This year’s Business Travel Show featured presentations and panel discussions with experts from across the industry. We’ve collated our highlights for those who missed the event.
Unlike most business travel costs, ground transport is little understood and often out of control, says Gett’s Lina Margolin. She shared how her company is helping organisations get to grips with the true cost of taxi travel.
Price Spikes Can Blow Budgets
Companies are catching on to the fact that employees expect a seamless, efficient and cashless service when travelling – whether that's for business or personal reasons. But the dynamic pricing structures of most taxi apps means costs are difficult to predict. As a result, actual spend can exceed weekly budgets due to unforeseen pricing spikes.
Don’t Forget to Factor in Admin
Ground transportation costs are like icebergs. The price of the ride represents the small part that’s visible above the surface, however, hidden outlays underneath can hugely exceed this figure. Think about how much it costs to process a month’s worth of expenses for on-demand taxis and include the time it takes for the employee to file the expenses, for their manager to sign them off and for the finance staff to process the claims. Offshoring or automating this process can save money, but it could add complexity and cost elsewhere.
Consider Compliance
Sticking to company travel policies when using taxis can be difficult, too. Employees rarely have the information available to make the best choice in terms of cost, safety and service. For global travel programmes, this problem only gets more complex. When travelling in unfamiliar places, can you ensure that your employee’s chosen taxi supplier is compliant with GDPR, for example, or if their insurance policy is sufficient for your needs?
Key Takeaways
- Business travellers are looking for the same flexible, easy-to-use experience they get from apps like Uber.
- Unforeseen pricing spikes and admin time can make taxi travel costly.
- Issues around compliance and insurance are especially difficult to navigate when using taxis abroad.