Whether an opportunity to attend a conference has just popped up or there’s a need to meet with a prospective client with little notice, managing last-minute business travel can be a difficult task.
From having to quickly find time-efficient (and budget-friendly!) transport to navigating fully-booked accommodation, it can be a minefield when the time is ticking. While it may feel like the pressure is mounting, it doesn’t have to be that way, as there are ways to mitigate the stress.
To help you get the most out of corporate travel, we’re breaking down exactly how to manage last-minute business travel and the steps you should take pre-trip, during, and after.
The hidden costs of unplanned business travel
Unfortunately, booking travel last-minute can sometimes leave you facing higher costs and a lack of options.
Typically, last-minute airfares are more expensive than booking in advance, with airlines taking advantage of those who need to travel on those specific dates. According to Investopedia, “waiting until the last minute can result in prices doubling” when it comes to flights.
It’s not just the overtly obvious prices that can cause stress on a business though, but the administrative efforts too. If a trip hasn’t been pre-prepared, or if a process isn’t already in place, employees must take on additional tasks to research, compare options, manage the itineraries, and ensure the travellers have a duty of care throughout.
When this is the case, compliance issues and duty of care can fall through the cracks, which could cause a whole world of issues for both the business and its employees.
5 ways to manage last-minute business travel without the stress
Instead of being placed in a difficult position every time an opportunity arises, there are several steps you can take to properly manage last-minute business travel without the stress.
1. Create a travel policy ahead of time
If a trip hasn’t yet cropped up, or you have time ahead of the business embarking on travel opportunities, it’s important to use this time wisely and create a comprehensive travel policy.
This could be one document that clearly outlines guidelines and boundaries, including the booking process, expenses and reimbursement and even details on how to travel safely and/or sustainably.
Not only does this keep everyone on the same page, but it also means team members can refer to the information whenever they need, which can cut down the time spent repeating the processes to each team member, while ensuring consistency too.
2. Create travel relationships in the industry
Building strong relationships is a time-consuming process, but one that can lay the foundations for a smoother trip. When you take the time to make relationships and network with airlines, hotels, or ground transport providers, it can lead to discounts, more flexible policies, and benefits like free upgrades.
This can be especially difficult to do without a travel management company, but look for companies that offer corporate rates.
3. Build out traveller profiles for those going on the trip
Last-minute travel can result in multiple hours being wasted on administrative tasks, so rather than going back and forth to gain insight into traveller needs and basic information, collect this in advance.
A traveller profile will have all of the key information you need – or at least the bulk of it – which can make last-minute business trips so much smoother. It will cut down the booking time to minutes, instead of hours, while ensuring the details are accurate and in a centralised location.
This can be done well in advance of any trip being booked, as traveller profiles are easier to maintain than to build when you’re in a rush. Here’s what you should include in a traveller profile:
| Category | Details to include |
| Personal Information | Full legal name, date of birth |
| Contact Details | Work phone/email, personal phone/email, emergency contact and name |
| Passport | Passport number, expiry date, visa information |
| Insurance and Medical | Policy number, coverage details, relevant medical alerts |
| Team | Team/department, project code, budget reference |
| Preferences | Personal needs and requests, frequent flyer numbers, loyalty program numbers, seat choices, meal types, room preferences, accessibility needs |
4. Plan for emergencies and assign a point of contact
There’s no denying that the world of travel can be a stressful one, even when embarking on personal trips, due to potential delays, cancellations, human error, and so much more. But being prepared for hiccups can put you in good standing should something go awry.
When you’re prepared, even in some form, it allows for a pre-strategised response, which can take the weight off both the traveller and the business. To get started with this step, carry out risk assessments which analyse political stability in the area, entry/visa requirements, local regulations, transportation safety, and any potential health or environmental hazards.
The traveller needs to have adequate insurance and medical coverage, as well as evacuation tools in place should they be needed.
It’s also during this stage that the roles and responsibilities of those in the business need to be determined. For example, the business traveller needs to have personal awareness and be knowledgeable about the company’s travel policy, travel risk information, and be aware of how communication will work during the trip.
Back at the office, other responsibilities will fall on the internal teams, including tasks like:
- Providing oversight and support
- Being a point of contact for any disruptions or emergencies
- Checking in with business travellers to ensure their wellbeing and safety isn’t being negatively affected
- Approving any necessary documentation or payments
- Coordinating support in case of an incident
- Recording and reporting any travel-related incidents
While much of the prep can be done beforehand, real-time monitoring should be taking place throughout the duration of the travel too.
5. Make the experience as easy as possible for the business traveller
While business travel can put a strain on the company, it’s the employees who have to spend their time travelling to and from a new location. Due to this, it’s important to prioritise their well-being throughout and make it a positive experience for them.
When planning the itinerary, each person should have enough time to rest and recharge. The most efficient travel plans should be selected too, rather than having employees travel long routes with multiple stopovers.
6.Collect post-trip information from the business traveller
Even if you haven’t had the time to complete any of the other steps, you should still collect information from the traveller upon their return.
This isn’t just a tick-box exercise, but can help you to determine what went well and what needs to change for future trips. When problems or frustrations are highlighted, the company can be sure to avoid them the next time a trip rolls around.
Some questions to ask are:
- How easy was it to book your trip?
- Did you have all of the information you needed pre-trip?
- Were your travel and hotel arrangements comfortable?
- Did you know who to contact if something went wrong?
- Did you feel supported by the company?
How to prepare for seamless business travel ahead of time
To really manage last-minute business travel without the stress, call in support from experts. A travel management company, like Good Business Travel, can plan corporate travel, negotiate deals, handle the booking process and admin, provide extensive support in case of emergencies, and deal with the reporting post-trip.
When doing it yourself, issues can arise like a lack of real-time traveller tracking, delays in emergency response, time wasted on repeated manual processes, poor visibility of total spend, and defaulting to being more reactive rather than proactive in risk management.
Instead, a travel management company can utilise supplier relationships to secure deals, streamline the reimbursement and travel policy process, provide travel reporting and around-the-clock support, and aim to keep employee safety at the forefront – regardless of how far in advance the trip was arranged.
Ready to take the stress off your hands? Contact us today to work with corporate travel experts who have more than 190 years of knowledge.