Where business trips are concerned, can there really be a secret to unlocking greater value?
Surely saving a few dollars by cutting back on the non-essentials is the only way to create value? Not necessarily. Recent ACTE (Association of Corporate Travel Executives) research shows that 75% of travel managers believe that service improvements can lead to savings.
That doesn’t mean catering to your travelers’ every whim. This ain’t a vacation. A good business travel experience is a low effort one. The easier it is to do something, the less travelers have to think about, and the more productive they’ll be.
Sometimes simple things can make all the difference; like giving your travelers the opportunity to decide their own itinerary, rather than plan out every single detail of their trip. Meetings overrun. Dinner goes on later than planned. Clients command their attention. Flexibility is important for the business traveler, so why not — for example — give them access to a company Uber account?
While adding value doesn’t have to be expensive, sometimes spending a little extra on things that will improve your travelers’ experience can make a big difference too.
Think of it this way: one of your travelers has a nine hour flight to Paris from Boston. A driver meeting her at airport on arrival isn’t just going to get her to the meeting on time; it’ll reduce the hassle of navigating Charles De Gaulle Airport, save her the trouble of asking where she can get a taxi from in half-remembered high school French, and take out the usual half hour wait for an available cab at peak arrival time.
Penny-pinchers may bemoan the idea of shelling out for incidentals, but ultimately less hassle equals less stress. And it’s the same for you, the travel manager. The less involved you are in every single aspect of your travelers’ plans, the more time you can dedicate to improving the corporate travel experience.
Here at Arbitrip we’re dedicated to finding travel managers the best hotel deals. You just pick where you want to book and leave the rest to us. Our smart algorithm identifies real-time cost savings, and our booking software automatically secures the rooms you want at the lowest possible price.
Ultimately, where business travel’s concerned, satisfaction creates longer-term value. A good trip gives great productivity, and anything that makes your and your travelers’ lives easier is a better result for the business all round.
