Case Study: Hotel invoice automation

Kaefer, a construction industry client, partnered with Corporate Travel Management (CTM) to improve the collection of GST-compliant hotel invoices for all domestic bookings.

At the time, Kaefer was missing out on over $100,000 in claimable GST annually due to gaps in hotel invoice compliance, providing a significant opportunity to optimise cost savings and streamline processes.

Read on to find out how.

Client

Industry

Construction

Focus

GST recovery through automated hotel invoice collection

Objective

Kaefer partnered with CTM to improve the collection of GST-compliant hotel invoices for all domestic bookings.

Solutions

CTM presented three potential solutions with Conferma Snap+ identified as the ideal fit, offering both technical capability and long-term efficiency.

Outcome

Kaefer unlocked $118K in GST savings in the first year, significantly reduced manual effort and gained stronger financial control and confidence in their reconciliation process.

Objective

In addition to the financial benefits, the collaboration with CTM aimed to alleviate the pressure on Kaefer’s accounts payable team by reducing delays in processing and minimising the need for manual follow-ups.

By refining the end-to-end invoice process, Kaefer sought to achieve:

Greater cost efficiency
Reduced internal workload
Boosted overall productivity within its finance function.

Solutions

CTM presented three potential solutions during a quarterly review:

credit card on hand,
chargeback to CTM,
and integration with Conferma Snap+.

After a series of collaborative discussions and careful evaluation, Snap+ was identified as the ideal fit, offering both technical capability and long-term efficiency benefits without the overhead of building a large internal invoicing team.

The Snap+ platform provided a centralised portal where hotel suppliers upload invoices directly, giving Kaefer’s finance team quick and easy access to GST-compliant documentation.

Once connected, Snap+ enabled:

automated collection of hotel invoices via the portal,
streamlined processes to chase and obtain missing invoices,
automatic GST allocation to support faster reconciliation and simplified tax claims.

With the preferred solution identified, CTM partnered closely with both Kaefer’s stakeholders and the Conferma implementation team to ensure a smooth onboarding and go-live process. Snap+ was also integrated into Kaefer’s online booking tool (OBT), encouraging greater use of the preferred travel program and reducing the number of direct bookings that previously triggered manual purchase orders through Kaefer’s finance team.

By aligning the solution to Kaefer’s operational needs, CTM helped drive a more sustainable, scalable way to recover GST and lighten the load on internal teams.

Outcome

Following the successful implementation of Snap+, Kaefer unlocked significant financial and operational benefits across its travel and finance functions.

$118K in GST savings was recovered in the first year alone, a direct result of improved invoice compliance and reporting accuracy.

The automated invoice collection and allocation process significantly reduced manual effort, freeing up valuable time for Kaefer’s accounts payable team.

With greater visibility over claimable expenses, the finance team gained stronger financial control and confidence in their reconciliation process.

The streamlined workflow also helped minimise delays, reduce errors, and improve the overall accuracy of reporting and tax claims.

By embracing the Snap+ solution, Kaefer not only improved GST recovery but also laid the groundwork for a more efficient and sustainable travel finance model moving forward.