5 metrics to measure for travel programme success

Creating an effective business travel programme is critical to achieving organisational goals, managing costs, and keeping employees productive and satisfied. But how do you know if your travel programme is truly successful? Measuring its performance through key metrics is essential — not just to understand its effectiveness but also to identify areas for improvement. 

This blog will walk you through five essential metrics you should monitor to ensure the success of your travel programme. 

Why measuring travel programme success matters 

By consistently analysing the right metrics, you can make data-driven decisions that enhance programme efficiency, ensure traveller satisfaction, and demonstrate measurable ROI to internal stakeholders.  

Now, let's look at the five critical metrics that every business should measure. 

Financial metrics 

One of the primary goals of a travel programme is to manage costs effectively. But simply cutting expenses is not the ultimate solution — your focus should also include protecting your bottom line, while ensuring your travellers maintain a high-quality experience. Key financial metrics to measure include:  

• Cost per trip: Monitor expenses such as flights, accommodation, meals, and transportation. Identify areas where costs can be reduced without negatively affecting traveller satisfaction or productivity. 

• Travel compliance: Measure how often employees follow your organisation’s travel policy. Straying away from pre-negotiated rates or preferred vendors can inflate costs. Tools like pre-trip approval systems can help ensure compliance. 
• Return on investment (ROI): For each trip, consider its overall contribution to the business. Assess whether the revenue generated, or opportunities secured justify the expense. 

Productivity metrics 

Are business trips helping or hindering employee productivity? Travelling can disrupt routines, so it’s important to monitor how your travel programme is affecting your team’s ability to perform at their best.  

Metrics to track in this category include:  

• Time spent booking travel: If your travel booking system is complex and time-consuming, employees may waste valuable work hours navigating it. Simplifying the booking process with tools like myTC Online - Travel Counsellors for Business’ online booking tool, can make a big difference. 

• Downtime during travel: Evaluate whether your employees have enough opportunities to rest during travel or whether back-to-back meetings and flights are negatively impacting their performance. 

• Post-trip recovery time: Frequent or poorly planned business travel may cause fatigue, leading to reduced productivity upon return. Monitor any patterns in reduced productivity after trips and adjust accordingly.  

A travel programme that prioritises productivity means employees will make the most out of their trips while staying energised and focused. 

Traveller satisfaction 

Your employees’ satisfaction is vital for the long-term success of your travel programme. When business travellers are unhappy or frustrated due to negative trip experiences, the repercussions can include reduced morale, poor adherence to policies, and even long-term job dissatisfaction.  

To understand how satisfied your employees are, collect and analyse feedback regularly. Key ways to measure traveller satisfaction include:  

• Survey results: After each trip, send short, focused surveys that address factors like the quality of accommodation, ease of booking, and travel arrangements. 

• Adherence to travel policies: Dissatisfied employees may choose to bypass policies altogether. If compliance rates are dropping, this could be a sign that alternative employee solutions are needed 

• Feedback reviews: Examine both positive and negative feedback. Any recurring complaints about delays, lack of access to preferred vendors, or similar issues should be addressed promptly.  

Employees who feel supported by a travel programme are more likely to remain loyal, motivated, and productive — and they’re also more likely to stick to the rules and policies you’ve put in place. 

Responsible travel metrics 

Sustainability is no longer optional — it’s a core consideration for businesses operating in a world where environmental responsibility is paramount. Tracking the sustainability impact of your travel programme through ESG (environmental, social, and governance) metrics is a tangible step you can take towards meeting your corporate sustainability goals. This is something that myTC Insights can help your business with.  

Important metrics to track include:  

• Carbon footprint per trip: Assess the environmental impact of flights, accommodations, and ground transportation to gauge the sustainability of travel choices. Seek alternatives such as rail travel or lower carbon flights on a given route.  
• Reduction targets: Set measurable goals to cut emissions and continuously assess your progress using carbon budgets.

By aligning your travel strategy with more sustainable practices, you can help ensure compliance with upcoming regulations and showcase your commitment to sustainable business operations. 

Use of online booking tools 

Investing in innovative travel technology, like an online booking tool such as myTC Online, can streamline and significantly improve the booking experience. However, it’s important to measure how effectively this tool is being used to maximise ROI.  

Metrics to monitor include:  

• Adoption rate: Track the percentage of employees actively using the online booking tool. Low adoption may indicate an issue with training, communication, or usability. 

• Booking completion time: Assess how long it takes staff to book their trips. If the process is lengthy, additional training or system adjustments may be necessary to optimise user experience.  

• Policy integration success: Evaluate whether your booking tool is enforcing compliance with travel policies, such as flagging out-of-policy requests or automatically selecting preferred suppliers.  

A well-utilised online booking tool will empower employees to book their travel more efficiently, helping to save time and reduce costs. 

Optimise your business travel programme today 

Travel Counsellors for Business takes the complexity out of managing corporate travel. Our tailored services are designed to optimise efficiency across every aspect of your travel programme.  

Need help enhancing your programme’s metrics? Contact Travel Counsellors for Business today to get started. Together, we’ll refine your processes and deliver measurable success, and talk you through how our technology can support a more effective business travel programme for your organisation.