Managers & Travellers: how should you be managing your company's or your own business trips?

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Establishing a good travel policy has become something of an art. We share our tips with how you, business traveller or manager, can get it right.

The FCM Travel Solutions & DeplacementsPros Barometer has revealed the most popular technological tools for arranging a business trip, broken down as follows:

  • 58% use the company's reservation portal
  • 27% use one or more flight/train reservation websites
  • 15% use airline applications
  • 14% use one or more websites providing information on their destination (TripAdvisor, Yelp, etc.)

The majority of business travellers from large companies opt for the technology provided by SBTs (Self Booking Tools), whereas employees in SMEs and small and medium-sized industries tend to use consumer tools like TripAdvisor. As these tools continue to evolve, the line between business and leisure travel reservation systems is increasingly blurred This raises the question as to what small businesses have to gain from going through a Travel Management Company (TMC) or from hiring a travel manager, as well as the issue of the ever-expanding concept of open booking. Indeed, according to the 2018 FCM barometer, 51% of business travellers see their company's travel policy as limiting and restrictive, whilst the new generation of internet-savvy travellers can feel as though they are being squeezed into overly cost-centric travel plans with little regard for the human factor. The stress and fatigue brought on by travelling can leave employees feeling nothing but demotivated, which in the end will cost the company. The company therefore has a vested interest in motivating its troops through the use of HR solutions to give teams a much-needed boost.  

Summary:

Article 1
Micro-enterprises and SMEs: The travel manager or TMC dilemma What is the best, most cost-effective and financially viable solution for small companies to manage business trips?

Article 2
Should travel managers be fighting the open booking phenomenon? Should employees be stopped from venturing outside your company's travel policy?

Article 3
How can you keep your business traveller troops motivated? HR tips on how to cultivate a spirit of rivalry and increase the added value of your company.  

Published by Thi bao on 03/04/2019 Photo credit: © Vesnaandjic

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