How Perk helped FREENOW free up 40% of their time by simplifying their travel booking
FREENOW was looking to address time-consuming bookings and frustrating reimbursement processes
FREENOW is the Mobility Super App with the largest number of vehicle options in Europe. Available in nine key markets and over 150 cities, the platform allows users to book taxis, private cars, carshares, eScooters, eBikes, eMopeds, and public transport through a single app. Backed by BMW Group and Mercedes-Benz Mobility, FREENOW has 26 offices staffed with around 700 employees.
In a remote-first environment, 90% of FREENOW's business travel is dedicated to colleagues meeting in person, while the remaining 10% is for client meetings and trade shows. But Tanja Peronne, Executive Administrative Assistant to the C-Level, and Maybritt Peters, B2B Marketing Manager, found their previous travel booking and expense systems frustrating and inefficient.
First, each FREENOW entity used different systems for booking business travel. Tanja had to use various credit cards and search multiple websites for flights and hotels, which was incredibly time-consuming — especially since she was handling bookings for both the management team and senior leaders.
Another major issue: Employees were using their own money to book business trips and then submitting expenses for reimbursement. Frustrated by this process, they felt FREENOW needed a dedicated travel tool. Tanja took this feedback and began looking into a new, modern travel management system: Perk.
FREENOW saves 40% of time with Perk’s autonomous self-booking process for travelers
300 of FREENOW’s employees travel for work, and they use Perk to book flights, hotels, and more. Tanja estimates that 40% of time is saved, not only because employees can book their own travel arrangements via Perk, but also because the platform eliminates the finance team’s need to track down flight or hotel invoices or figure out which provider issued them.
With Perk handling everything, FREENOW also doesn’t need a dedicated travel manager, resulting in significant savings.
Perk gave FREENOW employees the freedom to book independently, with the Slack integration key to its success
FREENOW chose Perk because they needed more than just a tool to simplify bookings and save time — they also needed a platform that could integrate with Slack. Without a dedicated travel manager, FREENOW saw Perk as the perfect solution to let employees book their own travel arrangements while complying with the company’s travel policy.
Plus, Perk’s integration with Slack was essential for receiving trip requests and enabling managers to approve them quickly, without switching platforms.
The company enjoys smoother bookings and greater flexibility with Perk
Perk has also brought other benefits to FREENOW, such as reducing booking inconsistencies, improving flexibility, and eliminating the need for multiple travel platforms.
When Maybritt joined FREENOW, organizing trade shows was challenging as sales representatives were spread across different countries, each using different booking solutions. This often resulted in different hotels being booked for the same event. With Perk, she can ensure everyone stays at the same hotel by using the same booking tool.
Employees were also very happy when Perk was introduced. They found the platform to be extremely user-friendly; most employees didn’t need any onboarding assistance at all. Perk quickly became the go-to platform instead of checking other travel booking sites. Over time, employees came to trust it completely as the best choice for their travel needs.
Effortless implementation and guidance from Perk’s customer care and account management team
Since FREENOW has been using Perk, they’ve enjoyed seamless collaboration with Perk’s customer care team and their account manager. The implementation went without a hitch, and introducing Perk to employees was extremely simple.
Perk made it easy by providing all the essential information through a central Confluence page. But since the platform is so intuitive, employees quickly got the hang of it without needing a lengthy handbook to rely on. Plus, the support team is always responsive and quick to assist whenever needed.