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TripActions, which rebranded to Navan in February 2023, began as a corporate travel startup in 2015 and is headquartered in San Francisco, CA. For travel program managers, understanding how TripActions delivers customer service — from 24/7 traveler assistance through account management and escalations — is essential to reduce disruption, control program costs, and preserve duty of care. This guide explains practical steps, realistic SLAs, escalation playbooks and measurable KPIs you can apply immediately.
The company publicly emphasizes global, around‑the‑clock support for corporate customers and integrates support into the mobile and web booking experience. For official corporate information and admin resources consult https://www.navan.com or the legacy site https://www.tripactions.com. In practice, enterprise support combines three things: in‑app/phone access to live agents, a named account team for program strategy, and automated notifications for itinerary and policy exceptions.
Support channels, expected responses and how to use them
TripActions provides multiple support channels; the most reliable and fastest route is the in‑app “Help” or live chat because it carries booking metadata (PNR, booking ID, traveler profile) to the agent automatically. For urgent flight disruptions you should call the dedicated travel agent line presented in the app; for policy or billing questions use your account manager or enterprise portal ticketing so the finance owner has an auditable trail.
Below are practical channel expectations you should set internally and verify in your contract. The times are realistic enterprise targets you can use to hold vendors accountable and to set traveler guidance.
- In‑app live chat — typical first response: 2–15 minutes; initial workaround or rebook offered in 15–60 minutes for common flight/hotel issues. Use for reissues, schedule changes and immediate itinerary updates.
- Phone (24/7 agent support) — priority for missed connections and same‑day rebookings; target answer within 1–10 minutes during peak disruptions, with same‑day resolution or clear next steps within 2–4 hours.
- Email/ticketing via admin portal — suitable for billing disputes, receipt requests and non‑urgent policy questions; target first response within 4–24 hours and full resolution within 24–72 hours depending on complexity.
- Account manager / CSM (named enterprise contact) — escalations, credits, negotiated refunds and program change requests: expected SLA 1–3 business days for administrative requests and weekly cadence for strategic items.
Escalation procedures and account management
A robust escalation matrix reduces reaction time in disruptions and clarifies who pays for what. For TripActions programs you should document three tiers: Tier 1 (traveler-facing live agent), Tier 2 (program admin and account manager), Tier 3 (supplier & finance escalation with legal). Ensure every traveler knows how to reach Tier 1 from the app and every admin knows the Tier 2 contact details included in the enterprise portal.
Typical escalation paths include: (a) traveler calls in-app -> agent attempts rebook -> agent notifies admin if policy exception or cost > threshold; (b) admin contacts named account manager to trigger supplier negotiations or refunds; (c) unresolved or high-cost incidents escalate to Ops or Legal with a target executive response within 24–48 hours. Put these timelines in a one‑page runbook with sample email subject lines, required data fields (booking ID, traveler mobile, flight number, ticket number), and the person accountable for decisions above a cost threshold (e.g., >$500 requires manager approval).
Practical tips for travelers and travel managers
To shorten resolution time always include the booking ID (TripActions booking reference), ticket number (if issued), traveler mobile and a short description of the disruption. For cancellations and refunds ask the TripActions agent to create a documented case/ticket and request an expected SLA and case number. If a credit or refund is issued, insist on a written confirmation that states amount, type (voucher vs. cash refund), and the date by which it will post (typical airline refunds: 7–30 days; supplier vouchers: immediate but with expiry date).
For expense reconciliation use TripActions’ native receipts and expense exports; if you integrate with Concur, Netsuite or Expensify, validate the mapping of booking IDs to expense reports during onboarding. Train travelers to capture screenshots of confirmations and agent chat transcripts for high‑value incidents. Maintain a small “rapid response kit” (one admin, one finance contact, one account manager) available during major events such as industry strikes or regional weather disruptions.
KPIs, reporting, pricing considerations and contractual items
Define measurable KPIs in your statement of work: recommended targets are First Response Time (phone/chat) < 15 minutes for urgent, < 4 hours for non‑urgent; Mean Time to Resolution (MTTR) 8–48 hours depending on complexity; CSAT >= 4.0/5 or >= 80% satisfied; and NPS >= 30 as a rolling target for enterprise programs. Also track operational metrics: percent of bookings rebooked same day, refund success rate, and time to reconcile supplier credits (goal <60 days).
On pricing: enterprise travel fees vary by contract model — common market ranges are per‑booking managed service fees of $10–$35, or subscription/seat fees of $5–$25 per active user per month, plus any pass‑through supplier fares and hotel commissions. Always negotiate explicit refund handling and pass‑through rules in the contract (who chases cancellations with airlines; how service credits are issued) and require monthly operational reports. For official contact and corporate resources use your admin portal or public sites: https://www.navan.com and https://www.tripactions.com; your named account representative will provide contract‑specific phone numbers and escalation DIDs.
