In today’s corporate travel landscape, companies need efficient ways to manage and control their travel expenses while ensuring the comfort and safety of their employees. Quest, AllFly’s comprehensive travel management platform, offers robust tools for company administrators to create and enforce travel policies tailored to their organization’s needs.
This article provides an overview of how company admins can leverage Quest to set and manage travel policies effectively.
Setting Up Travel Policies: An Overview
In Quest, company administrators have the flexibility to design travel policies that align with their organizational goals and budget constraints. These policies can restrict travelers’ options when it comes to booking flights, hotels, and rental cars, ensuring that all travel arrangements comply with company standards.
Flight Restrictions: Timing Matters
One of the most critical aspects of travel policy management in Quest is the ability to control the timing of flights. Administrators can set specific arrival and departure times to ensure that travelers adhere to the schedule of corporate events.
Arrival Time Restrictions:
For instance, if a company event includes a welcome dinner at 7 p.m., the admin can require all travelers to land by 5 p.m. This ensures that attendees have ample time to reach the event venue without delays.
Departure Time Restrictions:
Similarly, for the last day of a team off-site with programming until noon, the admin might require travelers to depart after 2 p.m. This ensures that all attendees can participate in the entire event without rushing to the airport.
Controlling Flight Types and Costs
Quest also allows administrators to set restrictions on the types of flights that travelers can book. This includes setting caps on flight duration, cost, and class of service.
Flight Duration and Cost Limits
Admins can establish a maximum flight duration or price cap. For example, they can set a policy where flights over a certain cost or length require additional approval. This ensures that all flights booked are both time-efficient and cost-effective.
Class of Service
Admins can specify which class of service travelers are allowed to book. For instance, a policy might allow travelers to book tickets up to $500 for flights under four hours, but only in economy class. While basic economy might be an option, it’s generally not recommended due to the lack of flexibility and amenities.
Airport Preferences: Directing Travelers to the Right Destinations
Quest also provides the ability to restrict travelers to specific airports. This is particularly useful in regions with multiple airport options, such as New York City. For example, if a company prefers travelers to fly into JFK, any searches for flights to LaGuardia will be flagged as out of policy and will require approval.
Handling Out-of-Policy Bookings
Despite these restrictions, travelers can still select out-of-policy reservations if necessary. During the checkout process, Quest provides an option for travelers to submit the out-of-policy booking for approval by their company admin.
This feature is particularly useful when extenuating circumstances require flexibility. Additionally, travelers can include a comment or reason explaining why they are selecting an out-of-policy flight, which helps admins make informed decisions.
Conclusion
The ability to create and enforce tailored travel policies in Quest empowers companies to manage their travel programs effectively, balancing cost control with traveler satisfaction. By understanding and utilizing these tools, company administrators can ensure that all travel arrangements align with organizational objectives, while still allowing for the necessary flexibility when unique situations arise.