Travel Management for Rapidly Growing Security Companies: A Case Study in Seamless Operations

In today’s dynamic global landscape, travel management for rapidly growing security companies presents a unique set of challenges. As an organisation expands its footprint, so too does the complexity of coordinating secure, efficient, and cost-effective travel for its employees & personnel. This case study details how arrangeMY partnered with a rapidly expanding security industry leader to transform their informal, disjointed travel processes into a fully managed, compliant, and highly efficient system. Our tailored travel management service allowed them to focus on their core mission while we handled the intricacies of their evolving travel needs.

The Client Needed Help Navigating Employee Travel in the Security Industry

Our client, a distinguished and rapidly growing organisation in the security industry, was experiencing significant expansion, opening new offices and deploying teams across multiple locations. While their growth was a testament to their success, it brought considerable strain to their existing, informal travel booking methods. Their previous approach, relying on individual credit cards and disparate booking methods, became unsustainable. They needed a robust framework for travel management that could scale with them, provide real-time visibility, and ensure duty of care for their employees operating in various environments.

Challenges of Scaling Travel Operations in Security

The core challenge was informal travel booking not being able to meet rapid expansion

Our mission was to transform the client’s informal, disjointed travel process into a fully managed, compliant service. This shift wasn’t just operational, it was a complete cultural overhaul. For the first time, bookers were empowered to manage their own travel within the structure of a clear, efficient policy.

Historically, the organisation’s employees had handled their own travel and accommodation bookings, with each department operating independently. To complicate matters, all travel expenses had to be reclaimed through a time-consuming accounts process.

Adding to the challenge, the client grew from 30 to 200 employees during the pandemic, leaving two PAs struggling to juggle travel requests from senior management alongside their day-to-day responsibilities.

The lack of a centralised system meant:

• Inconsistent booking procedures and fragmented data.
• Limited visibility into travel spend and budget control.
• Compliance risks and difficulty tracking personnel.
• Significant administrative burden for management and employees.
• No streamlined process for VAT reclaim or expense reconciliation.

It was clear that their uncoordinated approach was no longer fit for purpose. They needed a partner who understood the specific demands of travel management for rapidly growing security companies, including stringent security protocols and often last-minute deployment needs.

arrangeMY’s Tailored Travel Management for Security Companies

We engaged key stakeholders and the procurement team, walking them through the benefits of a Travel Management Company (TMC). Since this was their first experience with a TMC, there were naturally plenty of questions.

Bespoke Online Booking Tool (OBT)

Time efficiency  meant employees were wasting hours booking their own travel across multiple platforms (e.g., Trainline, SkyScanner). By switching to our bespoke online booking tool, they could book flights, trains, and hotels in under 3 minutes. For more complex arrangements, our offline team was on hand to assist. The tool was custom-configured allowing employees to book within pre-approved parameters, significantly increasing online adoption from 5% to over 80%. This gave the client newfound control and efficiency.

Consolidated Invoicing & Reporting

Expense reclaim meant employees previously had to use personal credit cards for bookings, followed by lengthy expense reclaim processes. Within days of onboarding, we eliminated this hassle through consolidated invoicing. Our finance teams worked together to streamline the process, making expense claims a thing of the past. All travel expenses were consolidated into a single, detailed invoice, dramatically simplifying financial reconciliation and providing clear insights into spending patterns.

Tailored Travel Policy & Compliance

We introduced a tailored travel policy with the client collaborating with one of our Account Managers, fully integrated into the online booking tool. The new travel policy was not only accepted but embraced, and the authorisation process was adopted seamlessly. If employees attempted to book outside the policy, an authorisation process was triggered to keep costs in check.

The travel policy was established to be aligned with the client’s operational needs and ensure compliance across all travel in the organisation.

Seamless VAT Reclaim

The client had been missing out on VAT reclaims due to the use of online travel agents. We rectified this immediately, ensuring all future bookings allowed VAT to be reclaimed where possible. Our expertise facilitated efficient VAT reclaim processes, turned a previous administrative headache into tangible savings.

These integrated solutions ensured that the client’s travel management was not only efficient but also fully compliant and fiscally responsible, allowing them to redirect resources to core business activities.

Results

Within 3 months of implementation, 85% of rail and 75% of hotel bookings were processed online through arrangeMY. For long-haul flights and more complex travel arrangements, bookers turned to our offline team.

1. 95% online booking made adoption easy as employees embraced the intuitive platform, leading to improved efficiency.
2. Removed the use of personal credit cards with a central billing system that removed the financial burden from employees and streamlined expense reporting.
3. Improved visibility and control gives management real-time insights into travel activity and expenditure.
4. Increased compliance and duty of care using a structured approach that ensures safer and more accountable travel.
5. The client has made significant time and cost savings with streamlined processes and VAT reclaim that led to measurable financial benefits.
6. The new travel policy was not only accepted but embraced, and the authorisation process was adopted seamlessly.

The standout success was the introduction of the bill-back service, with bookers unanimously celebrating the end of using their personal credit cards. By partnering with arrangeMY, our client successfully navigated the complexities of their growth, establishing a scalable and efficient travel program that continues to support their dynamic operations.