{"id":8590,"date":"2022-09-15T10:56:58","date_gmt":"2022-09-15T10:56:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.itilite.com\/?p=8590"},"modified":"2024-11-28T13:22:02","modified_gmt":"2024-11-28T13:22:02","slug":"travel-arrangements-business-trip","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.itilite.com\/blog\/travel-arrangements-business-trip\/","title":{"rendered":"What is Important When Making Business Travel Arrangements?"},"content":{"rendered":"
Making travel arrangements for a business trip is more challenging than it sounds. Travel managers have to take care of everything from the announcement of the trip to the safe return of the travelers. They must ensure that all the flights, hotels, and other services align with the itinerary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Moreover, the travel manager must book flights and hotels according to travelers\u2019 preferences, ensure they are policy compliant, and, most importantly, safe for business travelers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If all these business travel arrangements are not made correctly, they can lead to negative results. For example, if travel managers fail to book a suitable hotel, it hampers the employee\u2019s state of mind. Employees can also end up going late to the business meeting if the business travel arrangements are improper, which can cost companies a fortune.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Therefore, follow these 12 essential parameters that every travel manager must keep in mind while making business travel arrangements for employees:<\/p>\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n As a travel manager, it’s essential to excel at organizing business trips. This requires thorough research when planning travel for your employees, regardless of whether the destination is familiar or new. It’s essential to gather detailed information about the location, including local food, weather, transportation options, hotel safety, and the distance between the hotel and the airport. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Staying informed about the political climate, ongoing crises, and civil unrest is also crucial to minimize potential risks. Moreover, some areas in the destination can be commonly known for robbery, pickpocketing, and mugging. If employees travel to such areas, you must warn them to be extra careful about their belongings, business documents, and gadgets. You must also let them\u00a0 know how they can get around the destination:\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n A company\u2019s travel policies are guidelines created to streamline business travel arrangements, making it easier for travel managers to handle trips. These policies help reduce travel expenses, simplify the booking process, and ensure travel booking consistency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As a travel manager, making flight and hotel reservations that align with the company\u2019s policies to control costs and ensure compliance is crucial. For example, when booking for a mid-level employee, you can select flights and hotels within the designated budget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the most crucial aspects of making travel arrangements for a business trip is finding the best deals and discounts for flights and hotels. To do this, you must determine the overall trip cost and then begin researching.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can do so by finding out the best flight timings, looking for flights\/ hotels that offer corporate discounts, booking in advance to avoid spending more at the last minute, negotiating with hotels<\/a> for reasonable rates, and using various hotel and flight booking apps and websites to compare the rates, among many others. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Alternatively, you can hire a Travel Management Company<\/a> (TMC). TMCs partner with major flight and hotel vendors to provide a wide inventory of hotels and flights at discounted prices.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Staying in a hotel during a business trip can make or break the travel experience for business travelers. Therefore, selecting accommodation that aligns with travel policies and travelers\u2019 needs is essential. Booking the right hotel can make business travelers feel comfortable and help them rest well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, how do you select suitable accommodation for your employees? Below are some factors you must keep in mind:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Business travelers often have specific flight preferences, which may include factors like superior service, convenient flight schedules, minimal delays, friendly staff, and meal choices, among others. As a travel manager, it\u2019s important to book flights that align with these preferences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n An AI-powered virtual travel assistant<\/a> can assist by analyzing data to understand travelers’ preferences. Its algorithm predicts the best options based on previous trips, offering a more personalized experience.<\/a> Additionally, it speeds up the booking process, saving valuable time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sometimes, business travelers have to travel to different destinations in a single trip. Therefore, while making travel arrangements for a business trip, you must ensure to keep employees\u2019 travel documents ready. Essential travel documents include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n You must hand over digital and physical copies of these documents to the employees so they don\u2019t get stuck anywhere and can travel without hassle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Creating an itinerary may seem exhausting and complicated. Researching and preparing a timeline for each event may take a while, but it helps you not miss out on anything crucial and plan business travel seamlessly. Additionally, it saves you a lot of time when it is time for employees to travel. As a travel manager, you also get an idea of the approximate budget for the whole trip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While preparing an itinerary for employees, you must include the below details: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Additionally, you must book flights in advance, find and book good hotels in a safe location, arrange travel documents, make some local connections to help employees, and get in touch with a few reliable cab rental services to avoid any last-minute confusion and panic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n During any business trip, things can get messed up. Unforeseen circumstances can disrupt travel itineraries, such as bad weather or natural calamities. This may cause stress and panic among business travelers. Therefore, for such situations, you must prepare business travelers beforehand. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Provide emergency contact details to your employees before they embark on a business trip. Let them know whom to contact under such circumstances. You can offer 24\/7 customer support for employees if anything goes wrong during their travels. Also, ensure employees know how to get in touch with local contacts in the destination city, their managers and colleagues, or even you during their business trip. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If employees are traveling internationally, ensure they have an international cellphone plan. If they don\u2019t have one, they cannot contact you or anyone else in times of emergency. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For travel managers, incorporating Travel Management Software (TMS) is a must as it streamlines the booking and planning process while making travel arrangements for a business trip. Using a travel management software<\/a> solution, you can easily book flight tickets, set travel policies, create itineraries, and ensure traveler safety.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n The software has a wide range of inventory of hotels from which you select and book according to traveler preferences. A TMS also provides live traveler tracking, safe hotel tagging, and 24\/7 customer support for the safety of employees. By using this software, you can spend less time planning and arranging business trips manually. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For employees, business travel can be both exciting as well as challenging. While they get to visit and explore new destinations, they also need to manage challenges such as delayed flights, mugging, lost passports and baggage, sickness, and disappointing hotel rooms.\u00a0Therefore, to overcome these business travel challenges<\/a>, travel managers must be prepared beforehand to avoid any unpleasant last-minute experiences. You can take care of employees by telling them to fill out a risk assessment checklist<\/a> before they go on a trip and providing a solid duty of care<\/a> to employees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. Research the Destination Thoroughly<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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2. Book within Company\u2019s Travel Policies<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
3. Find the Best Deals on Flights and Hotels<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
4. Select the Right Accommodation <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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5. Book flights as per Travelers\u2019 Preferences<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
6. Keep Travel Documents Ready<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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8. Prepare a Detailed Itinerary<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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9. Ensure Employees Have Access to Emergency Contact Details<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
10. Use Good Travel Management Software<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
11. Anticipate Business Travel Challenges<\/h2>\n\n\n\n