Month: July 2016

Categories
Travel News

TSA Readily Available on Social Media

ask tsa

Need a quick answer about airport security or carry-on luggage, but don’t have the time to read through government websites? Your wishes have been granted! The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is now available via Facebook Messenger and Twitter! These two social media profiles use the name ‘Ask TSA’, which is separate from their main TSA profiles. While Ask TSA has been available on Twitter since September 2015, they joined Facebook Messenger on July 7. Though not a 24-hour service, their Facebook Messenger contact hours are extensive. They are available from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET on weekdays, and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends and holidays.

Ask TSA is eager to assist you with any questions identification through security lines, lost items, or acceptable carry-on items. You can even take a picture of the item in question, and tweet or Facebook message them for the answer.

Ask TSA Contact Information-

Their Twitter handle for customer questions is @AskTSA

Their Facebook Messanger can be accessed through their Ask TSA Facebook page. Once on the page, click the ‘send message’ button to begin correspondence.

At Christopherson Business Travel, we understand the value of having a support team on call when things go wrong. That’s why we provide our clients 24-hour customer service.  When something goes wrong, as it often does with travel itineraries, we are always here to help find the best solution. Contact us to learn more about our customer service and additional benefits.

 

Categories
Business Travel Travel Tips

What Happens To Your Body On A Plane?

Not surprisingly, flying through the air at 600 miles per hour has some interesting effects on the body. Though flying at around 35,000 feet, the cabin is pressurized to mimic the altitude of 6,000 to 8,000 feet. That’s comparable to sitting on top of mountain. Count in hours of inactivity, exposure to germs, and recirculated air, it’s no wonder we feel a bit sluggish after a long plane trip. For frequent business travelers, it can be easy to forget what our bodies goes through every time we board a plane. Below are some of the typical side effects of plane travel and the science behind it.

What happens to your body on a plane

Taste

Airplane food has always had the reputation of being bland and unappetizing. Turns out there is a scientific reason behind the judgement. It’s not always the food that is the problem, but our surroundings. Pressurized cabin, high altitude and circulated cool dry air “makes your taste buds go numb, almost as if you have cold”, says Grant Meckels, the executive chef for culinary development of Lufthansa’s LSG Sky Chefs.  Our ability to perceive sweetness and saltiness can dip up to 30% while flying, changing the way food tastes.

Solutions? Don’t waste calories on a plane. Take small snacks with you to keep your energy levels up, but don’t go overboard. Is it worth it if you can’t even taste it?

Drowsiness

We’ve all been there. You open up your laptop after take-off, create an attack plan for your to-do list, when suddenly it hits you– you can’t keep your eyes open. No, you’re not subconsciously avoiding work. Your body is feeling the difference of air pressure while flying.  At high elevations, the air pressure is much lower than at ground level. This decrease in air pressure causes your blood oxygen levels to also drop, making you feel tired and fatigued.

Unfortunately, there’s not much that can be done to avoid this sensation. Some airplanes are pressurized to resemble lower altitudes, like the Boeing 787.   They also hold more oxygen, so overall you should feel better during and after travel.

Dehydration

Dehydration has many symptoms like lightheadedness, dry mouth, and headaches. We all know to drink water, but it can be easily forgotten while scrambling through the airport. But did you know dehydration comes from other sources?  Cabin pressurization, the culprit again, creates a very dry environment with very little moisture in the air. The humidity level on a plane is on average 10 to 20 percent. This is much lower compared to a comfortable indoor temperature of 30 to 65 percent. This sudden change in moisture takes a toll on our body through dry skin, scratchy eyes, and headaches. Additionally, this arid climate can dry up the mucus in the nose and mouth, leaving us more susceptible to germs and bacteria.

Though not avoidable, there are a few tricks to keep you comfortable. Avoid alcohol while flying and drink plenty of water. Also, pack eye drops, nasal spray and lotion with you.

Swelling Ankles

Sitting for prolonged amount of time can wreck havoc on your circulation system. Add in the decrease in oxygen levels and no wonder ankles swell. If you are prone to this symptom, make sure you stand up and move around the cabin about once an hour. You can also try a few exercises that engage your leg muscles while sitting, like ankle rolls or knee lifts.  Pumping your calves usually helps too. Though in some cases, prolonged sitting can cause blood clots called deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Talk to your doctor if you have any questions.

Air travel is a marvel, but it comes with some negative repercussions to our bodies. Mainly cabin pressurization creates a cold and arid environment with less oxygen, leaving us dried out and sleepy. Next time you travel, try to come hydrated and prepared for your adventure at 35,000 feet.

Categories
Business and Leadership Business Travel Travel Management

Concerns for Corporations using Public Online Booking Sites

Sure, it’s quick and easy for business travelers to search for flights on public travel websites.  Watching the ticket price continually drop in front of your eyes; it’s hard to believe there’s a better deal anywhere else! But in the end that’s not always the truth. Both the traveler and their employer are missing out on additional benefits when they use public booking sites for business travel. There are many variables that play a part in efficient travel service and price, many are often overlooked in the process of using those simple public online booking sites.

What you need to know about public online booking sites

  • Hidden transaction fees. Some sites include their transaction fees in a small hidden link called “additional taxes & fees”.  Users assume those are sales taxes, etc., but in some cases, an additional transaction fee is also slipped in.
  • Hotel cancellation fees and discounts. Yes, there are great hotel prices on public sites.  But those are usually non-refundable, non-changeable and you have to pre-pay the full stay.  Even if you end up cancelling once, those charges often outweigh any savings you attained throughout the whole year. If you end up cancelling only one hotel stay in a entire year, those charges can outweigh any savings you attained throughout the year.
  • No duty of care.  There is a moral and legal obligation for employers to know where their employees are when traveling for the company. Employees must email their employers their itinerary.  Who manages that? The traveler’s boss?  The travel manager?  The office manager?  In the event of an emergency,  who in the company will be digging through their emails to determine if their traveler is in harm’s way. Public online booking sites are not equipped for handling duty of care responsibilities.
  • Poor after-hours care.  Who wants to call an 800 number at 10pm when the snowstorm hits the Eastern seaboard and every other traveler is doing the exact same thing? Hold times are outrageous.  On top of your personality sanity, these public booking websites don’t know what your company’s policy is around re-booking flights.
  • No built-in travel policy.  What stops your traveler from booking the Four Seasons or Business Class on a public site?  What stops your traveler from booking the $400 flight on Delta when there is a similar flight on United for only $310?  We’d all like to think that our employee will “do the right thing”, but that’s not always the case.

Public online sites may seem like the easiest and cheapest route for corporations, but in the long run these corporations are falling short.  Travel management companies on the other hand give travelers the tools they need to make the correct choices for booking their business trips.  Pricing is transparent and policies are followed.  The company’s travel policy is built in to the online booking tool so the traveler can choose the best option within the company’s guidelines.  And if a flight is cancelled or delayed, the traveler will receive prompt and friendly assistance from an agent that knows the company and knows the traveler.  In the event of an emergency or disaster, the company can quickly locate and alert each and every traveler and assist those travelers when in need.

Christopherson Business Travel is a corporate travel management company with more than 60 years of experience in the field. We pride ourselves on our efficient travel technology and consultative customer service.

Read Next-

The Downside of Using Online Booking Sites

What Is Duty Of Care

Categories
Company News and Announcements

2016 TMC Survey & Report: TMC Business Strategies in an Idling Corporate Travel World

BUSINESS TRAVEL NEWS | JULY 26, 2016

2016 TMC Survey & Report: TMC Business Strategies in an Idling Corporate Travel World

Categories
Travel Management

Senior Level Employees Are The Most Frequent Expense Fraud Offenders

With our clients being travel management professionals and their business travelers, we understand how cognizant you are of staying on top of your travel budget. It can be a difficult and time consuming task. It can also be upsetting when business travelers take advantage of, or completely disregard, the travel policies in place. That’s how we felt reading this recent study analyzing reimbursement fraud in more than 114 countries.

The study was conducted by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE), analyzing data from more than 2,410 cases between January 2014 and October 2015.  They found that top executives were the biggest culprits of expense reimbursement fraud, accounting for about 24 percent of the cases. “The correlation between authority and loss most likely occurs because high-level fraudsters tend to have greater access to their organizations’ assets than lower-level employees, as well as a better ability to evade or override anti-fraud controls,” according to the report.

Expense reimbursement fraud was most prevalent in the technology field, found in 27% of cases examined. Following the tech industry, incidents of fraud were also high in religious charities and social services sector (25 percent of cases), manufacturing (22.9 percent), construction (20.9 percent), and health care (20.1 percent).

Small businesses with less than 100 employees had higher incidents of fraud, at 16.7 percent. Fraud culprits were also typically male. Globally, the rate of men involved in fraud cases was 69 percent, although it was 56 percent in the United States. Expense inaccuracies remained undetected an average of two years before they were found.

Studies like this exemplify the importance of having a clear travel policy with approval processes determined. Software like our PolicyLogic helps companies so travel policies have to be applied at or before booking. For example, first-class seating can be restricted. If a first-class seat is booked, the travel manager is notified and the ticket has to be approved before being issued. Such approval helps eliminate expense fraud opportunities. Your company works hard to keep to a specific travel budget; it’s beneficial to make sure there are checkpoints in place too.

Christopherson is a corporate travel management company, specializing in proprietary travel technology and expert customer service. Learn more about our award-winning team by contacting us.

Read Next: Christopherson Business Travel Helps Companies Achieve Maximum Travel Policy Compliance

Categories
Travel News Travel Technology Travel Tips

How To Get Through U.S. Customs Faster

Packing

My last experience going through customs was pretty typical. I deplaned, walked endlessly through the airport, collected my bags and then madly ran to get a spot in line at customs. Sure, you can shorten your wait time if you bring only carry-on luggage or you are an extra fast runner, but overall the process definitely has room for improvement.

Global Entry

One option to speed through customs is signing up for the Global Entry program. Similar to TSA PreCheck, Global Entry expedites you through U.S. custom lines based on your pre-approved status. Offered through U.S. Customs and Border Protection, there is a multi-step approval process needed before your trip. It is available to U.S. citizens, U.S. lawful permanent residents and accepted by a few other countries. It does have some restrictions for eligibility, including criminal convictions, outstanding warrants, or previous violations of immigration or custom regulations. If you are eligible, you can create an account on their Global Online Enrollment System (GOES), and complete the application. There is a  $100 non-refundable fee required for each applications. From there, your application will be reviewed. If it is conditionally approved, you will then be instructed to schedule an interview at a Global Entry Enrollment Center. Once fully approved, you can skip all processing lines, paperwork and significantly reduce your wait time!

Mobile Passport

The app Mobile Passport offers an alternative to the Global Entry program and is available at growing number of airports in the country. All you need to do is fill out the Customs and Border Protection form in the app on your mobile phone and enter your flight information and submit. Once this is complete, you will receive a electronic confirmation with a QR code and you can proceed to the line at customs indicated for “Mobile Passport Control”. Like the paper version of the form, the form in the app can be filled out for family members making traveling with kids just a tiny bit easier. As another benefit, it is free to use with no additional charges!

Whichever process you choose, you will make the customs process easier and less stressful. Use the comments below to tell us about your experiences using either Global Entry or Mobile Passport!

Categories
Company News and Announcements

Christopherson Business Travel’s Technology Provides Actionable Intelligence for Proactive Travel Management

GBTA | JULY 18, 2016

Christopherson Business Travel’s Technology Provides Actionable Intelligence for Proactive Travel Management

Categories
Press Release

Christopherson Business Travel’s Technology Provides Actionable Intelligence

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH—Christopherson Business Travel is launching a number of technology enhancements in conjunction with an initiative to advance their integrated software platform, AirPortal®, to a new level of travel management. By providing business intelligence that is digitally transformed into actions, these enhancements help travel managers direct their programs both proactively and preemptively.

“We live in an age of information overload,” said Mike Cameron, CEO of Christopherson. “Companies need more than just business intelligence to be competitive. But the challenge isn’t where or how to find the data, it’s what to do with it once you have it. We’re designing tools to help you figure that out. Our latest technology developments provide the advantage of ‘actionable intelligence’ to empower travel managers as they direct their travel programs faster and
smarter.”

Among the most notable enhancements are those made to Christopherson’s AirPortal 360TM dashboard for travel
managers, and Airtinerary®, the company’s intelligent itinerary for business travelers.

AirPortal 360 now includes My Action Items, a work-to-zero tool which pulls data from Christopherson’s various
technology and presents a list of action items. Such items may include travel plans needing approval, reminders to use
expiring airline tickets, risk management duties, expiring vendor contracts, and more.

“Providing our clients with a work-to-zero dashboard that allows them to manage all their pending action items in
real time is revolutionary for travel managers,” Cameron said. “My Action Items is one more way we are helping our
travel managers think forward and work strategically.”

Another enhanced tool is Christopherson’s Airtinerary, which now allows travelers to interact with their travel plans. Travelers can modify, add, or delete plans, and purchase trip insurance, among other actions, directly from the mobile-
responsive Airtinerary.

“‘Mobile first’ is one of our mantras,” Cameron said. “Whether it’s our existing technology or new tools, we develop
intuitive, elegant, and responsive technology that meets the needs of our clients where they are and helps them be
proactive about their pending action items.”

Among other enhancements is a new dashboard for the company’s Hotel Attachment tool, that helps travel managers
better manage compliance and risk by knowing which travelers’ plans are incomplete and provides the ability to send
reminders to complete those plans prior to travel.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JULY 18, 2016
Media Contact: Krista Maurer
801-327-7615, Krista.Maurer@CBTravel.com

Christopherson plans to unveil these enhancements at the 2016 GBTA Convention and Trade Show in Denver, CO
July 18-20.

About Christopherson Business Travel
Christopherson Business Travel, headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah is the independently owned leader in business
travel management, online travel tools, and business travel resources. As the 12th largest business travel agency in the
United States, with 380 team members and five full-service locations, the company supports more than a half-billion
dollars in annual travel bookings for more than 900 successful organizations across the country including Fortune
500 companies, publicly and privately-owned business, universities, and government entities. Christopherson is an
affiliate of BCD Travel and a Preferred Partner of Concur. To learn more, visit CBTravel.com.

###

Categories
Company News and Announcements

Travel Agents Help Customers Give Back While On Vacation

HOSPITALITY NET | JUL 16, 2016

Christopherson Business Travel’s Technology Provides Actionable Intelligence for Proactive Travel Management

Categories
Company News and Announcements

How big data can impact your business travel bottom line

COLORADOBIZ | JULY 15, 2016

How big data can impact your business travel bottom line

Categories
Business Travel Travel Technology

Christopherson’s Technology Provides Actionable Intelligence

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SALT LAKE CITY, UT — Christopherson Business Travel is launching a number of technology enhancements in conjunction with an initiative to advance their integrated software platform, AirPortal, to a new level of travel management. By providing business intelligence that is digitally transformed into actions, these enhancements help travel managers direct their programs both proactively and preemptively.

“We live in an age of information overload,” said Mike Cameron, CEO of Christopherson. “Companies need more than just business intelligence to be competitive. But the challenge isn’t where or how to find the data, it’s what to do with it once you have it. We’re designing tools to help you figure that out. Our latest technology developments provide the advantage of ‘actionable intelligence’ to empower travel managers as they direct their travel programs faster and smarter.”

Among the most notable enhancements are those made to Christopherson’s AirPortal 360 dashboard for travel managers, and Airtinerary, the company’s intelligent itinerary for business travelers.

AirPortal 360 now includes My Action Items, a work-to-zero tool which pulls data from Christopherson’s various technology and presents a list of action items. Such items may include travel plans needing approval, reminders to use expiring airline tickets, risk management duties, expiring vendor contracts, and more.

“Providing our clients with a work-to-zero dashboard that allows them to manage all their pending action items in real time is revolutionary for travel managers,” Cameron said. “My Action Items is one more way we are helping our travel managers think forward and work strategically.”

Another enhanced tool is Christopherson’s Airtinerary, which now allows travelers to interact with their travel plans. Travelers can modify, add, or delete plans, and purchase trip insurance, among other actions, directly from the mobile-responsive Airtinerary.

“‘Mobile first’ is one of our mantras,” Cameron said. “Whether it’s our existing technology or new tools, we develop intuitive, elegant, and responsive technology that meets the needs of our clients where they are and helps them be proactive about their pending action items.”

Among other enhancements is a new dashboard for the company’s Hotel Attachment tool, that helps travel managers better manage compliance and risk by knowing which travelers’ plans are incomplete and provides the ability to send reminders to complete those plans prior to travel.

Christopherson plans to unveil these enhancements at the 2016 GBTA Convention and Trade Show in Denver, CO July 18-20.

Categories
Guides Travel Tips

The Best Restaurants Near The Denver Convention Center

Travel Management Company

With one of our five offices in Denver, we are excited that the GBTA conference will be held here this year. As you’ve been preparing and packing, we’ve been developing a few Denver guides just for you. Let us show you around town, or at least what you can squeeze in between seminars and other events.

16th Street Mall –

This outdoor pedestrian mall runs up and down 16th Street from Union Station to the north and the Civic Center to the south. Get a feel for Denver restaurants and shops, surrounded by gold rush era buildings. There is a free mall ride that continually transports pedestrians up and down the strip. Get on and off as you please, it stops at every corner.

Here are a few of our favorite spots on 16th Street

Union Station – This 100-year old landmark is a still an active transportation hub, but recently remodeled to entertain. Now it holds many local restaurants, stores and a hotel. A truly great place to enjoy Denver and people watch.
1701 Wynkoop St, Denver, CO 80202
http://unionstationindenver.com/

Tattered Cover Bookstore – A three-story locally owned bookstore. A must for your visit to 16th street.
1628 16th St, Denver, CO 80202
http://www.tatteredcover.com/

Illegal Petes – Perfect for a quick but hearty meal on 16th Street. Local to Colorado and quickly gaining popularity. Similar to Chipotle (which is also a CO native restaurant), they are known for their cilantro-lime rice and tasty everything.
1530 16th St #101, Denver, CO 80202
http://illegalpetes.com/

Yard House – High-end sports bar with American fare and large draft list.
1555 Court Pl, Denver, CO 80202
http://www.yardhouse.com/home

Brown Palace Hotel – Since opening in 1892, the Brown Palace Hotel and Spa has never closed their doors. Renowned for it’s architecture and beauty, it is frequently visited by presidents, prime ministers and celebrities. Though a hotel and spa, it has six restaurants and bars for different occasions. Ellyngton’s provides fine dining lunch, dinner or brunch. Or enjoy a traditional afternoon tea, including Devonshire cream shipped in from England. Reservations are recommended. At the very least, step in and look around if you can.
321 17th St, Denver, CO 80202
http://www.brownpalace.com/

 

Larimer Square

Just off 16th Street Mall and four blocks north of the Convention Center is Larimer Square. This center and street focuses on providing chef-driven restaurants rather than tourist traps. You can’t go wrong on this street, but here are a few of our favorites.

Roija – This mediterranean inspired restaurant is one of the top attractions. The owner, Jennifer Jasinski, has been on Top Chef Masters and a winner of the James Beard Award.
Larimer Square, 1431 Larimer St, Denver, CO 80202
http://www.riojadenver.com/

ComedyWorks – Looking for a few laughs? Check out Denver’s premier stand-up comedy club.
1226 15th St, Denver, CO 80202
https://www.comedyworks.com/

GreenRussell – An upscale bar with a twist. That’s all we can say.
Larimer Square, 1422 Larimer St, Denver, CO 80202
http://www.greenrussell.com/

Like other capital cities, Denver is always pulsing with new restaurants, flavors and trends.  There’s always something new popping up. Fortunately for you, the Denver Convention Center is right in the middle of the action. Have questions or staying in a different area of Denver? Use the comments below. We are happy to show you around town!

Categories
Travel Management Travel Technology

What Is Duty of Care?

Most Frequent Expense Fraud Offenders

I recently wrote the blog,  What does a Travel Management Company do?  In the process of writing it, I realized that we use industry phrases, assuming everyone understands what we are referring to.  Take Duty of Care for instance.  If you were to ask your next door neighbor, your hair dresser and your mother what Duty of Care is, you will probably get three totally different answers.  I even googled Duty of Care and found more than three different definitions! But this definition by Merriam-Webster was the most simple and straightforward: ‘a duty to use due care toward others in order to protect them from unnecessary risk of harm’.

Duty of Care and your travel management program

So what does that mean for travel?  Simply put, it is an employers moral and legal obligation for the safety of their employees while traveling.  In the university setting, this even includes students!  Many countries, including the US, are in the process of developing strict laws to help protect business travelers. But until these laws are worldwide and regulated, corporations and universities without a managed travel program run the risk of serious consequences in the event of an emergency.

How SecurityLogic assists with Duty of Care responsibility

To assist corporations and universities with their duty of care obligations, Christopherson Business Travel developed SecurityLogic.  Our clients have access to global alerts and valuable tools to ensure the safety of your travelers.  With SecurityLogic, travel managers can access real-time security, weather, flight delays, and disaster alerts. They are then automatically pushed to travelers via text and email. And, with the intuitive Safety Check feature, you can also request safety verification from your travelers anywhere in the world.

SecurityLogic provides multiple global map overlays, and because all travel information is geocoded to street-level accuracy, you can zoom in on any country, city, or street to find your travelers through the tool’s customized search options. With customized search options our clients can quickly locate their travelers by name, department, date, and/or location.

An effective duty of care program is essential for every corporation and university. To discuss if SecurityLogic is a good fit for your company, feel free to contact us using the form on this page.

Read next – How To Get Started – Duty Of Care Advice

 

 

Categories
Guides Travel Tips

Packing For Conferences – What Should You Bring?

tsa lines

With the GBTA conference rapidly approaching, we realized that packing for conferences and conventions have their own nuances. Sure, you have packing for a quick business trip down to a science. And your family beach trip packing down too. Perhaps this is your first time attending a conference. Or maybe it’s just been awhile since your last conference.

Whatever your situation is – don’t fret – we have you covered. Our checklist below was created with you in mind.

Link to the full checklist.

 

Christopherson Business Travel is an award-winning corporate travel management company with more than 60 years of experience. Our advanced travel technology and superior customer service sets us apart, but we continually strive to streamline solutions for our clients.

Read next- Travel Packing List for Dummies

Categories
Company News and Announcements

Travel Weekly’s 2016 Power List

TRAVEL WEEKLY | JULY 1, 2016

Travel Weekly’s 2016 Power List

Categories
Company News and Announcements

2016 Top 100 Woman-Owned Companies List

COLORADOBIZ | JULY 1, 2016

2016 Top 100 Woman-Owned Companies List