Benefits of online booking travel solutions

Looking to simplify your travel management and reduce travel spend?

An online booking tool (OBT) can transform how your business books and manages travel, saving time, improving compliance, and giving travellers more autonomy.

In today’s fast-moving world, business travellers expect the same seamless experience they enjoy when booking personal trips. A centralised, mobile-friendly booking platform helps companies meet those expectations while capturing valuable data to enhance policy compliance and cost control.

What is an online booking tool (OBT)?

An online booking tool is a digital platform that allows employees or travel arrangers to book flights, hotels, and car rentals within company policy. OBTs integrate approval workflows, preferred suppliers, and negotiated rates to deliver a consistent, compliant, and cost-effective booking experience.

CTM’s proprietary OBT, Lightning, provides an end-to-end booking experience for air, hotel, and car rental all in one place, supported by your travel policy and backed by real-time data insights.

1. Save time and money

Online booking tools are designed to help businesses control travel costs and streamline workflows.

• Smarter booking behaviour: Visual pop-ups alert users to more cost-effective options and collect “reason codes” for out-of-policy bookings.
• Centralised data: Every booking made through the OBT captures valuable spend and travel data, improving visibility and reporting.
• Policy alignment: With all travel booked in one system, it’s easier to enforce policy, track compliance, and negotiate better supplier rates.

By consolidating bookings through a single platform like CTM Lightning, organisations can eliminate the inefficiencies of multiple websites, phone calls, and manual approvals.

2. Boost employee productivity

Automation and compliance workflows make online booking tools a productivity powerhouse.

• Reduced admin: Office professionals can focus on their roles while travellers self-book confidently within policy.
• Built-in approvals: Configurable approval chains prevent unapproved travel spend.
• Fewer errors: Stored traveller profiles ensure accurate names, loyalty details, and preferences every time.

CTM provides tailored training and onboarding to ensure every user understands how to maximise their OBT’s features and value.

3. Strengthen duty of care

Your employees’ safety is paramount. An OBT enhances duty of care through:

• Pre-trip approvals to allocate responsibility and oversight.
• Traveller tracking and risk alerts to locate and communicate with employees quickly.
• Policy-based content filtering to guide bookings with preferred airlines and hotels that meet safety standards.

Lightning’s configurable workflows ensure your travellers are supported before, during, and after every trip.

Why choose CTM’s Lightning?

Lightning combines speed, policy control, and user experience into one seamless platform. It helps companies:

• Capture all travel data in one place.
• Reduce leakage and improve supplier negotiations.
• Support traveller well-being through intuitive, personalised technology.