down the road. Confirm with your services before booking that adequate paperwork will be provided. This will ensure you don’t wind up having to swallow the cost of a corporate trip due to unprofessional receipts or lack of proof.

5. Establish Your Timeframe

Once you’ve confirmed your event dates, you’ll have the best chance of securing quality services if you book as far in advance as possible. The best services often book up quickly so it’ll be vital to be proactive to lock in these providers.

Of course, sometimes this is not an option and you’ll require a last-minute booking to accommodate your needs. Naturally, this will make you re-evaluate your priorities, and value last-minute providers as the best service.

It’s important to recognize that not all services are a one size fits all, so don’t panic if your ideal service provider isn’t the same as your fellow business organizers.

6. Seek Ease and Competency

Booking with a corporate travel service should take the stress and worry of the plans off of your plate. The provider should be responsible for the organization details, execution, and result of their service.

To do this, the company will need to be competent in its management skills.

Track down these highly competent companies by observing how your inquiries are addressed and managed. This will be an indicator of the experience you can expect to receive.

7. Read Reviews

Take the time to read reviews for each potential travel service. It’s one thing to know how to find limo services and another to secure a top-notch experience.

Look past the star ratings to take in what previous customers have to share about their experience with the company. Did the company go above and beyond? Were their expectations met or were there problems along the way?

Keep in mind that a poor review isn’t necessarily a bad thing if the company took action to resolve the problems. Take note of how the provider responded to each review and how they deal with difficult situations. This will let you know what kind of service you can expect if conditions are not ideal.

8. Prioritize Experience

If a company has been offering specialized services for decades, there’s a good chance they have learned a thing or two about their field.

When it comes to experience, there’s much to be said about the increased competency of a long-term provider. These tried and true companies can handle hiccups and changes with ease due to their repeated exposure to the situations. They are far less likely to panic or back out when the going gets tough because they have already developed the system to address the problems.

Beyond this, they’ll likely be able to offer you extras such as corporate travel tips or reliable partnering services in the area.

Choose the Best Corporate Travel Services

Now that you know the best corporate travel tips for planning your next business trip, you can book with confidence. From breaking down your exact needs to observing early interactions with corporate travel services, you can rest assured knowing you’ve got the best services on your team.

Ready to secure the best transportation for your trip? Get in touch with us today to reserve your limo services for corporate travel and experience luxury company culture at its finest.