GUEST BLOG: Technology means travellers can take consultants away with them

Thanks to technology business travellers today are able to take a travel consultant with them wherever they go.

The advent of specialist booking tools and apps means that business travellers can use their smartphones to keep track of their itineraries, make changes when necessary, share any changes with the office and loved ones and even log expenses and even.

Apps such as TripCase or Tripit provide an ‘interactive itinerary’ enabling business travellers to view all the individual elements of their trip on one master itinerary on one screen doing away with the need to trawl through emails for individual trip details.

The virtual travel consultant is available 24 hours a day and makes the process of booking quick and easy.  And the technology can offer many other useful features such as driving instructions, airline seat maps and assisting with those time consuming, but essential tasks, such as logging expenses. 

The smart business traveller can also benefit from this new technology as long as they choose the right product, keep it user friendly and avoid unnecessary complications. 

Now it is much easier to inform travellers of changes to flight times, gate changes or other issues which may impact on their itineraries.  It goes some way in enabling companies to fulfill their duty of care obligations by knowing where their staff are at any given moment.

But perhaps the greatest attraction for travellers is the fact that technology can help them to make savings.  Savings are achieved through lower booking fees and, if implemented correctly, increased compliance with mandated travel policies.

Booking tools can be configured to corporate specifications and travellers can be given reminders when they start to stray from the policy.  There is evidence that visual guilt can help to achieve lower average ticket prices as users are more inclined to take the cheaper fare options they see on the screen rather than have to give a reason for not doing so.

Overall technology plays an invaluable role in making travel easier for employees and helps employers achieve greater control over policy compliance and expenditure.

This blog post was written by Julie Oliver, managing director of Business Travel Direct, who are exhibiting at the Business Travel Show. Register now to attend Europe's biggest specialised corporate travel event at www.businesstravelshow.com.