In the not too distant future: Silvia is on the underground chatting with Francesca, who’s on a plane to Venice, and Marco, who’s running on the treadmill in Milan.
There’s a problem to be solved.
Immediate action is required in Rome, today and in person. Silvia picks up her smartphone and calls her assistant: “I have to go to Rome as soon as possible”. “When do you need to get there?” asks the assistant. “This afternoon”, replies Silvia. “Here are two options”, proposes the assistant: “The high-speed train takes you to your destination, but not before 6.30 pm. Then there’s a flight arriving at 4.20″.
Silvia thinks for a moment. “I have to be there before the call”. “One moment”, says the voice on the other end. “I want to check some airline booking tools…. There, I found one. How about a flight that will have you there at 2.15?’. “Perfect!”, says Silvia, leaning back on the chair. “I also need…”. “A hotel? The same as last time”, the assistant anticipates. “Yes, that will be fine”, agrees Silvia. “Since you’ll be busy, should I order food for you and the team? Pizza? I suspect you’ll be running late this evening”. “Yes, thank you”. “Happy to help”, the assistant replies.
The travel assistant is an app that only offers options envisaged by the company policy.
During this brief conversation, the assistant filtered dozens of travel options, anticipated the traveller’s needs and consulted Silvia’s calendar, email and preferences.
Behind the scenes, finance leaders and travel managers get the visibility they need in a scenario where budgets update automatically and real-time data flow into a comprehensive, flexible analytical system.
Expenses are linked to the corresponding project and everything takes place in accordance with the policy. In fact, it could not be otherwise because the travel assistant is an app that only offers options envisaged by the company policy.
The future may be closer than you think.
The foundations have actually already been laid. Intelligent technologies, experience management, machine learning, virtual assistants and other factors are converging to create a new reality for the way we work, travel and spend on behalf of our organisations.
The management of expenditures for travel and expense reports in the various sectors of an organisation, whatever its size, is a complex activity, but all the more necessary for the number of employees it involves.
The prevailing strategy for control may seem counterintuitive: with all the variables that need to be taken into account today and all those that the future has in store, companies are unable to manage travel and expense reports by inundating employees with more and more rules, and are therefore forced to move towards a transparent management model.
By relying on technologies that provide visibility into spending and the ability to enforce policies and negotiate fees, organisations not only promote compliance, but also save money and make employees more satisfied and secure.
After a long day in Rome, with the project back on track, Silvia is finally on her way back to the hotel when she receives an alert. A seat just opened up on a return flight that leaves earlier than the other. If she goes immediately, she can catch it. Her virtual assistant changes the car’s destination, pointing it towards the fastest luggage check, and once she’s on board cancels the hotel reservation. A few hours later she arrives home, just in time to tuck her daughter in and read her a bedtime story.
SAP Concur is leading the management of travel and expense reports into the future, not only for the obvious business benefits, but also for the not-so-obvious benefit of employee involvement.
Already today, apps and desktop tools allow Concur Travel and Concur Expense users to work wherever they want by relying on a solution approved ahead of time, but if they need to make a direct booking, Concur TripLink acquires the data from the connected suppliers.
Moreover, by centralising itineraries in a connected platform, travellers are one step ahead, as their booking data is automatically fed into expense reports, expense data is passed on to finance and travel managers, who can thus make smarter business decisions, and expense data facilitate due diligence with Concur Locate and active monitoring.
Along the way, tools such as TripIt Pro assist travellers by telling them when to leave the airport, alerting them to gate changes and offering tips on how to get around unfamiliar places and local customs.
And this is only the beginning. Travelling employees who feel satisfied and safe are also more productive. It’s easier for them to follow all the rules when travel and expense reports accompany them wherever they go.
For their part, organisations benefit from increased visibility and can even apply negotiated rates to direct bookings with an ecosystem of partners and connections. Both employees and employers sleep more soundly knowing that they have a system of due diligence obligations that covers all members of the organisation.
For more information on SAP, SAP Concur, travel and expense management, or Intelligent Spend Management, talk to one of our Ccelera consultants today by filling out the form below.
