Choosing the Right Travel Partner: Practical Guidance from ADTRAV

1. 1. Service that actually supports your people

Ask this first: when something goes wrong, who is on your travelers’ side and how quickly do they respond?

Supersized global TMCs can provide scale and standardized offerings. That is useful for some organizations. But many companies need a partner that will act like an extension of their team and tailor service to fit culture and policy.

“Working with a TMC to manage your travel program is about more than transactions—it’s about building trust,” says Senior Director of Global and Client Services, Monica Lang. “Your TMC should act as an advocate and ally, delivering responsive, tailored solutions that safeguard your travelers while advancing your business objectives.”

Look for a TMC that offers:

• • • Dedicated client teams whose members take a consultative approach to policy and program design
    • 24/7 in-house agent support so travelers reach knowledgeable humans any time of day or night
    • VIP or executive travel services for your most discerning travelers

At ADTRAV, our agents are on call around the clock. We also give travelers an easy way to rate every agent interaction. These real-time ratings help us measure service levels and maintain standards. Our clients consistently report very high satisfaction as a result.

1. 2. Vendor relationships that protect your bottom line

Don’t just accept the rates you see. Ask whether your vendor agreements are transparent and if they protect your retail channels and overall revenue.

Key questions to ask vendors:

• • • Are there any hidden fees or restrictions in the rate structure?
    • Can your TMC help you balance competitive government or corporate rates while preserving retail revenue via inventory controls or length-of-stay rules?
    • Does the TMC have strong, long-standing supplier relationships that unlock preferred inventory or extras for your travelers?

A proactive travel manager will work with suppliers to negotiate terms that support both competitiveness and margin. ADTRAV’s partnerships and market reach help us drive value for clients without sacrificing distribution or RevPAR (revenue per available room).

1. 3. Technology that empowers and grows, not frustrates

Today’s travel tech must do three things: save time, enforce policy, and provide data that drives smarter decisions. When reviewing technology, evaluate whether the platform:

• • • Integrates with your expense and HR systems for seamless reconciliation
    • Supports preferred booking tools or can be configured to your needs
    • Delivers clear analytics and dashboards that show spend patterns, policy compliance, and risk exposure
    • Provides mobile-first tools so travelers can book and get support on the go

If your current tools create workarounds or manual reporting, it is time to consider a more modern stack. ADTRAV partners with leading booking platforms and complements them with a web-based analytics suite so your program leaders get the visibility they need.

1. 4. Data and reporting that inform action

Good reporting is more than charts and raw numbers. It is insight into where you can reduce costs, improve policy compliance, and protect travelers. When assessing reporting you should ask:

• • • Are reports timely, clean, and customizable?
    • Do they identify high-cost travelers, leakage, and policy violations?
    • Can the TMC provide actionable recommendations based on the data?

At ADTRAV we deliver dashboards that answer those questions and back them with consultative reviews, so your travel program improves quarter over quarter.

1. 5. Policy, duty of care, and flexibility

Programs change. People change. Events disrupt. Your TMC should help you keep policy clear and travelers safe while offering flexibility to respond to changing business needs. Look for a partner who helps you:

• • • Simplify and enforce travel policy without hampering traveler experience
    • Implement duty of care tools and traveler tracking
    • Build flexible solutions for group travel, executive travel, and emergency response

Quick checklist to use in evaluations

• • • Do you have a named client solutions manager and a 24/7 in-house support team?
    • Can the TMC demonstrate measurable savings from supplier negotiations?
    • Do the tech tools integrate with your expense and HR systems?
    • Are reports actionable and delivered on a predictable cadence?
    • Is there a clear escalation path for traveler emergencies?