GUEST BLOG: What makes a truly ‘traveller first’ travel programme?

There are two variables your business travel programme has likely been graded on – cost savings and traveller safety. On paper, these existing programmes have long since achieved these goals: as a manager of team travel, you secure the best pricing, manage expenditures, and have a system in place which tracks travelling employees’ whereabouts.

But in reality, a travel programme isn’t a complete success unless employees are satisfied with it. And you know why: employees are unlikely to follow a process that doesn’t make it easy for them, and not following the procedures only leads to out of policy spend.

Whether you’re building a brand-new programme or overhauling your current managed or open programme, thinking more employee-first will improve your employees’ satisfaction, and perhaps contrary to what you might first think, their safety, and your visibility.

Fundamental #1: You’ve made removing friction your mission

It sounds obvious, but it’s worth repeating often. Employees want a travel programme that’s easy to use and seamless from beginning to end. To achieve this, ask yourself the purpose of every click and every form filled out.

If you find yourself confused, asking questions, or double-checking what to do, your travellers are most likely feeling the same way. Those pain points explain the “why” behind high rates of leakage from the travel programme and other instances of noncompliance, signalling that it’s time to adjust the traveller-averse portions of the process.

Fundamental #2: You’ve built for the apps your travellers already use

By using a familiar, recognisable, and dependable apps like Uber, travel managers reduce the number of employees overwhelmed by how to use the system within the programme. The biggest category you’ll find these apps in is most likely the relative newcomer of on-demand travel, including apps like Uber, so there’s no learning curve to overcome.

These apps also have business functionality already built in, ready for you to tap into! 

Fundamental #3: You’re listening to what your travellers want

Employees want to be heard, and they need a channel through which to be heard. Travel managers who actively solicit feedback from travellers are being receptive and proactive, and employees feel they have a greater role to play within the company. From exit surveys to open office hours, creating and maintaining a constant feedback loop ensures that the traveller-first programme continues to consider options employees want.

Fundamental #4: You’re measuring spend, safety, AND satisfaction

The simplest way to gauge employee satisfaction is to ask them! Sending travellers a survey after each trip is an easy way to build feedback into your existing framework. Questions can be as simple as asking “how satisfied are you?”, or get into detail about the hotel, flight, and ground transportation accommodations. Consistent eights and nines on a scale of one to 10 are a new measure of a successful, traveller-centric programme.

Summing up: why employee satisfaction matters

These four fundamentals minimise stress and maximise satisfaction by utilising what employees already have, taking their feedback into consideration, and making improvements to any hindrances.

At the end of the day, the happier your travellers, the more likely they are to comply with company travel policy. You can’t argue against that being a win-win!

Uber will be on hand to meet attendees and answer questions at the upcoming BusinessTravel Show in London on 21st and 22nd of February. Find us at booth B452.

If you’re planning to attend, you can make an appointment to meet a representative here.

GUEST BLOG: 2018 Outlook – the impact of Brexit, traveller safety and geopolitical

Brexit will have positive effect on business travel

Travel managers need to start focusing on the direction their company’s business may have to move towards in terms of trading post-Brexit. Now is the time to start reviewing their travel programmes and think about how they will look at the end of 2018.  They need to be asking questions about which markets their company will be able to sell in, should they be opening up new markets, can we sell in existing markets? 

However, after a slow start to the year, once major decisions concerning borders and ‘passporting’ have been confirmed, Brexit will have a positive effect on global business travel as companies consider new markets, or seek to bolster existing contracts. UK domestic travel also has potential to increase off the back of the government’s plans to establish technology, research and development projects post-Brexit. Many UK manufacturers are looking at potentially expanding their exports in the USA and China, or they will need to meet face to face with current clients to ensure business continuity. Corporates need to cover all bases which potentially means more business travel. As decisions are made by the government and plans become clearer, we could see business travel growth in the second half of 2018.

Even greater focus on traveller safety

The business travel sector will see an even greater emphasis on traveller safety not only due to the ongoing threat of terrorism, but also geopolitical instability which will add to the complexities of business travel in 2018, making personal safety and duty of care a top priority for companies. The recent laptop ban on certain flights to the US, for example, and increased border controls, all make business travel more challenging for the traveller and could make companies think twice about whether an employee really needs to make a trip. Personal safety will also be an increased priority for corporates if they are having to travel to new markets in order to generate new business deals post-Brexit. Hence we are encouraging clients to make use of traveller safety solutions such as our goSecure risk management technology and VIMA mobile app.

Oil prices will continue to climb meaning more travel in energy sector

In the UK, around 20% of our clients are in the energy sector, so we are keeping a close eye on oil prices. Barring any major disruptive geopolitical influences, we are forecasting that oil prices will continue to climb steadily in 2018. This would reignite investment in oil and gas exploration, which our energy clients put on hold at the start of the energy sector downturn in 2014. As a result, travel spend by oil and gas clients should increase by 2019. President Trump’s decision to pull out of the Paris climate change agreement could also impact on refineries in the US. With less of a priority on greener energy, production by refineries could increase, impacting on supply and demand. In addition, Trump has controversially signed executive orders to allow the construction of new pipelines, creating more jobs in the oil sector. Whilst these are unpopular in terms of their impact on the environment and climate change, ultimately they could create more jobs in the oil sector, and generate more business travel.

This post was written by Paul East, chief operating officer, UK/Europe & Americas, Wings Travel Management (www.wings.travel). The TMC is unveiling additional travel risk management services at the Business Travel Show, including traveller evacuation and disaster response support.