Two tech companies – one that helps companies travel more efficiently and another that helps companies track and process expenses – are integrating some of their services.
TravelBank wrote in a news release on Wednesday (July 29): “Upside will begin integrating TravelBank’s expense product and offering access to its clients starting today. TravelBank will provide Upside clients with more visibility and control in their business spend, along with 24/7 customer support.”
TravelBank is based in San Francisco and Upside Travel is based in Washington, D.C.
The release states: “This new integration will provide Upside clients with access to TravelBank’s expense management subscription, which automates expense reports, offers one-tap approvals and provides visibility into business spend. Upside clients will continue to book travel through Upside’s travel platform, and upon selecting expenses, they’ll be prompted to enroll on TravelBank’s platform.”
“Currently, a lot of travel companies are thinking about how they can continue to provide value to their customers, when they aren’t traveling right now but also in preparation for when travel does resume,” Josh Abich, chief revenue officer of TravelBank, said in a prepared statement. “Our expense solution has been a key component in building our all-in-one vision to provide value beyond business travel. We’re thrilled to partner with Upside and bring our solution to more travelers and businesses across the country.”
Jason Wynn, Upside’s chief commercial officer, said in a prepared statement: “While business travel slowly returns in this very uncertain time, it’s crucial for companies to track and manage spend to be able to accurately forecast what travel budgets will look like later in the year. We’re excited to partner with TravelBank to bring our clients an expense solution that will power data-backed financial decision-making as they seek to manage and control their travel spend, today and in the future.”
Today’s announcement comes as travel-sector companies face a litany of COVID-19-related challenges. The International Air Transport Association forecasts that demand will not return to pre-COVDID-19 levels until at least 2024.
In other news from April, TravelBank launched a work-from-home platform to allow businesses to set expenses and figure out logistics for working remotely during the pandemic.