Remember the days when road warriors would plan the tasks ahead of them from a tethered computer, check in with the office occasionally with a mobile phone and return to the same computer in the evening to update their records, and if we were at all lucky - log their expense claims? With a constantly changing technological landscape now before us, it does little good to reminisce about, or more specifically - fail to move on from, the business norms of just a few years ago.
Few road warriors now rely on their laptops like they once did, and it seems at times that many would prefer ditching it entirely. The mobile phone - the smartphone - has come of age and it definitely lives up to its name.
Being constantly connected to business applications and a host of apps that make their travelling lives easier, road warriors are perfectly poised to take advantage of enhanced business processes via mobile device. And this is exactly what they want, not the requirement to use a computer when a smartphone makes more sense. One of the more exciting processes that can save travellers time (and businesses money) is travel and entertainment (T&E) expense management with integrated mobile functionality.
Choosing the right T&E expense management system with road warriors in mind
Increasingly, organisations are realising just how much they spend (and conversely, how much they can save) on their T&E process. As these organisations start to find ways to automate and streamline their current systems, it is important that they consider the unique needs of their most frequent traveller - the road warrior.
Top Tip: To get the most out of automation, find a solution that seamlessly integrates broad mobile functionality into the T&E expense claim process.
More than anything else, mobile functionality allows travellers to claim expenses as they occur, at or immediately after the point of payment. This can drastically reduce the total amount of time spent keeping track of expenses while increasing the accuracy of claims submitted and reducing the chances of fraud. The best solutions will be the ones that include purchasing functionality (for travel, hotels etc.) from the device with corporate policy controls on the front end - thus removing the traveller as much as possible from the actual transaction and the need to figure out if a last-minute hotel purchase is in-policy.
Top Tip: Find a solution that is easy to implement with a level of support that ensures constant uptime and flexibility.
What good is an automated system that is hard to use and does not facilitate customisation to specific needs? When you are looking for a T&E solution, the most flexible ones work as Software-as-a-Service (SaaS). These types of solutions generally have far more customisation and personalisation options, as well as near-constant uptime ensuring that users can connect when they need to. SaaS solutions are also fully supported by the provider and generally priced more fairly than other options.
Top Tip: Consider the importance of a solution that best fits your total organisational needs while having the ability to quickly implement new technological changes and adapt to future traveller behaviour.
Like anything else in business, it is vitally important to think long term. As your company grows, regulations change and new technologies come to market; your T&E solution should be forward thinking and capable of adapting appropriately to new operational needs and efficiencies. For example, T&E management companies that were quick to implement mobile functionality into their products are probably going to be the ones most dedicated to ensuring that compliance and global tax considerations are always up-to-date.
For today's road warrior, flexible and mobile T&E solutions should include not just on-demand mobile expense claim functionality, but the ability to take a photo of receipts and tie-in cloud-based, location functionality. As mobile phones increasingly become an accepted and preferred means of payment for more things (like taxis and parking), you are going to want your T&E solution to be ahead of the curve to ensure employees can take advantage of new efficiencies and transparent payment options.
Conclusion
Organisations that do not utilise an automated T&E expense management solution, particularly for workers constantly on the road, are likely to waste a great deal of time managing expenses manually. They will also face more out-of-policy purchases while struggling to resolve potential errors and fraud.
To save time and money, businesses with frequent travellers should find a seamlessly integrated travel and expense solution, like Concur® Travel & Expense, that streamlines the expense claim process and includes leading mobile functionality.
If you'd like to benchmark your current system against industry best-practices, you can use Aberdeen Group's State of T&E Expense Management Assessment Tool for free. For more information about Concur Travel & Expense, please visit www.concur.co.uk or call us at +44 (0) 1753 501741
