How CTM Approve delivers fast, flexible trip approvals

Organisations are increasingly prioritising risk management and sustainable travel practices alongside traditional cost considerations. Consequently, many have opted to enforce more robust approval processes for business travel.

During a recent webinar hosted by CTM, we surveyed our customers to identify the most pressing issues they face in the travel approval process. More than half of the participants (53%) highlighted the difficulties associated with approval delays. Through our customer feedback loops, we know that these challenges can lead to missed opportunities for savings due to travel not being approved within ticketing deadlines. Additionally, such delays may result in traveller dissatisfaction and may diminish their engagement with the travel program.

This May, Corporate Travel Management (CTM) will deliver its enhanced proprietary pre-booking approval solution – CTM Approve for customers in Australia and New Zealand. Housed in the CTM Portal, CTM Approve is designed to support travel policy compliance, traveller safety and aid in data transparency. Approval solutions are essential to effective travel management, each serving distinct purposes in controlling costs, ensuring compliance and optimising the travel experience.

Let’s look at how CTM Approve’s new enhancement delivers efficiencies and streamlines the approval process.

How does CTM Approve work?

CTM Approve allows you to manage, submit and book quotes for travel requests. Our advanced pre-booking approval solution seamlessly merges the convenience of an online workflow with the expertise of our Travel Consultants, who possess an intimate understanding of your travel policy.

Here’s how the new enhancements to CTM Approve work: A traveller submits a request for a quote for a journey from A to B where their dedicated CTM Consulting Team promptly receives it. This team then provides three quotes for consideration. Upon receiving the quotes, the travel requester selects their preferred option, which then proceeds through the subsequent stages of the approval process tailored to their company’s requirements.

It’s important to note that the travel approver gets a clear view of every quote offered, as well as the selected option. Details like travel segments (air, hotel, and car), additional needs like limousines, potential savings missed due to the traveller’s choice (if relevant), and the carbon emissions for each segment offer a holistic view of the itinerary. This visibility empowers them to review the selection against their policy, and should it fall outside of policy, they retain the authority to override the preferred choice.

 

What are the 5 key features of CTM Approve?

Seamless quote experience: Ability to create quotes, edit, view approval status and interact with your dedicated travel consulting team until your trip is finalised and approved.

Travel approver visibility: All quote options are visible to the approver with the ability to select an alternative should the chosen quote be out-of-policy.

Customisable workflow: Intuitive workflow and configuration options enable you to create your own travel approval compliance.

Dynamic risk alerts: Dynamic risk integration to identify travel risks pre-booking.

Full audit trail: Any communication, quoting or approval information is fully auditable.

 

What are the benefits of using a pre-booking approval solution?

Pre-booking approvals centre on assessing necessity and budget compliance, while post-booking approvals prioritise expense validation and adherence to policy guidelines. The advantages of pre-booking approval solutions like CTM Approve lie in their ability to limit unnecessary expenditures by scrutinising travel requirements upfront, fostering accountability throughout the booking process, and facilitating strategic planning and resource allocation.

CTM’s Chief Product Officer AU/NZ, Cherie Drummond explains, “A well-defined approval process should enhance transparency and accountability, not cause delays, increase costs or complicate the travel process.”

By requiring approval before travel arrangements are made, organisations ensure that trips align with established travel policies while enabling travellers to confidently book instant purchase flights and hotel content that cannot always be temporarily held or cancelled free of charge. This reduces the likelihood of non-compliant bookings and helps maintain consistency across all travel-related activities.

CTM Approve provides a centralised system within the CTM Portal where travel requests and approvals are logged. This creates a transparent trail of travel activities, providing insights into travel patterns, expenses, and potential areas for optimisation. Access to comprehensive data enables better decision-making and strategic planning.

Pre-booking approval processes allow organisations to assess the necessity and potential risks associated with each trip before it occurs. This proactive approach enables the identification and mitigation of potential risks such as security concerns, political unrest, or financial implications. Additionally, having visibility into travel plans facilitates crisis management and emergency response in case of unforeseen events.

Overall, a robust pre-booking approval process using CTM Approve serves as a cornerstone for supporting travel policy compliance, promoting data transparency, cost avoidance, and enhancing risk management practices within an organisation’s travel program.