In today’s fast-paced corporate world, business travel is a critical component for the growth and networking of small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs).
With approximately 1.3 million business trips occurring daily across the United States, as reported by American Express Business Travel, it’s clear that hitting the road can substantially benefit a company’s bottom line.
However, the challenges of coordinating, budgeting, and managing these journeys can sometimes seem daunting. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be an overwhelming process.
To streamline your travel experiences and ensure that each trip is as productive as possible, we’ve enlisted the expertise of Hilton leaders. They offer three key considerations designed specifically for SMBs to travel smarter.
By focusing on strategic planning, you can maximize both your personal and financial investments in business travel.
This article will guide you through these insightful tips, making your next business outing both successful and stress-free.
1. Enroll in a business travel program
Hilton data uncovered 75% of SMB customers book their own business trips and manage their own travel in-house, without outsourcing. Additionally, 80% of global travelers agree that it’s important to be able to book their entire trip online, according to the company’s 2024 Trends Report.
To address this need, Hilton this year launched Hilton for Business, a first-of-its-kind, free-to-join travel program, offering a comprehensive set of tools to enhance the business travel booking and management experience for SMB owners and their employees. In addition to no minimum spend requirements, one of the key benefits of the program is a quick enrollment and verification process to minimize the time required for the entire company to start booking discounted business travel.
“When it comes to travel and travel management, SMBs have unique needs that, until now, have never been fully met,” said Mike Gathright, senior vice president, customer experience, Hilton.
“From the company dashboard and consolidation of travel to the ability to separate personal and business profiles within Hilton Honors accounts, all the elements of Hilton for Business were designed to enhance the overall travel experience for SMBs.”
2. Save money with discounts and loyalty rewards
Smart, budget-conscious consumers know joining rewards programs can result in financial efficiencies and gains. This applies to business owners as well. Owners can save money by identifying those partners and companies that will help them maximize their budget. Programs like Hilton for Business offer special discounted rates as well as travel rewards, like the ability for a company to earn Hilton Honors Points for itself as well as its travelers for each stay and to receive milestone Bonus Points based on the company’s cumulative travel with Hilton.
“The first step in building a bespoke travel program for SMBs was to listen loudly to the needs of our customers,” said Frank Passanante, senior vice president and global head of sales, Hilton.
“In doing so we discovered 70% of SMBs identified point earning opportunities as one of the most important features of a business travel program. With those insights, we prioritized that feature of the program to ensure that we were not only meeting – but exceeding – customer expectations while also driving the industry forward.”
3. Maximize rewards with a co-branded business credit card
For brand loyalists, the ultimate commitment – which leads to maximum rewards – is finding a co-branded business credit card that meets an individual’s financial needs and complements their lifestyle choices.
“We at Hilton are committed to providing a wide array of offerings that meet the expectations of SMB owners and travelers,” said Mark Weinstein, chief marketing officer, Hilton.
“Following our recent co-branded credit card announcement, business owners can now accelerate the speed in which they earn and redeem Hilton Honors Points, leading to elevated travel experiences – whether traveling to Columbus, Ohio for a business meeting or Maui, Hawaii for a family vacation.”
