Naturally there’s not just one big savings capacity out there waiting to be tapped in order to reduce your travel costs or at most keep worldwide rising prices to a minimum. Nevertheless, there are a number of steps you can take that can add up to a savings of up to 25%. Every little bit counts: that also applies to business trips.Topping up your rental car’s gas tank before dropping it off can save money, just as it does to combine as many destinations as possible into one trip.

Travel managers can take advantage of a number of “piggybanks“ in the entire process chain, from preliminary considerations to the trip itself to the creation of new travel guidelines, that use sophisticated methods and the necessary consistency to lead to a large monetary value. We have put together ten important tips for you:

1. Travel and booking behavior
   Flights and train trips should never be booked at the last minute – this often leads to much higher prices. Business trips are usually planned weeks in advance, which is also how early the arrangements should be made.
2. Avoid ‘inflated’ trips
   Watch out for bargains on the train when booking domestic trips or even ones to nearby international locations – they can often be more sensible and less expensive.
3. Think twice about the necessity of a trip
   Sometimes business trips can be saved entirely (a relief to all participants) or replaced by ‘virtual business trip’ with a little help from conference systems equipment.
4. ‘Mix’ rates
   Whether overnight costs or travel costs: the market offers a variety of different rates. Your possibilities can be optimally met when you find the right ‘mix’.
5. Use your experience
   As a general rule, only experienced or trained employees should be allowed to carry out bookings, so that all savings potentials can be explored.
6. Stay within your limitations
   Travel guidelines provide clearly defined travel standards and specify with which preferred partners to book. Besides regularly updating guidelines, their compliance has to be checked and any violations sanctioned.
7. Install software
   Even small and mid-sized companies need to install and use user-friendly online booking software.
8. Vary your booking source
   It makes little sense, however, to depend on only one source for your bookings: flexibility has its advantages. Besides travel agencies, you should also be looking at corresponding websites – especially when booking hotels.
9. Switch to computers
   In order to maintain a good overview and improving your controlling, it is essential that you switch as much of your internal travel booking, approval and billing processes to electronic form.
10. Employ internal marketing
    Last but not least: the most intelligent regulations and systems do not use anything that is not understood or used by their employees. Practical internal marketing should keep employees up to date on new travel guidelines, rates or software being used.