How Navan’s Strategy for Hotel Corporate Codes Results in the Best Rates
Samantha Shankman
Corporate travel management is better than ever: Everything from booking to check-in to expenses is streamlined and improved with the latest technology. Business travelers have a superior experience, and companies have many ways to save money and secure the best rates for hotel stays — all while driving the business forward.
When it comes to hotel corporate codes and company rates, here’s how technology has made them more accessible and automated. The result drives savings for businesses and increases occupancy at major hotels.
What are Hotel Corporate Codes?
The most common type of hotel corporate codes are corporate negotiated rates, known in the hospitality industry as CNRs. These discounted room prices are typically agreed on between an organization and a hotel chain for a specific period; however, travel management companies (TMCs) can organize them on behalf of enterprises.
Travel industry veterans will also be familiar with CUGs or closed-user group rates. Closed-user groups are discounted rates from hotels to sell in a fenced or closed-user group environment, such as on mobile, to qualified users who belong to a fenced membership like AAA, AARP, or Military.
Rate Types
Here is a high-level overview of the types of room pricing that companies can access through a TMC:
Public Rates (PCC): Hotels and airlines make different public prices available by country and market. Prices for room inventory are sourced via the GDS and will be dictated by the PCC associated with the guest’s account.
Corporate Rates: These are set up specifically for companies and negotiated between the company and the supplier. They are usually only available to the company negotiating for them. Some companies have negotiated deals with hospitality groups and can integrate these prices into a corporate travel management tool’s booking flow. With an experienced sourcing team, TMCs can also negotiate these amounts on behalf of their customers.
Closed-User Group Rates: Exclusive prices are offered to specific groups and not advertised publicly. Typically, these accommodation costs are only available to group members.
Challenges of Traditional Corporate Hotel Rates
While hotel corporate codes can offer savings, they also present challenges. For example, a static CNR strategy might not always offer the best rate, especially compared to dynamic market fluctuations and publicly available discounts. Also, cancellation policies on statics CNRs might only sometimes align with business needs.
Additionally, the process and communication required to negotiate unique prices with individual hotels can be long and require significant time and resources. With understaffed hotels during the pandemic years, the return on investment (ROI) of building large hotel programs through traditional methods was considered questionable.
Navan Lodging Collection Rates
Small and medium-sized businesses, especially those with a small volume of business travelers, no longer have to worry about negotiating their own corporate negotiated rates.
Navan works for them by strategically negotiating the best hotel room pricing in major markets. Navan can leverage the volume of all its travelers, plus its special relationship with suppliers, to negotiate for very competitive costs.
The Navan Lodging Collection rates, paired with Navan’s OTA coverage worldwide, give businesses of all sizes automatic access to discounts wherever they go.
Navan's Modern Approach to Hotel Corporate Codes
Navan's modern travel management platform revolutionizes how businesses access hotel corporate codes to ensure cost and time savings. Navan leverages digital technology to simplify booking and offer various rate types. Navan also empowers businesses to access a broader range of hotel discount codes beyond public pricing amounts and traditional CNRs.
One of Navan's standout offerings is the Navan Lodging Collection, through which Navan leverages its volume and relationships with suppliers to negotiate highly competitive prices. These deals, available to all Navan clients, showcase the platform's commitment to delivering value to all users.
Benefits of Navan's Approach:
- Cost Savings: Access a broader range of competitive pricing, including the exclusive Navan Lodging Collection.
- Time Savings: Eliminate the need for lengthy RFP processes and manual negotiations.
- Transparency: Bookers can easily compare hotel room pricing and choose the best option based on their needs.
- Flexibility: Navan offers multiple payment types, including pay-now and pay-later options, to support all company card payments. The different rate categories also include refundable and non-refundable options.
Meet Ava, the AI-Powered Hotel Concierge
Concierge by Ava analyzes users’ travel patterns and a wealth of other factors in real-time to serve up the most relevant options and make booking easier than ever.
For example, when a business traveler asks, “Ava, book me accommodations in New York City for the week before Thanksgiving,” Ava scours their profile to learn their:
Loyalty program memberships
Favored hotel type
Historically preferred amenities (breakfast, gym, pool, etc.)
Preferred room size (square footage, bed size)
This smart concierge combines user preferences with public information, like the hotel’s distance from the office where the traveler is headed and the property’s user reviews. After analyzing this information, Ava returns a carefully curated selection of hotels that — essential for the business traveler — fall within their company’s policy.
A New Era of Corporate Hotel Rates
The traditional RFP process for negotiating corporate rates has become less effective, with hotels and corporations seeking more dynamic and flexible solutions. Navan's model goes beyond traditional CNRs by offering access to negotiated rates, public pricing, and Closed User Group (CUG) rates through its Navan Lodging Collection.
Navan's platform allows users to shop for and book hotel rooms easily. It integrates public and corporate negotiated rates into one user-friendly interface, empowering users to make informed decisions based on rate type, cancellation policies, and loyalty benefits. The entire booking flow, from searching to confirmation, is streamlined for convenience and efficiency.
Here are five more ways Navan leverages its size and technology to provide companies with the best, most cost-effective booking and management tool for hotel stays:
1. Streamlines the Booking Process
Navan's platform simplifies hotel booking. It allows travelers to shop for and book rooms using a Web-based or in-app booking tool. Travelers can quickly compare costs, including special rate codes from major hotel chains and exclusive Navan deals, to find the best hotel for their needs. Integrating GDS and direct relationships with accommodation suppliers, including content aggregators like Booking.com and Expedia, ensures a comprehensive selection of accommodation options.
2. Simplifies Team Travel
Group travel poses challenges, from securing accommodations that meet the needs of all attendees to navigating the financial aspects of group bookings. By leveraging its collective buying power and negotiating with clients, Navan ensures the best rates and experiences for group travel, which includes car rentals and flights as well as hotel bookings.
Navan Team Travel Tool
The Navan Team Travel tool helps facilitators, planners, and executive teams organize group offsites.
This intuitive group booking platform replaces a traditional travel agency. It considers a group trip's unique needs and makes it easy to search airfares, align dates, and protect personal data for large group travel.
The Team Travel tool streamlines the processes for group reservations. It makes it easier to fix unexpected schedule deviations while treating every team member like a VIP traveler. And travelers can access 24/7/365 agent support if an issue arises.
3. Integrates with Major Brands and Perks
Navan's platform offers access to all major hotel brands, including Marriott, IHG, Hilton, Hyatt, Wyndham, and Best Western, among others. By negotiating directly with these hotel chains, Navan secures exclusive corporate discount codes, which are integrated into its app for users to easily access.
This approach offers cost savings and provides perks such as free Wi-Fi, complimentary breakfast, and loyalty points through programs like Marriott Bonvoy, enhancing the overall travel experience for business travelers. This diversity of inventory and hotel corporate rates benefits small businesses and multinational corporations, whether they have five or 5,000 business travelers on the road each month.
4. Ensures Compliance and Eligibility
Navan's platform simplifies the process around proof of eligibility for specific corporate rates and discounts. Whether presenting a business card at check-in or accessing special rates through a hotel's website, Navan ensures that the necessary documentation and credentials are readily available for business travelers.
5. Leverages Corporate Partnerships and Payment Solutions
Recognizing the importance of streamlined payment processes, Navan fully integrates its corporate travel and expense management solutions to provide a single source of truth for all travel expenses. Through Navan Connect, business travelers using their established Visa or Mastercard corporate cards can access automated expense management and earn rewards through their hospitality loyalty programs and Navan Rewards.
Revolutionizing Corporate Travel with Navan
The evolution of business travel demands a modern approach to managing hotel corporate codes and discounts. At the forefront of this change, Navan is redefining how businesses access hotel corporate codes. By leveraging modern technology and a customer-centric approach, Navan ensures its clients enjoy significant savings, unparalleled convenience, and a wide range of options. Navan provides the tools and support to make business travel hassle-free, whether a single business trip or a significant group event.
Navan's modern approach offers businesses a more comprehensive range of hotel discount codes, a streamlined booking experience, and upgraded hotel stays.
Get started with Navan today and access the best hotel rates.