Stop managing transportation. Start enabling it.

The new reality check

Corporate cards in almost every pocket. Upgrade expectations through the roof. And your travelers? They’d rather make their own arrangements, thank you very much.

Business travel has fundamentally shifted. In a recent webinar, we discussed how travelers have more control, more spending power, and higher expectations than ever. At the same time, finance and travel managers are under pressure to keep costs down, maintain compliance, and support a workforce that’s anything but one-size-fits-all.

The corporate card revolution

The numbers tell the story: Nearly 69% of global business travelers now have access to a corporate card, according to GBTA. And it’s not just physical plastic anymore—nearly two-thirds of global business travelers are using mobile wallets, like Apple Pay, including directly in Uber’s app.

But because of a lack of policy at many companies, only half of those corporate card holders are required to use them, so some end up using personal cards or their personal profile on the Uber app. Plus, when employees are traveling on the company dime, according to SAP Concur, most (84%) spend with less restraint than on personal trips: Business travelers are more likely to book premium flights, order room service, or upgrade hotels.

The result is clear: Travelers have more corporate spending power than ever. Combined with insufficient or unclear policies, finance teams are left scrambling to keep the books straight.

The control paradox

Travelers today expect options. A junior employee might just want to get to training quickly. A VP closing a deal might expect a premium ride. And with sustainability climbing the priority list—74% of travelers now say minimizing environmental impact is top of mind—many want electric vehicle options too.

The old playbook of blanket restrictions doesn’t work anymore. Hard limits frustrate employees, lead to workarounds, and create more policy exceptions for admins to chase down. Micromanagement doesn’t scale. Here’s how everyone can win.

Smart solutions that work

• Policy compliance through options, not restrictions: Build guardrails that feel like choices, not limitations. Uber for Business allows you to determine what options are in-program for various groups of riders, giving them the ability to make their own decisions within your policies.
  
  

• Technology that enables rather than limits: Your teams will feel a sense of control when you present only the options they’re eligible for. Uber for Business hides options that aren’t within your policies, giving your travelers free reign to choose the ride that suits them best from the list you’ve already approved.
  
  

• Proactive versus reactive management: Being able to respond to feedback is incredibly important. When you’re hearing something from a section of your team, there’s a good chance you’re about to hear it from the rest. Uber for Business makes it easy to modify programs to add more-sustainable options like Uber Comfort Electric and Uber Green, for instance, or modify program time availability to meet your team’s needs.

The ripple effect is powerful: Compliance increases, exception requests decrease, and finance teams spend less time playing policy cop.