Companies in the SME sector are regularly faced with the challenge of organising their travel costs efficiently and demonstrating savings. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in particular often have limited budgets and are looking for ways to reduce costs without compromising on quality. Savings can be realised through various measures such as negotiated rates, contract rates, bonus programmes and the use of award miles. In this article, you will learn how you as an SME can fully utilise this potential and document savings in a structured manner.

1. negotiated instalments and contract rates as a savings lever

Negotiating rates is one of the most effective ways to reduce costs. Many service providers - especially airlines, hotels and car hire companies - offer so-called negotiated rates to companies that book regularly. These are usually more favourable than the publicly available standard prices. By negotiating these special conditions, you can make considerable savings in the long term.

In addition to the negotiated rates, there is also the option of agreeing contract rates. These ensure a fixed pricing policy for a certain period of time, regardless of seasonal price trends or short-term fluctuations. By using contract rates, you can keep track of your travel costs and secure stable prices over a longer period of time.

2. make optimum use of bonus programmes

Many SMEs often overlook the potential of loyalty programmes offered by airlines, hotels and car rental companies. These programmes allow you to earn points or miles for bookings made, which can later be redeemed for discounts, free upgrades or even free bookings. The use of award miles can therefore lead to considerable savings, especially when travelling regularly.

Make sure that your employees always quote the membership numbers of the bonus programmes when booking business trips. Well-organised travel management ensures that all points and miles earned are documented and can be used later for further business trips. This maximises your savings potential and improves the profitability of your trips.

3. comply with advance booking deadlines

Another potential source of savings lies in planning and booking holidays in good time. Advance booking deadlines are a key factor when it comes to benefiting from lower prices. Many service providers offer more favourable rates if bookings are made early. These lower prices can contribute significantly to reducing your travel costs.

It is therefore advisable to plan and book business trips as early as possible. Centralised travel management that keeps an eye on advance booking deadlines helps you to always benefit from the best offers and avoid unnecessary additional costs.

4. how to document your savings

Documenting savings is an essential step in making the success of your cost optimisation measures traceable. A systematic approach helps you to maintain an overview and utilise savings potential in the long term.

• Comparison of list prices and negotiated rates: Make a note of the standard prices for services and compare these with the negotiated rates you have negotiated. The difference between these two amounts represents your direct savings.
• Recording of bonus programme savings: Keep track of how many miles or points you have collected and how much money you have saved by using them. These savings should be recorded in your travel expense reports.
• Monitoring of advance booking deadlines: Keep a record of when trips were booked and how much you saved compared to a later booking. This type of documentation can help you to further optimise your booking processes.
  By carrying out these steps regularly, you can continuously track your savings and ensure that you are fully utilising all potential.

5. utilise and document potential savings in a targeted manner

For SMEs, the optimisation of travel costs through negotiated rates, contract rates, bonus programmes and adherence to advance booking deadlines offers considerable savings potential. To maximise this potential, it is important to systematically document all savings and review them at regular intervals. This allows you to keep track of your travel spend and constantly improve your savings strategies.