Elevate Your Journey: 8 Ingenious Tips for a Superior Business Travel Experience

How crucial is traveler satisfaction? Extremely. In a recent BCD travel buyer survey, traveler satisfaction and well-being were regarded as very important (39%) or quite important (48%), totaling 87%.  

Sadly, while 67% of business travelers perceive business travel as vital to their careers, with 51% also finding enjoyment in it, this enjoyment is moderated by limited flexibility, experienced by 91% of travelers over the preceding year.

Clearly, travel managers desire travelers to have a positive experience. But how can they achieve that? Here are 8 clever strategies to improve the business travel experience.  

1. Enhance morale with a flexible travel policy.

Business travel can present budget constraints, intricate booking procedures, and perplexing travel policies. Imagine if your travel program could alleviate those concerns? An effective travel policy along with suitable support greatly enhances the travel experience.  

“Travel is personal,” stated Carol Del Giudice, account manager at Christopherson Business Travel. “That is the foremost thing to remember when formulating a policy. The company’s culture must be mirrored in the policies and understanding the significance of the ‘why’ behind travel aids in crafting a successful trip.”  

Allowing a degree of flexibility invites productive trips and more satisfied employees. However, employees don’t always require additional perks—at times, simply improving the fundamental experience and promoting employee health is sufficient. Furthermore, round-the-clock traveler support alleviates stress.  

2. Simplify the booking process.

Booking travel is often a frustrating point for business travelers. Searching various websites, comparing rates, and adhering to policies can be tiresome. A more streamlined booking process and intuitive booking tools can save time and empower employees to handle bookings swiftly.  

At Christopherson Business Travel, we are an SAP Concur Elite Partner and Deem Collective partner, allowing travelers simple self-service options for efficient trip planning. (Discover more about these technologies on our Booking page.)  This not only simplifies the process but also saves money and prevents travel leakage.

While our online booking tools are fully integrated, we also provide advisor booking, group travel arrangements, and a dedicated team for VIP travelers.

3. Emphasize traveler safety.

Traveler safety is paramount. Supply resources and safe travel policies addressing medical emergencies, natural calamities, and political unrest. Informing your employees that their well-being is prioritized showcases your commitment to duty of care. Additionally, 24/7 support and automated notifications help reduce traveler anxiety.  

At Christopherson, our risk management solutions bolster your dedication to caring for your travelers by furnishing a robust dashboard with real-time alerts, location services, safety checks for travelers, and more.

Del Giudice noted that Christopherson can assist you in promptly identifying and addressing needs during a crisis.

“Risk management should be established from the outset. The right personnel need comprehensive access to all traveler data to ensure they can act as swiftly and efficiently as possible in critical moments.

“There was an incident with one of our clients where a group of travelers attending a conference stepped out to grab food from a food truck, and while waiting, they were hit by another vehicle,” she recounted. “It was crucial for the travel manager to quickly ascertain which travelers had arrived for the event, who was staying at which hotels in the vicinity, and to facilitate additional support for family members who needed to be with those who ended up hospitalized.”  

4. Improve the travel experience via personalization.

Business travelers have varied preferences. Choices for accommodation, transport, and even dietary requirements differ. Consider offering customized options within corporate travel programs. Provide seat selection and meal choices for specific dietary needs.  

When a traveler is on the move, they should have access to their preferences or requirements within their travel profile, Del Giudice explained.

“We had a traveler needing to fly over a religious holiday that required a particular meal. That was accommodated thanks to the rapport established between the airline, Christopherson, and the travel manager.”  

Minor accommodations enhance the travel experience by acknowledging individual needs and contribute to improved employee performance. A well-designed business travel program reflects a company’s commitment to its workforce. Granting your employees some flexibility enables them to save time and enjoy a better experience. Thus, you provide employees with opportunities to take control of the aspects that matter most, thereby improving travel within company policies.  

5. Promote health and wellness while traveling.

Business trips can disrupt routines and established healthy habits, making it essential to support the health and wellness of road warriors. Offering gym access, healthy meal allowances, or information on nutritious dining options is beneficial. These small efforts communicate care. They motivate employees to make better booking choices and select options that enhance their well-being, which results in more enjoyable and productive journeys.

Why prioritize wellness? Traveling can have potentially negative effects on travelers. Travelers lose 6.9 hours of productive working time due to stress, costing employers $662/trip. Additionally, sleep deprivation from business travel results in 12% less recovery time from stress, resulting in reduced productivity and an increased likelihood of illness and disease. Read more about traveler wellness in our article.  

6. Collect and implement employee feedback.

Employee feedback is vital for effective policies. Don’t just gather feedback. Follow up and leverage those insights to refine future travel experiences. Christopherson sends tailored traveler surveys on behalf of your organization to pinpoint areas needing improvement and adjust policies accordingly.

As part of Christopherson’s consulting services, we customize a specific traveler survey.  

“This helps dive deeper into the specifics of what is essential to the company culture, what matters to the traveler, and how the policy can be revised to benefit all stakeholders,” Del Giudice remarked. “This kind of consulting involves a more profound understanding of the outcomes and solutions that can arise from the data analysis.”  

7. Offer digital solutions to streamline travel logistics.

Modern business travel and technology are interconnected. In addition to integrated online booking tools, the appropriate app can significantly improve the experience. Christophersonrecently introduced its new Andavo mobile application featuring flexible itineraries, straightforward profile administration, and instantaneous notifications, enabling business travelers to coordinate their air, car, and accommodation arrangements all in one location for a seamless journey.

8. Think about a business travel management firm.

Organizations with regular travel can gain advantages from travel management firms (TMC). TMCs assist with travel preparation and expense optimization. They provide leading management strategies, corporate travel programs, and enhanced support for travel administrators.

At Christopherson, our emphasis is on delivering personal interaction and outstanding service while equipping you with cutting-edge digital solutions.

We provide tailored solutions for your distinct travel program, granting your organization greater leverage compared to other travel options by addressing common travel program challenges. We also enrich the business travel experience, enabling employees and travel managers to conserve time and effort, motivating employees to travel as necessary.
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FAQs regarding business travel experiences

What constitutes a business travel experience?

A business travel experience encompasses every element of a business trip, from planning and booking to the journey, lodging, work tasks, and expenses. Business travel should provide comfort and convenience within the confines of company travel policies.

How can I enhance my travel experience?

Pack minimally and remain organized. Utilize technology for bookings and updates. Take advantage of travel benefits such as airport lounge access. Focus on comfort and self-care. Ensure you have business cards handy and store them securely in case your phone loses power. Investigate alternative options for upgrade services like business class to see if that is a possibility covered by your organization.

What are three fundamental requirements of the business traveler?

Business travelers necessitate efficient bookings, comfortable journeys, and organizational support for emergencies. Transparent expense policies aid in avoiding misunderstandings and frustration regarding what is included.

Conclusion

Supporting travelers enhances employee fulfillment. Fewer disruptions in travel lead to fewer distractions, thereby increasing productivity. Enhanced policies and tailored perks save time and improve the business travel experience.

This permits employees to concentrate on vital tasks. Providing these minor accommodations will accumulate and can significantly improve the business travel experience over time.

Prepared to discover more? Arrange a demo today.
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► You may also be interested in: Emphasizing wellness for business travelers: Advice for travelers and travel managers