In the fast-paced world of corporate travel, user experience (UX) can be what makes the difference between a seamless journey and a frustrating one. For both travelers and travel managers, a well-designed platform means faster bookings, smarter compliance, and greater satisfaction.
What role can UX play in your own organization’s business travel? Below you’ll learn the importance of redefining what corporate travel technology should be capable of, and how interfaces with strong UX can bring simplicity and speed to every step of the journey.
UX in Corporate Travel Technology
User Experience (UX) design is the process of creating products, systems, or services that provide relevant experiences to users. It goes beyond how something looks and focuses on how intuitively it works, how smoothly it guides users through tasks, and how effectively it minimizes friction to help them accomplish their goals.
When it comes to corporate travel, UX involves understanding the needs, preferences, and pain points of both travelers and managers. Designing solutions that address their challenges involves the consideration of:
- Ease of navigation: Ensuring users can move seamlessly through a travel platform without confusion.
- Efficiency: Minimizing unnecessary steps to save time while supporting policy compliance.
- Consistency: Providing a uniform experience across devices and touchpoints.
- Clarity: Giving travelers clear indicators of their progress so they feel confident throughout their journey.
- Empathy: Meeting users where they are, with features that recognize and adapt to their preferences.
Yet despite these rising expectations, many corporate travel platforms still fall short.
Poor UX: Surface Level Innovation
Although the corporate travel industry is evolving, many legacy platforms have failed to keep pace. Most current processes still rely on outdated infrastructure, which makes it impossible to layer true innovation on top. The result? Nearly 40% of travel managers report experiencing frustration with obsolete technology and poor UX.
To break free from this cycle, the industry needs more than incremental fixes. It requires modern infrastructure spanning booking tools, agent desktops, systems of record, and content engines. This new foundation must support innovation and deliver the seamless experience that travelers and managers expect.
Strong UX: End-to-End Modernization
Exceptional UX design is at the cornerstone of addressing the challenges faced by both managers and travelers. At Direct Travel, this is one of the reasons we set out to simplify travel management with our next-generation technology, Avenir: Travel Edition. Avenir’s modern, human-centered design brings travelers, managers, and agents together on one intuitive platform. It is powered by best-in-class technology and offers a fully-integrated, end-to-end traveler experience.
“With Avenir, we have embraced UX principles to deliver simplicity, consistency, speed, and transparency—empowering users with intuitive tools that reduce friction, streamline travel management, and foster compliance. By crafting experiences that feel effortless and meaningful, we aim to not only enhance satisfaction for travelers but also build trust and loyalty that makes our solutions indispensable.”
-Toni Lo Sasso, Senior Director of User Experience, Direct Travel
Avenir is built around four core UX principles, and travel managers should understand how they can apply these principles at their own organization to elevate every business trip:
- Actionable: With intuitive navigation, reduced clicks, and a clean design, Avenir offers self-service capabilities for travel modifications and cancellations on-the-go. Examine your existing tech stack and ask: Does it deliver streamlined booking flows and quick search results?
- Problem-Solving: Providing a single platform for travelers, travel managers, and travel advisors is a key component of Avenir’s capabilities to improve both servicing and resolution response times. Are your existing tech products reducing challenges for your travelers? Does your team feel adequately supported during travel disruptions?
- Scalable: Avenir is buildable and benefits from the innovation of our partners – such as the modern infrastructure of Spotnana’s cloud-based travel technology. Consider the partnerships that exist with your tech solutions. Is there transparency for these systems to integrate, both now and in the future?
- User-Centric: Meeting users where they are means always putting the human first. Avenir’s user-friendly design simplifies the booking process and empowers travelers. Is your technology inclusive and people-focused? Does it account for different skill levels or situations?
A Modern User Experience
Corporate travel is no longer restricted by rigid systems and outdated tools, and today’s journeys should be shaped by the ease and clarity that comes from thoughtful design. By embracing actionable, problem-solving, scalable, and user-centric principles, those who manage travel can build a program that is ready for the future.
Avenir: Travel Edition furthers this vision for a truly seamless, intelligent travel experience. With its scalable, modern infrastructure and expanding integrations, Avenir is redefining what it means to move through the business world with ease. For an in-depth analysis on how you can improve the user experience in your own program, contact the Direct Travel team to get started.
