In the past few months, people have asked us the same question for different software/platforms, “How do we get everyone to use it?”
We believe smart tech, an easy-to-use interface, and 24*7 customer support can boost employee experience so much that they become happier, and more efficient and support software adoption. A positive experience of managing their work well can inspire employees to use the tool and regularly comply with all the policies.
In this blog, we focus on how to make your employees adopt your travel and expense management solution while you plan to purchase a new one for your company.
If you wish to figure out where your organization’s current T&E system stands about its health and efficiency, use our calculator below.
A Guide to Increasing User Adoption for T&E Solution
Step 1: Understand User Adoption Challenges
When rolling out a corporate travel management platform, the biggest challenge isn’t just implementation—it’s getting employees to use it consistently. Despite having access to a structured platform designed to streamline bookings and optimize costs, many travelers still book outside the system.
Current State Analysis
Here’s what user adoption often looks like:
- Only 18% of employees consistently book through the official platform.
- Around 60% use it only half the time.
- 22% rarely engage with it at all.
- 46% actively search external websites for better deals.
These statistics highlight a crucial problem: without strong adoption, the platform fails to deliver maximum value, leading to lost savings, policy non-compliance, and increased manual intervention.
Common Resistance Points
Many employees hesitate to fully adopt corporate travel platforms, even when they are designed to simplify booking and save costs. Their reluctance often stems from personal preferences, misconceptions, or a lack of clear incentives.
To drive higher adoption, it’s essential to understand the common barriers that prevent travelers from using the system consistently. Employees resist using corporate travel platforms for several reasons:
- They believe they can find better prices elsewhere. Many assume direct airline or hotel websites offer cheaper rates.
- They prefer consumer-friendly interfaces. Business platforms may seem more complex than the familiar consumer sites they use for personal travel.
- Loyalty program attachments. Travelers fear missing out on points, elite status, or exclusive discounts when booking outside their preferred sites.
- Booking complexity. If the process feels cumbersome, they’ll default to easier alternatives.
- Perceived company control. Employees may see the platform as a restrictive tool that limits their choices instead of enhancing them.
The biggest hurdle? Most employees don’t clearly understand how the new system benefits them. Without clear communication on personal and company-wide advantages, adoption remains low. Overcoming this requires a strategy that addresses these concerns while making the platform an undeniable value-add.
Step 2: Build a User-Centric Program
To drive user adoption without resistance, your travel program must be built with the traveler in mind. A user-friendly platform and a well-structured policy can make all the difference in ensuring employees find value in the system rather than seeing it as a restriction.
A. Platform Selection Criteria
Choosing the right corporate travel platform is the foundation of a seamless booking experience. Employees are more likely to adopt a system that is intuitive and aligns with their expectations. Key features to prioritize include:
- Mobile accessibility: Travelers need the flexibility to book and manage trips on the go. A mobile-friendly platform ensures they can handle bookings, changes, and approvals effortlessly.
- Comprehensive inventory: Employees often resist corporate systems if they feel limited in choices. Ensure the platform offers a wide selection of flights, hotels, and other travel options at competitive rates.
- Quick booking process: A complex or time-consuming process will push travelers toward external websites. The platform should enable fast, hassle-free bookings with minimal steps.
B. Policy Framework
A rigid, overly restrictive policy can discourage adoption. Instead, a well-balanced framework ensures compliance while allowing flexibility where needed. Consider these key elements:
- Clear guidelines: Employees should easily understand what’s allowed, from preferred booking channels to reimbursement rules.
- Flexible options: A one-size-fits-all approach rarely works. Allow for flexibility based on traveler needs and business priorities.
- Exception processes: Travelers may occasionally need to book outside policy. A simple, well-defined process for exceptions can prevent frustration.
- Approval workflows: A streamlined approval system prevents unnecessary delays while maintaining control over travel spending.
- Support access: Employees should have 24/7 assistance available, whether through live chat, phone, or email, ensuring they feel supported throughout the travel process.
Step 3: Boost Adoption Through Value
Even the best corporate travel platform won’t succeed without a compelling reason for employees to use it. Travelers need to see how the system benefits them directly—whether through convenience, incentives, or a seamless experience. By highlighting these advantages, you can encourage higher adoption and compliance.
A. Employee Benefits
Employees are more likely to embrace a platform when it makes their lives easier. Key benefits include:
- Time savings: A fast, intuitive booking experience reduces frustration and eliminates time spent searching for flights and hotels.
- Support availability: Travelers need quick help when issues arise. A 30-second response time for assistance ensures they’re never left stranded.
- Easy expense reporting: Integrated expense management simplifies the submission process, cutting down on tedious paperwork.
- Quick reimbursements: Faster processing means employees aren’t left waiting for out-of-pocket expenses to be reimbursed.
B. Incentive Strategies
Encouraging employees to book within policy doesn’t have to be a struggle—adding the right incentives can make it a win-win. Consider these strategies:
- Cost-sharing programs: Offer partial reimbursements or perks for employees who choose cost-effective travel options.
- Booking rewards: Introduce a points system where employees earn rewards for booking through the platform.
- Early booking incentives: Encourage advance bookings by offering perks such as priority seating or additional rewards.
- Policy compliance recognition: Recognize and reward employees who consistently book within policy, whether through public acknowledgment, bonuses, or additional perks.
Consider Rewards to Encourage Employee Adoption
Choose a software partner that helps you set up a reward system so employees have a reason to use your T&E platform. itilite integrated travel management platform helps you gamify your corporate travel and reward cost-conscious employees with cash and other incentives.
Offering incentives, like Amazon gift cards or vouchers, can be a way to attract your employees to book tickets on the platform and save your company money along the way. It’s a win-win situation for both employees and the company.
Step 4: Explain and Train
Even the most intuitive T&E software requires some measure of onboarding and training, especially for less tech-savvy employees. Therefore, partner with software providers to provide onsite and offsite training at regular intervals/ as and when required. Educate them by communicating effectively the “Why” and “What’s In It For Them (WIIFT).”
A. Education Strategy
Employees won’t embrace a travel platform if they don’t see its value. Effective education focuses on more than just policies—it highlights real-world benefits and success stories.
- Platform benefits: Communicate how the system saves time, simplifies booking, and ensures better rates.
- Feature highlights: Showcase features like mobile booking, automated expense reporting, and live support.
- Success stories (Emphasized): Real-world examples of how colleagues have benefited from the platform can be powerful motivators. Share testimonials, case studies, or data showing cost savings, time efficiency, and a smoother travel experience.
- Policy explanations: Break down travel policies in a simple, digestible format so employees know what’s expected.
- Support access: Ensure travelers know where to get help, whether through live chat, phone, or email.
B. Training Approach
A mix of training formats ensures all employees can quickly get up to speed, regardless of their learning preferences.
- Interactive sessions: Live demos and Q&A sessions engage learning and allow employees to clarify doubts.
- Quick-start guides: Simple, step-by-step guides help users get familiar with the platform instantly.
- Video tutorials: Short, on-demand videos provide visual walkthroughs of key features.
- Help resources: A self-service knowledge base with FAQs, troubleshooting tips, and best practices ensures continuous support.
- Regular updates: Periodic refreshers on new features, policies, or improvements keep employees engaged and informed.
Tips to Ensure the Adoption of T&E Solution
After spending months researching, selecting, and integrating your new travel & expense solution, here is what you can do to make certain that all your employees use it, too:
- Ensure your Employees are Getting Round-the-Clock Support
Ensure that the travel and expense solution you have chosen delivers proactive support to employees: no matter where they are or what time it is of the day: if you have this, you will see a higher adoption rate!
The tool experts and customer support should be truly available 24*7, through a variety of channels. While many T&E platforms claim they offer this kind of support, they are often complicated with limited technology that limits accessibility.
- Collect Regular Feedback from your Employees
Your employees will be working day in and day out with the T&E software you select; therefore, collecting feedback from them is an important step in optimizing your business processes. They can help you identify required software features for better productivity and understand the challenges causing a delay in adoption. Once you know where the adoption issue exists and why you can take the needed steps and resolve it at the earliest.
- Provide a Faster, Better Booking Experience via an App
Incentives or customer support alone won’t keep employees coming back to your T&E platform if it has a bad user interface or experience. Make sure the T&E software that you choose has an easy-to-use mobile app to provide employees with a faster and better booking experience.
Along with curated flight and accommodation search options, it should give an employee the flexibility to easily cancel or reschedule travel or report their expenses while on the go.
Employee Delight Drives Tech Adoption
As a company, you must take advantage of advanced, AI-powered technology to make processes like travel & expense management efficient and seamless. And it all starts with choosing the right software that provides easy integration, automates your approval & workflows, and, most importantly, has an easy-to-use interface.
As you evaluate the software, make sure you keep your employees’ preferences and needs in mind, along with the business benefits.
With a trusted T&E solution partner like itilite, employees are able to quickly take care of all their bookings, expense reporting, and much more, so they have time to invest in health, wellness, and productivity.
Book a free demo today with our product specialist to know how itilite integrated T&E solution can improve employee delight while saving money for the company as they plan their next business trip.
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