Johannesburg – Ever landed after three flights across time zones only to find your corporate card mysteriously declined at hotel check-in? Or worse, been asked for a hefty deposit on your personal card? Maybe you’re at a car hire desk in Prague when they put a temporary hold on your credit card, essentially maxing out your limit, when you know you still need that card for meals all week…
If you’ve travelled for work even once recently, chances are you’ve run into a financial hurdle…and you’re not alone.
According to the latest SAP Concur Global Business Traveller Report, 42% of business travellers say having to pay out-of-pocket and wait for reimbursement is one of their biggest frustrations. That pain isn’t just about cash flow; it creates stress that lingers long after you’ve come home.
Here’s how today’s business travellers get caught out, and what can be done about it:
1.Why your credit card isn’t always King
The shock of having your credit card maxed out by car rental or hotel holds, even when travelling on company business, is among the most cited pain points globally. And in South Africa, many SMEs still expect staff to front significant costs personally. For Herman Heunes, General Manager at Corporate Traveller, the solution is simple: credit facilities with your travel management company.
“We offer our customers several payment pathways, but most of our customers lean towards our credit facility,” he explains. Why? Because nobody wants to play credit card roulette on a business trip. “A credit facility offers consolidated invoicing and eliminates the need for travellers to manage payments directly during trips using our billback facility. It also supports cashflow management as customers can settle accounts on agreed terms rather than paying upfront for each transaction,” adds Heunes.
2. The cash-only reality check
Despite living in an increasingly digital world, there are plenty of places where cards aren’t accepted, or only certain brands work (“Visa yes; Mastercard no”). In some African countries or rural destinations worldwide, vendors want cash up front; even big-city taxi drivers sometimes refuse cards altogether.
“In some destinations, card acceptance is limited, particularly in some African countries, rural areas or with smaller suppliers,” says Rategang Moroke, Operations Manager at Corporate Traveller. “Foreign transaction fees can also add up significantly.”
When traditional payment methods fail, backup plans become essential. “We sometimes have to settle these through International EFT, which can take up to 14 days to clear,” Moroke says. “Some of our customers choose to settle directly abroad and claim reimbursement internally.”
3.When currency fluctuations impact well-planned budgets
You budget R500 for dinner…then wake up finding yesterday’s exchange rate has tanked. Now it costs R700 for exactly the same meal. While TMCs like Corporate Traveller tend to book most travel in ZAR (providing some protection against currency volatility), the exchange rate challenge doesn’t disappear entirely once travellers land abroad.
“Exchange rate fluctuations can still affect costs abroad: meals, incidentals… those unexpected extras that always seem to crop up,” says Moroke. “We don’t often encounter severe exchange barriers, but sudden rate changes can definitely impact budgets.”
For SMEs operating on tight margins, these fluctuations require careful planning and realistic contingency allowances built into every trip budget.
4.Death by a thousand receipts
Ask any business traveller about their least favourite post-trip task, and “sorting receipts” will top the list. Crumpled taxi receipts, faded restaurant bills, and that crucial expense you forgot to photograph before the ink disappeared completely.
“For clients using expense management systems, receipt management is largely automated,” says Moroke. “Travellers can upload receipts via mobile apps in real time, which transforms the entire reconciliation process.”
But for those still doing it manually? “For customers not on such platforms, manual receipt submission is still common and can significantly delay reconciliation,” explains Moroke.
5.The ‘approved budget’ vs reality gap
Every traveller knows the conversation: “The hotel’s fully booked except for the executive suite” or “The client dinner venue only has the tasting menu available.” Suddenly your approved R800 meal becomes R1,200, and you’re wondering how to explain this in your expense report.
“Out-of-policy spending is managed through the client’s travel policy, pre-trip approvals and detailed reporting,” says Heunes. “Exceptions are flagged in spend reports and discussed with the customer. Persistent non-compliance can trigger disciplinary measures within the client’s internal HR or finance processes.”
Then there’s the mis-categorisation mess. Nothing creates expense report anxiety quite like trying to remember three weeks later whether that hotel restaurant bill should be coded as meals or entertainment.
“This often happens when travellers submit costs under the wrong category,” says Heunes. “Expense management systems, combined with pre-set expense categories, greatly reduces this issue. But training travellers on correct coding remains essential.”
What you can do before/during/after Travel
Before leaving:
- Arrange payment methods that don’t leave you fronting big deposits
- Download/test receipt apps
- Build realistic currency buffers (+10–15%)
- Familiarise yourself with your company’s travel policy, so you know exactly what they’ll cover – and what they won’t (Uber Black anyone?)
While travelling:
- Photograph every slip immediately (before thermal ink fades)
- Keep running notes on unusual expenses
- Carry multiple payment options, including local currency if needed
After return:
- Submit claims promptly while details are still fresh in your mind
- Flag exceptions proactively
- Keep digital copies until reimbursed
The Bottom Line
Business travel will never be entirely friction-free, but with smart policy choices and modern tools adopted by leading SMEs globally, many sources of irritation can be minimised if they’re recognised and designed around from day one.
Because next time you’re stuck at arrivals watching someone else panic over their credit limit, you’ll know exactly how much difference good planning makes.
-ENDS-
MEDIA CONTACT
For more information about Corporate Traveller, or to interview Corporate Traveller South Africa GM Herman Heunes, call Sonnette Fourie on 081 072 2869 or email sonnette@bigambitions.co.za.
About Corporate Traveller
Corporate Traveller is a division of the Flight Centre Travel Group, dedicated to saving businesses across Southern Africa time and money. Corporate Traveller has the benefit of being part of the world’s third-largest travel retailer, leveraging its global negotiating strength. It has access to over 50 of the world’s leading airlines and deals with more than 100 000 hotels around the world to guarantee savings for clients. Corporate Traveller provides clear, consolidated reporting of all its clients’ travel activities, helping them to control travel spend and identify opportunities to save costs.
Issued by:
Big Ambitions
Sonnette Fourie
+27 81 072 2869
