Vaishali Makwana

Overview

A global mid-sized company requires employees to visit branch offices, attend sales meetings, and participate in conferences. Traditionally, an in-house travel department has managed these trips, including booking flights and accommodations. They also determine expense allowances (per diems) and travel budgets based on an employee's position within the company. For instance, lower-level employees (level 1) might need supervisor approval to fly business class instead of economy, while managers wouldn't require such authorization for their bookings.

Problem

The current travel request process, managed by the internal travel department, is experiencing high volume, leading to delays. To address this bottleneck, the company is exploring solutions that empower employees to self-book flights and hotels. This would streamline the process and minimize reliance on the travel desk for basic bookings.

Focusing on airfare and accommodation, a potential solution could involve:

Self-Service Booking Platform: Implementing an online platform where employees can research, compare, and book flight and hotel options that adhere to company travel policies.
Manager Approval Workflow: Integrating a manager approval process within the platform ensures travel aligns with business needs.
Automated Travel Desk Notification: Upon manager approval, the platform automatically notifies the travel desk for record-keeping and potential assistance with more complex itineraries.

Model

Discover

Overloaded Internal Travel Desk
Inefficient Approval Process
Limited Integration of Technology & complex process
Inconsistent Per Diem and Budget Approvals
Insufficient Notification Mechanism
Ineffective Communication Between Employees and Managers
Lack of Employee Autonomy

Employee Empathy Map:

Says:

"Booking travel is time-consuming and frustrating."
"I wish there was a simpler way to get approvals for my trips."
"It's challenging to communicate my travel plans effectively to my manager."

Thinks:

"I want more control over my travel arrangements."
"Getting quick approvals is crucial for my work and productivity."
"There should be a system that understands my position and suggests appropriate travel options."

Feels:

Frustrated with the current travel booking process.
Anxious about delays in getting travel approvals impacting plans.
Overwhelmed by the complexity of the existing system.

Does:

Spends considerable time navigating through the current travel booking system.
Communicates travel plans via email or other manual methods.
Seeks alternative solutions if faced with delays in the approval process.

See:

Complex and lengthy forms for travel requests.
Approval hierarchies and processes that may not be clear.
Notifications and updates from the travel desk that may be sporadic.
Potential disparities in travel options available to different employee levels.

Hear:

Complaints and frustrations from colleagues about the current travel booking process.
Managers expressing concerns about the time it takes to approve travel requests.
Limited communication channels for discussing travel plans with managers and the travel desk.

Pain:

Booking Process Complexity
Communication Challenges
Approval Delays
Limited Autonomy

Gains

User-Friendly Booking Platform
Transparent Approval Workflows
Effective Communication
Autonomous

Solution MVP

Assumptions:

Employees and managers are willing to adopt new technology for travel management.
The company's approval hierarchy is well-documented and can be accurately reflected in the automated approval system.
The platform's security measures meet company standards to protect sensitive travel and financial information.
The platform can handle fluctuations in travel volume, ensuring performance and responsiveness during peak booking periods.
Employees are responsible for adhering to company travel policies and budget constraints during booking.
Managers are notified promptly and can approve or reject travel requests within the platform.
The platform integrates with travel APIs to provide accurate and up-to-date information on bookings and travel status.
The messaging system provides a seamless communication experience and reduces reliance on external channels like email.
The interface is designed based on user feedback and best practices in user experience design.
The feedback loop is established, and users actively provide feedback to inform iterative improvements in subsequent versions of the platform.

Solution:

Self-Service Travel Booking: Employees can log in to the platform and book their travel (flights, hotels, etc.) based on their role and hierarchy.

Automated Approval System: Upon booking, travel requests are automatically routed to the appropriate manager for approval based on the employee's hierarchy.

Real-time Tracking and Visibility: Employees and managers have access to real-time updates on the status of travel requests and itineraries.

Communication Enhancement Tools: Built-in messaging features allow employees to communicate with managers and the travel desk within the platform.

User-Friendly Interface: The platform features an intuitive and user-friendly interface, making it easy for employees and managers to navigate and use.