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.
