Johannesburg – Chasing business travel savings is almost automated for many organizations. With budgets under scrutiny and financial teams focusing on spending, booking the cheapest fares as possible seems an easy win. The latest SAP Concur business travel survey shows 87% of business travelers say their company has cuts in the last 12 months, indicating that they will need to choose even lower fares this year. One in three voted people say that business or premium classes as options have dried up. The logic is simple. Less money spent on each flight means it's still in the pot. But here, not all costs have a clear price tag, which makes things complicated.
Tickets for bargains could trim budget sheets today, but tomorrow they could quietly drain productivity, warn Herman Horns, general manager of corporate travelers in South Africa.
“We route through multiple layovers and through a considerable number of layovers and arrive at our destinations that are running in the air. The journey that should take 10 hours has extended to 30.
When it means “saving”
The knock-on effect goes far beyond the tired faces of the airport. 61% said these more learned itineraries make it less effective. Nine out of ten travel will be completely discarded if they feel that safety or health has been compromised by fatigue or logistical stress.
All the confusion caused new costs, whether it was an unplanned route, whether it missed a connection or not, and lost opportunities along the way. This year alone, nearly 90% of business travelers have faced major obstacles during their challenges. Many people consider extra days on each trip to deal with set-up before work begins in earnest.
The corporate culture is also unimmune. Almost half of employees say current travel rules are lacking for real-world needs, and more than a quarter feel they are not supported on the road, so they are considering switching jobs.
Value means more than just a price
What does smart saving really look like? As global prices continue to rise steadily, the answer lies in planning wisely about the total value offered, rather than narrowing it down to every penny, Heunes says.
“Bestrun Business will weigh both ticket prices and the impact of both journeys and help staff members with booking tools that implement flexible policies based on travel purposes rather than blanket mandate for everyone,” he says.
Expert guidance from expert travel management companies makes all the difference here – rather than simply pushing for higher fares, he explains, that all RANDs help shape strategies that support both employee performance and organizational goals.
“A well-designed travel policy recognizes that paying more money from time to time actually protects productivity,” says Heunes. “It's not about luxury, it's about outcomes.”
For those planning on a trip or who approve them, the question of what's cheapest today is less about what's going to get tomorrow's results. Before checking out that next ticket, ask yourself: Will this journey be prepared for our team for success?
Human costs aside, cheap fares can bring a real hit to your budget, and Heunes adds.
The airline designs seats for these bargains and has plenty of strings. The cheapest tickets tend to appear when demand is low, but there is a catch. In many cases, it cannot be revived and has strict rules. Since the client has moved the meeting, do I need to coordinate my trip? Expect to pay a significant penalty or find yourself buying a whole new ticket at the last minute.
For business travelers with fast schedules, inflexible fares rarely bring real value. That's why many top performers choose tickets that are as flexible as possible. They may cost more, but as Heunes says, “Paying extra for flexibility is like buying insurance against disruption. That's what keeps your transaction on track and keeps you in control of your costs.”
Conclusion? What looks cheap today can be surprisingly expensive once real-world business needs begin.
