Over One in Three Business Travellers Miss Out on Benefits of Mobile Apps, According to Concur

Of those that use travel apps, 83 per cent agree they improve the business travel experience

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A YouGov study of over 1,000 UK business travellers - commissioned by travel and expense company Concur - has revealed that although the vast majority (83 per cent) currently making use of mobile apps on the road agree it improves the experience, nearly 2 in 5 people (39 per cent) that travel regularly for work are not using them, including 11% who don’t have a smart device.

“At Concur, we’re committed to making the business travel process as quick, easy and productive for people that spend time out on the road. Embracing the power of mobile to make this happen is one of our biggest focuses as an organisation.”

The most popular tools used by UK business travellers who do use mobile apps on the road are maps like Google or Bing (with 90 per cent using them always, often or occasionally) and social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter (with 60 per cent using them always, often or occasionally). Map apps help business travellers quickly find hotels or meeting venues, while social networks allow them to stay abreast of the day’s news or keep in touch with friends and family back home.

However, there are other apps that can make a business trip quicker, easier and more relaxed that travellers are currently missing out on using. Surprisingly for example, whilst just under one in five (18 per cent) business travellers surveyed agreed ‘the stacks of expense reports to be completed on return’ was a major business travel pain point, over three quarters (76 per cent) of app-using business travellers have never downloaded or used one to help manage their expenses quickly and efficiently whilst on the road.

Moreover, despite over three quarters (77 per cent) of respondents complaining of ‘unproductive moments’ whilst on the move, few travellers are making use of other apps that can save time and boost productivity. Only two in five (40 per cent) of app-using travellers leverage airline apps like British Airways and less than a third (32 per cent) use airport information apps like GateGuru or the Heathrow app often, regularly or occasionally.

Isabel Montesdeoca, General Manager and Senior Vice President for Concur EMEA comments: “There’s no denying that despite the rewarding aspects of travelling on business, like spending time with your colleagues and visiting new cities, other aspects such as filing expenses and rebooking travel can be incredibly frustrating. However the explosion of apps, fuelled by smartphone and tablet growth, has made solutions to these problems available to road warriors everywhere.

Concur provides mobile apps that help business travellers before, during and after travel. TripIt, a free travel app from Concur, uses a traveller’s confirmation emails to automatically create one simple, smart itinerary to access on a smartphone, calendar, or anywhere online. The Concur mobile app allows business travellers whose companies use the Concur travel and expense management solution to book or amend travel, and do their expenses from wherever they are.

Montesdeoca continues: “At Concur, we’re committed to making the business travel process as quick, easy and productive for people that spend time out on the road. Embracing the power of mobile to make this happen is one of our biggest focuses as an organisation.”

For more information about this study, read the Executive Summary or download the infographic here

About Concur

Concur is a leading provider of integrated travel and expense management solutions for companies of all sizes. Concur’s easy-to-use web-based and mobile solutions help companies and their employees control costs and save time. Learn more at www.concur.co.uk.

All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 1,024 business travellers. Fieldwork was undertaken between 23rd and 25th July 2012. The survey was carried out online.