Last-minute client demands and high-touch traveller requirements are among the biggest challenges currently facing corporate travel programmes in South Africa.
This is according to the Travel Management Blueprint, a research report by Wings Global Travel based on a survey of 30 local firms.
The survey highlighted a range of ongoing challenges for corporate travel programmes, including:
- External client requirements causing last-minute travel – 55%
- High-touch traveller requirements and related work-load – 50%
- Balancing external requirements with internal policies – 47%
- Reducing travel spend and managing travel budgets – 47%
- Frequent policy non-compliance from travellers – 46%
- Supplier challenges and ensuring compliance with policy and duty of care – 40%
- Incorporating and managing sustainable travel initiatives – 33%
- Dealing with complex group travel projects – 33%
- Balancing data security with traveller info – 24%
- Challenges related to billing travel back to external clients – 24%
Tight deadlines and unpredictable client requests often push travellers to bypass formal booking processes. Respondents agreed that tightening travel rules was rarely effective, with tailored travel programmes that offered flexibility proving more successful in improving compliance, highlighting the role of TMCs in designing and managing programmes.
“Yes, it costs the firm a little bit more, but it has broken down that lack of compliance because they trust the TMC. High-touch travellers were becoming our biggest non-compliers so we spoke to our TMC and created a service with all their preferences within policy limits,” said Genea Tehini from BDO.
Management techniques
The report highlighted techniques for firms to bridge company policies with the realities of travel.
Booking Windows: While policies may require bookings 14 days in advance, travel is often booked at short notice. Companies should implement pre-approved exceptions for roles with predictable last-minute demands and use data to identify patterns and address root causes.
Preferred Suppliers: Travellers are typically expected to use preferred suppliers, but some may bypass policy if they do not trust that the system will deliver what they need. Creating pre-loaded profiles and providing dedicated support helps streamline decisions.
Cost vs Operational Pressure: Reframe rules around ‘smart spending’ that balances cost, productivity, and client service, and communicate how preferred options meet both business and policy goals.
Traveller Preferences: Systems that require travellers to re-enter preferences repeatedly encourage policy bypass. Store preferences centrally to make booking easier and more compliant.
“To look at traveller behaviour, we would start by looking at the data and saying, these are the five people always booking within four days, these are the people compliant with booking 14 days in advance. Once you can understand the patterns and root causes, you can then look at what to do to manage and mitigate the impact,” said Kevin Lomax, MD of Wings Global Travel (South Africa).
