Stress, being out-of-pocket and time-wasting are three aspects that could become a reality if business travel isn’t carefully planned.
When done correctly, however, business travel can be an incredible opportunity for both employees and the company as it’s a way to foster client relationships, improve skills and grow the client network.
The UK is a significant market for corporate travel, with some careful planning needed to ensure it’s as productive as possible.
To avoid trips that are disrupted by inefficiencies or avoidable risks, we’ve listed out the top five common business travel mistakes and how to avoid them.
What are the three needs of a business traveller?
Efficiency, compliance and comfort are three needs of a business traveller with this combination providing the best experience in what can sometimes turn into a stressful trip.
Keeping these aspects in mind can help make the trip as enjoyable as it should be. Here are some things to remember to make these three needs a priority:
- Book direct flight
- Opt for transport with minimal layovers
- Ensure the hotel and event space have reliable Wi-Fi
- Check-in to the flight and hotel online to ensure efficiency
- Focus on staying in business-friendly hotels
- Have access to healthy and nutritious foods
- Put work-life balance boundaries in place to avoid burnout
How can I make my business travel easier?
With some key tips in your back pocket, business travel can become a whole lot more comfortable.
Staying organised is a must, with it being recommended to keep all of the information needed in one spot. This should include booking details, boarding passes and emergency contacts.
Packing smart is key too. If a carry-on bag can be used over checked luggage, this could minimise risks and avoid claim delays.
Business travellers should prioritise eating healthily during this time, along with staying hydrated. The latter can prevent fatigue, with smarter food choices potentially helping to sustain energy levels for longer.
To really make it easier, a company should consider using a corporate travel service to ensure things go without a hitch. At Good Travel Management, we give people the tools to make business trips safe, productive and enjoyable.
We’re experts at what we do and are a people-first travel management company that is designed to help both the business and its travellers every step of the way. Looking for support with business travel? We can help, contact us for a free consultation.
Corporate travel planning: 5 Common Business Travel Mistakes
Corporate travel planning can be overwhelming, especially when you’re starting from scratch, but here are five aspects to be aware of when embarking on a business trip.
1. Booking in-direct or in-efficient flights
When what should be a direct journey turns into two flights, one stopover and a train journey it can be incredibly frustrating for employees.
Not only does it add on time and stressors, but it leaves the potential for disruptions to take place.
There are far too many curveballs and obstacles that can arise when booking with different operators or using multiple stops. To avoid this, it’s best practice to book direct flights if wasted time is important to prevent.
It’s easier to fly from airports closest to the destinations too, rather than having to travel for long periods before even making the flight.
To combat travel fatigue and jet lag, being as efficient as possible is key. For those travelling long-distances, overnight flights might be the best option as it provides time for rest.
Where possible, bookings could be done in an easy to access way which is typically online. According to the International Air Transport Association, over 70% of travellers now prefer online or app-based flight booking options.
2. Not perfecting communication for business travel trip
When organising a business trip, a number of aspects have to be accounted for including considering duty of care, being inclusive and accessible for all and making the process as smooth as possible for employees.
By not addressing these considerations it can leave team members feeling unsafe, unable to complete their commitments and even resentful towards the company.
To ensure this isn’t the case, it’s important to firstly communicate and gain information on whether any accessibility requests are needed with the employees involved. Keep the person in the loop throughout and remain open-minded to what may be best for them.
The details must then be easily accessed by those going on the trip so they don’t experience hiccups at the first hurdle. The information should be within an easy one-stop station, while also having them printed.
If, for example, travel arrangements have been booked for when leaving an airport/train station, contact details should be shared. During the corporate travel trip, an emergency contact should be appointed too with those on the trip able to reach out to this person should they need too.
3. Forgetting about corporate travel policies
Whether it’s a first-time business trip for a company or the 20th, having a corporate travel policy is a great way to keep everyone involved and on the same page.
This refers to having a document that sets out key guidelines that everyone should be aware of ahead of a trip. There are no rights or wrongs with this, but typically it should include information about the booking process, reimbursement, and details on how to travel safely.
It’s not a legal requirement but it can be a huge time-saver as having the information on hand will prevent back-and-forth questions.
To avoid making mistakes and to ensure compliance with company policies, booking through a corporate travel service can help ease any stressors. At Good Travel Management, we can plan business travel trips from start to finish and make the experience as smooth as possible.
We’re experts at what we do and have fully tailored travel management packages designed around the precise needs of your business. We can take care of your team’s travel needs, with years of experience in perfecting our strategies under our belt.
Looking for the experts to take corporate travel planning off your hands? Let’s chat it through so we can make sure you avoid these common business travel mistakes.
4. Not being clear about budgets
Corporate travel doesn’t have to be expensive but it definitely can be if you’re not aware of how to book effectively as the costs can creep up.
Even going beyond the practicalities of booking a trip, all those embarking on it need to know what they can and can’t reimburse, how much they can spend per day and how the reimbursement policy works. Will a company credit card be used and how much is able to be spent on it?
If items are booked ahead of time, this can prevent business travellers from spending too much on hotels and transportation.
Once at the location, should receipts be kept to hand in after the fact or is it best to send over an image of expenses at the end of the day? All of this needs to be clear to avoid stress and miscommunication.
5. Not planning for emergencies
Delays, lost luggage and last-minute cancellations are always frustrating, but especially more so when a plan hasn’t been put in place.
This already long process can become even more time-consuming when those involved are unsure of what will be compensated and when this will take place.
To prepare for this as much as possible, digital copies of documents should be printed and kept on hand like passports, tickets and itineraries. Before travelling, a discussion should take place to ascertain what an employee is able to do should a new flight need to be booked or clothing purchased.
There should be a trusted emergency contact within the workplace to help maintain duty of care, while also providing people with local embassy information.
If, however, something occurs while there with the event or venue, implement a plan B ahead of time just to cover all occasions.
Everyone involved should have travel insurance too which could cover trip cancellations and medical emergencies.
Lets have a chat
Your business travel is about to get a whole lot easier.
Just leave a few details about your business travel needs and our expert team will be in touch.
Your information is secure. View our Privacy Policy