Business development and client relationships for the legal sector can be greatly enhanced with in-person meetings. Yet corporate travel can be complex. Continued geopolitical challenges, extreme weather conditions and strikes can all have an impact on business travel for law firms, which, in turn, can impact profitability and productivity.
Partnering with a travel management company (TMC) that has specialist knowledge of how the legal sector works can help limit these negative effects, providing a proactive, personalized, and premium service to ensure the most seamless travel experience possible. Here’s what law firms should expect from their TMCs.
Cost-savings and expense management
Your TMC should be able to streamline processes and leverage data to optimize cost savings through:
- Hotel negotiations – negotiate rates, rate checker, upgrades, hotel RFP consultancy.
- Airline content – lowest fare guarantee, fare checker, global fare inventory, low-cost carriers, route deal negotiation and optimization, access to New Distribution Capability (NDC) fares to increase inventory and the possibilities to save.
- Programme efficiency – matter code validation (which can increase process efficiencies and accuracy for billable travel by reducing cycle time, reducing administrative costs, and expediting payment for billable travel), expense integration policy benchmarking and compliance management.
- Strategic account management – this should include a communication plan, business plan (three-year vision), service level agreement, supplier programs, consultative, consistent data and reporting, insights and actions from the reporting, booker and end-user experience, plus business reviews.
Travel technology
A global TMC should provide firms with modern, flexible technology that enhances service without replacing it:
- Travel technology developed to enhance and personalize the traveler experience and includes matter code validation.
- Global travel management portals where you can book, review, manage profiles, access invoices, and reporting all in one place.
- Online and mobile booking for associates with built-in policy and approval automation.
- Technology that provides proactive business insight via comprehensive reporting tools, as well as a sustainability toolkit to drive carbon reduction.
Time saving and support systems
- Time is money for law firms. So process optimization is essential. TMCs should ensure law firms have access to robust choices and inventory to ensure the most optimal trip to align with their busy schedules.
- A customized travel program increases a firm’s efficiencies and is understanding of the time pressures on both lawyers and executive assistants (EAs) who often arrange travel schedules.
- A dedicated team to assist you personally – rather than contacting a call center – increases efficiencies and reduces unnecessary stress. The TMC team acts as a support system for the travel organizer.
Duty of care
- TMCs can help firms protect their employees traveling on their behalf, keep them safe, be able to locate them effectively, and have a strategy to proactively assist them in case of an emergency in different environments.
- To proactively protect travelers, ask if your TMC provides a 24-hour incident management unit. Determine whether you’ll receive real-time updates related to travel disruptions, a rapid response unit, and proactive re-accommodations before your lawyers are disrupted.
Business travel is not “one size fits all.” Each law firm is unique and needs solutions tailored to its travel program, plus dedicated and personalized service. For this, the TMC must have an in-depth knowledge of the legal sector. At Reed & Mackay, we have specially trained consultants through our own Legal Travel Training Program.
Curious to find out how Reed & Mackay can support your law firm’s business travel needs?
Get in touch
Email us at [email protected] to discuss all of your corporate travel and event management needs.
