Corporate travel accounts: how they work and who they suit

Businesses in and around Manchester book cars for all kinds of reasons: staff flying out for meetings, clients arriving at Piccadilly, interview candidates, late-night shifts, roadshows and events. When it happens often, booking each trip separately gets fiddly. A corporate account makes it simpler. This post explains how it works with us.

Who uses a corporate account?

Corporate accounts suit businesses that book transport regularly. The kind of firms we work with include:

• offices whose staff fly out of Manchester Airport for meetings
• firms that bring clients or visitors to Manchester
• companies with staff working early or late shifts
• event organisers who need to move speakers and guests
• recruitment and HR teams arranging travel for candidates
• personal assistants and office managers who book for others

If you only need a car once or twice a year, you probably don't need an account. Just book online. If you are booking every week, an account is worth setting up.

What you get

One place for all bookings

With an account, bookings for different staff and guests sit under one business. Whoever books, the trips are linked to your company, so you can see what has been booked and for whom.

Fixed prices

Every journey still has a fixed price, agreed when it is booked. There is no meter and no surprise on the invoice. That makes budgeting and expense claims much easier.

Clear records

Each trip has a booking reference, a date, a pickup and a drop-off, and a price. You can match trips to projects, cost centres or clients. If you need extra information on each booking, such as a purchase order number or a passenger name, we can include it.

Card payment

We take card only. Many businesses pay with a company card. We can talk about the best way to set this up for you when you open an account.

Booking for someone else

Much corporate travel is booked by one person for another. When you book, put the passenger's name and mobile number in the booking. The driver will contact the passenger directly on the day, not you. Add any useful notes, such as the company name for a name board, or "please wait at the main reception".

For arrivals, always add the flight number or the train time. We follow flights, so a delay doesn't leave your guest without a car.

Choosing the right car

Not every business trip needs a top-end car, and not every journey should be the cheapest option either. As a rough guide:

• Saloon or estate car: everyday staff travel, airport runs and station transfers.
• Executive car (Mercedes E-Class or similar): client pickups and senior staff.
• Mercedes S-Class or similar: VIPs and important guests.
• Executive people carrier (Mercedes V-Class or similar): small teams travelling together, often with equipment.
• 8 seater or 16 seater bus: team days, site visits and moving delegates.

Hourly hire for roadshows and busy days

If someone has several meetings in one day, hourly hire can be easier than booking each leg. The car and driver stay with them for the time you book. It is useful for visits to several offices, site tours and days when the timings are likely to change.

Station transfers

A lot of business travel in the North West is by train. We regularly collect from Manchester Piccadilly, Stockport, Wilmslow, Macclesfield, Crewe and Warrington, and take people on to offices, hotels or the airport. Give us the train time and the station, and the driver will be there.

Discretion and conduct

Business passengers often work in the car or make calls. Our drivers know to keep conversation to what the passenger wants. They are smart, on time and know the area. If your guests have particular needs, tell us and we will brief the driver.

Late and early work

We drive 24 hours a day. Early flights, late meetings and night shifts are normal for us. Online bookings need at least eight hours' notice. If something comes up at short notice, call us on 0161 660 4006 and we will do what we can.

Changes and cancellations

Plans change in business. If a meeting moves or a flight is cancelled, contact us with the booking reference as soon as you know. Each booking confirmation has a link to manage the booking, and you can always call or email us.

How to set up an account

Get in touch with us by phone or email at booking@findcab.uk. Tell us roughly how often you book, what kind of journeys and who will be booking. We will explain how we can set it up for you. There is no long form to fill in.

Visitors from abroad

If your business brings in visitors from overseas, a car waiting at the airport is one of the best first impressions you can give. Add their flight number and choose meet & greet (£5). The driver waits in arrivals with a name board showing the guest's name or your company name, and takes them straight to their hotel or your office. If they don't have a UK phone number, put that in the notes and give us your own number as a contact.

Events and conferences

For conferences and events, we can move speakers and delegates between hotels, stations, the airport and the venue. Manchester Central, the hotels around the city centre and venues across Cheshire are all regular destinations. For bigger groups, our 8 seater and 16 seater buses are useful, and we can plan several runs to and from a venue at set times.

Staff safety late at night

Many businesses book cars for staff who finish late, especially after evening events or long shifts. A pre-booked car with a known driver and a fixed price is a simple way to make sure people get home safely. Put the staff member's name and number in the booking, and they will get the driver's details before the pickup.

Not ready for an account?

You don't need an account to book business travel with us. You can book online at any time, see the fixed price straight away and pay by card. If you find yourself booking regularly, we can move you onto an account later.