Month: August 2016

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Travel Industry Travel News

Christopherson Honored As A Utah Business Fast 50 Company

fast-50-Christopherson

Utah Business magazine hosted its annual Fast 50 event on Thursday, August 24, to recognize the 50 fastest-growing businesses in the state of Utah.  Christopherson Business Travel was honored at the event, and the only company to date to achieve the Fast 50 recognition for 8 consecutive years. Companies were selected based on five years of compound revenue growth and total revenue, submitted to an independent accountant for analysis.

Christopherson is an innovative organization focused on long-term growth objectives in a rapidly changing industry.  We were awarded for our entrepreneurial spirit and innovative tactics. It is a notable accomplishment to have maintained sky-rocketing revenue growth for such a substantial period. Our CEO, Mike Cameron accepted the award, “When my wife and I first bought the company 26 years ago, we were doing under a million dollars a year and we set some very ambitious goals at the time. . . we wanted to become one of the top ten travel agencies in Utah. Turns out we met all those goals, actually exceeded them, and today we are doing 600 million dollars a year and we are the largest travel agency in Utah”.

Recognition as one of the Utah Business Fast 50 is shared with many of our Utah-based clients including Nu Skin Enterprises, Jane.com, Pluralsight, Extra Space Storage and Crest Financial Services. We applaud everyone for their success and wish them luck for an outstanding year ahead.

Christopherson Business Travel is a corporate travel management agency with more than 60 years of experience. We are passionate about providing efficient travel solutions for busy professionals, so they can focus on what’s important to them. Contact us to learn more about our travel technology and consultative services.

Categories
Business and Leadership Business Travel

Professional Tip: Body Language Shapes More Than You Think

In attempt to motivate and instill confidence in a fellow business professional, I recommended the TedTalk presentation, ‘Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are’ by Amy Cuddy. Though I had seen it before I decided to watch it again and I’m so glad I did! Her presentation holds a very valuable professional tip, backed by science, credibility and passion. Amy Cuddy is a social psychologist and assistant professor at Harvard Business School, who has dedicated her life to uncovering the subconscious traits our bodies communicate to others.

In this inspiring Ted Talk, she explains that our body language defines who we are to others. With slopped shoulders we appear submissive. With crossed arms we convey not being open to new perspectives. Conversely, standing tall will make us appear more in control. But Cuddy says body language can effect more than just the perceptions of others. Her research uncovered how our body language effects our physiology. You read that correctly, our body chemistry changes based on the way we hold ourselves.  How can we use this to our benefit? Feeling nervous before a big meeting or proposal? Or maybe just a little unsure before a networking event? Stand in a ‘power pose’ to change your mindset. I wont spoil the entire video for you, but certain poses make you more confident, emotionally, socially and physiologically.

If you haven’t watched this video yet, you’re in for a treat. Even if you have seen it before, I highly recommend a second viewing. Whether you are a struggling with a difficult client, nervous about attending a networking event, or just need a self-confidence boost every once and awhile, you will find a valuable take away in this video. It’s 20-minutes long but worth the time out of your day.  Enjoy!

Read Next:

7 Tips For Staying Productive On Business Trips 

Tips For Staying In Shape While Traveling

Categories
Business Travel Travel Industry

How Should Travel Suppliers Accommodate For Women Business Travelers?

Many travel suppliers are missing the mark on the fastest growing majority of their customers — women business travelers. According to The Women In Business Travel Report, conducted by Maiden Voyage, 47 percent of women who travel, travel on business and 80 percent of all travel spend is managed by women. This makes them currently the fastest growing segment of business travelers.

So, what are these travel suppliers doing to accommodate this growing segment of their customers? Though there have been studies and enhancements over the past few years, there is still a lot of room for improvement.  

Where should travel suppliers be focusing on to further accommodate women traveler preferences?

Safety and Security

Joe Bates of the Global Business Travel Association observes that women have a greater focus on safety and security. “It would be things like, ‘Is the hotel located in a safe part of town? How do I know the taxi company I’m using is a reputable one?’ … Things of that nature tend to resonate much more with women than with male travelers.”Bates says. 

It’s not rocket science that staying safe is a priority for women traveling alone. MaidenVoyage.com, who conducted the survey, is a website that connects female business travelers with each other to rate hotels and share experiences. Hotels are then scored based on specific safety concerns, such as 24-hour front desk attendants or on-site secure parking. What is most often discovered is that hotel staff can go even further in analyzing their actions and behavior to make guests feel more secure. Does your staff loudly announce the hotel room number at the front desk? Do they consider which room to book for a single women traveling specially? Thinking about these tiny details in the hotel services experiences can change the experience for solo travelers.

Dedicated Services & Amenities

Another reason the increase of women business travelers should be on traveler supplier’s radar, is their tendency to be the planner in future travels. Women make up 85% of purchase choices for households. Their opinions hold firm weight in the long run. Was their experience in the hotel enjoyable enough to plan a family location or future business trip to include your hotel again? 

Hotel amenities and quality of the services are overall more particular to women. This is why some hotels are leveraging this by adjusting amenities. Some hotels have added complimentary curling irons, hair straighteners, increased electrical outlets in the bathroom, and enlarged makeup mirrors. 

The Hyatt Group has done extensive research into this demographic. After an 18 month survey, they improved their services by adding the ‘Hyatt Has It’ program and additional amenities. Guests can rent or purchase items they may have forgotten to bring. Whether it be a room humidifier or extra hair conditioner, Hyatt has positioned themselves as the reliable friend who can ensure your comfort while visiting.

Business travel services are always changing, and in this respect, I think it’s changing for the better. Though originally targeted for women, having a larger focus on safety protocols and elevating usability of hotels and complimentary items are things that can benefit everyone.

Read Next:

Who books business travel earlier? Men or Women?

Christopherson Business Travel Named #1 Woman-Owned Company In Colorado

 

Categories
Travel News

Delta One Suite

I am constantly amazed by how Delta Air Lines continues to wow travelers. Even after widespread power outages causing cancelled and delayed flights last week, Delta announced their new international business class service, Delta One suite.

Delta One Suite – International Business Class

Delta claims they are the first carrier to offer an all-suite business cabin. This sophisticated business class will consist of ultra wide seats, increased storage, an 18-inch entertainment system and much more. I am most amazed by the increased privacy with individual sliding doors. Not only can you fly comfortably in a fully-reclining seat, but your full-height sliding door will make you feel like you’re falling asleep in the privacy of your own home.

When To Expect Updates

Delta has said the pricing for the new suites will not change from the current Delta One pricing. These suites are expected to be available in Fall 2017, starting with the Airbus A350 fleet. They will then add suites to their Boeing 777 fleet. Already established features of luxury will continue, such as chef-curated meals, wine pairings, Westin Heavenly in-flight bedding, amenity kits, and in-flight lounge wear.

Tim Mapes, Delta’s Senior Vice President said. “Delta continually listens to customers and responds with products that deliver what they want. . . Added comfort and privacy are important to business travelers, and that drove the design of the all-new Delta One suite.” This philosophy is one reason why they are one of my favorite airlines to fly with. (Their cookies might be another reason.) They have a knack for defining traveler pain points and then delivering the best solution available. For example, their new checked baggage system replaces the traditional baggage sorting system with RFID scanner technology. Soon you will be able to determine the exact location of your luggage through their Delta App! Free in-flight entertainment is another feature they have customized over their competitors.

Overall, Delta’s new Delta One suite follows suit with their brand, providing luxury and comfort from the moment you walk on board. Whether you are a business traveler or traveling for leisure, don’t miss out on an opportunity to try out Delta’s latest comforts.

 

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Company News and Announcements

2016 ColoradoBiz 2016 Top Company Tourism/Hospitality Finalists

COLORADOBIZ MAGAZINE | AUG 22, 2016

2016 ColoradoBiz 2016 Top Company Tourism/Hospitality Finalists

Categories
Business Travel Travel Management

Questions To Ask When Looking For A New TMC

benefits of a travel management company

Every travel program is different and we get A LOT of different kinds of questions during our initial conversations with our clients. These questions can cover such topics as duty of care, technology, quality control, integrations with third party tools, etc. You need to make sure your new TMC is equipped to provide the travel program unique to your own needs for the company and your travelers.

The 4 need-to-know questions to ask your potential TMCs:

1) Please include and EXPLAIN your pricing. Some companies will present a seemingly affordable and simple fee structure with a lot of fine print. At Christopherson, we offer simplified pricing every time, without the fine print.
2) Who will we be working with? A potential travel management partner should be able to provide detail on the service team assigned to the account. The Account Manager is responsible for working with you to make your travel program a success. No matter what your desired service configuration is, at some point your travelers will work with an agent and that experience should be stress-free. Christopherson proudly employs some of the best travel professionals in the industry with our account managers averaging over 20 years of experience and our agents averaging over 25 years of experience.
3) Explain your implementation and training processes. You want your travel program to be successful and your travel management partner should strive to make the onboarding process as painless as possible for your travelers. At Christopherson, our priority is to quickly and efficiently transition your travel program while tailoring our timeline to meet your needs. During implementation, we will collaborate with your travel arrangers to design a training and onboarding program which fits into your company culture.
4) What about your technology platform sets you apart from the competition? Christopherson offers both AirPortal 360, a technology platform that integrates both full-service and online travel management, and a choice of three powerful online booking tools. There is so much about our technology that sets us apart, they need their own blog to showcase each feature! Like how we address duty of care responsibilities, hotel attachment rates, or technology integration.

Read next:

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Company News and Announcements

Utah Business Honors Utah’s Fastest Growing Companies

UTAH BUSINESS | AUG 18, 2016

Utah Business Honors Utah’s Fastest Growing Companies

Categories
Travel Industry Travel News

United’s New Business Class Polaris Solves Business Traveler Discomforts

United-Polaris-business-travel

United Airlines is reinventing international business class with their latest creation, Polaris. We were fortunate enough to preview it last Thursday in downtown Denver. The event was held in the beautiful and historic Brown Palace Hotel and Spa and featured informative and interactive stations. It included their business class seats, as well as a virtual reality demonstration of the lounge and carrier.

United Polaris Business Class

This international business class overhaul encompasses lounges in their hub locations as well as on-board international flights. It is very apparent that significant time, thought and attention went into this development. The ideals of relaxation, comfort, exclusivity and excellence are very top of mind in every detail. I especially see the benefits for busy business travelers. Though there are many examples, I think my favorite is the ‘do not disturb’ button at every seat. Let’s say you eat a pre-boarding meal in their exclusive lounge (yes, that’s also a new addition), so when you board the plane you can simple go to sleep after take off. No issue of waiting until after dinner service to make it apparent that you don’t want to be disturbed. Continuing our example, let’s say that you wake up in the middle of the flight, completely parched. Well no need to flag down a flight attendant while everyone else is sleeping. You can simply use their walk-up bar station to grab water, drinks, or assorted snacks at your convenience. Every detail has been considered.

A few other amazing takeaways of the new Polaris Business Class:

  • All seats are designed to have aisle access and ample legroom. No walking over neighbors if you fly in the middle seat. There is no more middle seat on Polaris.
  • Ample outlet and technology placement. Each tray has a phone or tablet perch, to actively use your devices on the plane. Work can comfortably be done in these seats. 
  • Fold down seats with the length of 6’6’’.
  • Amenity bag including spa-quality Soho House & Co. Cowshed products, black out eye masks and headphones.
  • Elegant cuisine created by The Trotter Project, which will specialize in locally sourced and seasonal flavors. For example, if you are flying out of the Denver hub, you may be able to anticipate flank steak, mashed potatoes with a palisade peach cobbler for dessert. These are products local to Colorado and in season.
  • On-board linens provided by Saks Fifth Avenue. Enjoy two pillows, a sheet, and a duvet. If that is not enough, pajamas, a mattress pillow top and a cooling gel memory foam pillow is available upon request.

When to expect changes

The first United Polaris Class lounge will open on December 31, 2016 at the O’Hare Airport. Eight additional lounges will open at Houston Intercontinental, Los Angeles International, New York/Newark, San Francisco, Washington Dulles, Hong Kong, London Heathrow and Tokyo Narita. Specific dates are not yet known. Access to these lounges will only be to those with a business class ticket. General access or day passes are not allowed to this lounge.

Airplanes will be quickly renovated with this business class update. United will start with the Boeing 777-300 carriers in December 2016. They will be available in early 2017. Booking and reservations for Polaris has not yet been established.

Our hands-on guided look at United’s innovations got us pretty excited for the new advances. We could truly imagine ourselves in the new lounge and comfortably snoozing aboard. Overall, United’s Polaris Business Class is something we can’t wait to enjoy for ourselves. United’s website can keep you updated on latest news or explore it’s additional features.   

Categories
Travel Management Travel Tips

Respecting Business Traveler’s Privacy Even In The Face Of Zika

AirPortal 360

One of the first thoughts for a travel manager concerning the Zika virus is ‘how does duty of care responsibility come into play?’  After all, it is your responsibility to protect the safety and security of your employees, even while they are traveling. 

Zika and business travel

Zika typically has mild symptoms in adults, such as fever, rash, headache and joint pain. These symptoms are so mild that most people don’t even know they contracted Zika. Unfortunately, there are greater concerns for women who are pregnant or planning to start a family.  Pregnant women that contract Zika can have very serious side effects for their unborn child. They can contract microcephaly, a birth defect resulting in small head and brain size. New research has found it could also result in blindness, deafness, or learning and behavioral difficulties.

Your first reaction might be to just avoid all health concerns and not send women of child-bearing age on business trips to these infected areas.  Wrong. This violates laws of gender and pregnancy discrimination.  On the other hand, they have the right to not disclose family planning and future employment decisions. This is a real catch-22. You can’t keep them from traveling, but you can’t assume they want to avoid the area either.

So, what are employers to do?

Overall, as long as employers inform all of their employees of possible Zika risks, especially those of child-bearing age, and avoid other discriminatory actions, they can’t be held liable for any negative outcomes on fetal health. But you can be helpful and provide additional information for all employees.

Here are some additional ways to provide support and information to employees potentially traveling to Zika-affected areas without overstepping bounds:

  • Look for volunteers for travel.
  • Provide employees traveling to these regions with long clothing and mosquito repellent. Plan to keep them indoors with air conditioning whenever possible.
  • Keep open communication between your employees about concerns or questions.
  • If they are hesitant to travel to a these areas, provide them with additional resources and information so they can make a well-informed decision.
  • Never pressure your employees to travel if they are concerned for their safety or security.
  • Stay informed through the CDC government website. Currently over 50 countries and territories are included in recent Zika travel alert.

Want to learn more? Read our previous blog on Zika and Duty of Care

 

Categories
Travel Industry Travel News

Christopherson Sponsors Rocky Mountain Business Travel Association Luncheon

business-travel-luncheon

This past week, Christopherson Business Travel sponsored a luncheon hosted the Rocky Mountain Business Travel Association. An affiliate of the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA),  they are committed to connecting business travel professionals and enhancing education and partnerships in the West. It was hosted in the conference room of the beautiful new Hyatt Regency Aurora Hotel.

The hotel itself was updated and modern, with many elegant touches.  Before entering conference room, the we socialized with 80 other travel industry professionals. The conference room was set up beautifully and ready with our deconstructed cobb salad, bread, drinks, and chocolates.

Following member news and update was the presentation by Tim Hines, an entrepreneur, keynote speaker, and consultant. His highly entertaining presentation defined the millennial generation and how they are affecting business travel.

Here are a few defining characteristics about millennials:

  • Members of the millennial generation were born between 1980 – 2000. They are the largest generation we have ever had, even out numbering baby boomers!
  • Growing up amid new technology such as computers, internet, and mp3s, they can easily adjust to change and are quick learners.
  • Most were affected by ‘the great recession’, often resulting in them being thrifty but also willing to spend additional money for something of value.
  • They desire a greater work/life balance than past generations. Technology has made work achievable from any time or place, and they typically enjoy this flexibility.
  • Experiences are more important to them than past generations. For example, 71% of millennials would live in another country if the opportunity presented itself.

Tim Hines offered valuable and insightful information on the generation as a whole and their impact on the business travel industry. Keep your eye out for a blog post further detailing this trend, including how travel managers can engage with millennials to improve compliance.

Categories
Business Travel Travel Management

7 Tips For Keeping Your Employees Safe While Traveling

Recent events like terrorist attacks across Europe and home-bred violence have left many questioning the safety and security of traveling. And unfortunately for some industries, travel is unavoidable. As an employer overseeing your employees,  it is your responsibility to ensure their safety, even while traveling on your company’s behalf. Duty of care and security issues are a growing concern in recent years, and they are expected to continue. So what can you do to create a safe environment even with these growing safety trends?

According to Business Insurance, the best way to keep concerns at bay is to keep both the company and its business travelers informed with facts and tips. Ensuring that everyone has been briefed with information and on the same page can be vital if the unexpected arises. So during this time of growing uncertainty, how can you and your employees feel more confident about traveling for business? Read our 7 tips below.

7 ways to keep employees safe while traveling

  • One of the first steps is providing information about the upcoming area. Having a real sense of what your road warriors are heading into or what can be expected is often the biggest comfort. Research and briefing on the country, city or neighborhood can often reveal interesting facts or tips. Also providing guidelines or schedules can provide more structure and context for travelers.
    • An interactive resource includes the U.S. State Department’s online Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). This free service allows U.S. citizens to enroll with the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate when traveling or living abroad. The purpose is to provide latest safety and security  information in the area, and inform the U.S. Embassy of your whereabouts, in case of an emergency.
    • Additional research can be beneficial depending on the area of the traveler. For instance, the US government has released an app for U.S.travelers attending the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics. It provides tourist and safety information about the area, including the location of embassies, hospitals and emergency numbers.
  • Additional duty of care responsibilities for travelers. We know assessing this risk is your biggest responsibility. Has your organization demonstrated you have taken all practicable steps to meet your employee’s health, safety and well-being needs? Is it credible and well documented? Having open and clear communication with your employees are necessary for this assessment. And of course, if your employee does not feel comfortable traveling, you need to listen to these concerns and assess the situation.
  • Know your travelers specific travel needs. Be aware of any individual requirements needed by the traveler, and ensure they are given the appropriate information in order to manage, reduce or eliminate specific risks. Employers should be aware of pre existing medical conditions and confirm the traveling country has adequate medical facilities.
  • Invest in a business travel policy.  Travel policies are created to establish that companies are providing efficient support for their travelers, and travelers are aware of the support given too. Again, communication about what is provided and what to expect can go a long way.
  • Encourage employees to take appropriate health measures beforehand. Providing guidelines on the area to which they are traveling can prepare them for health measures as well.  Recommend your traveler visits their doctor to go over specific risks and prevention methods.
  • Ensure tech and cyber security has been discussed. This is another growing area of concern. Discuss cyber threat methods and the best ways to thwart them.
  • Finally, Make an evacuation plan or communication plan in case the unexpected arises. If the worst does happen, are you prepared? Are you able to immediately communicate with your road warriors if they are in an insecure area? Do they know the communication protocol should something arise? Unfortunately, the answer is usually ‘no’. That’s why we created SecurityLogic as part of our travel technology suite. This application alerts travel managers if a traveler is in an area experiencing threats or attacks. The travel manager can then immediately text or email from the application to immediately make contact and ensure the traveler is safe.

Christopherson Business Travel is a corporate travel management company, dedicated to providing travel solutions for busy businesses. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you are interested in learning more about travel policies, our proprietary technology, or how we continually save companies time and money.

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Categories
Travel Management Travel Technology

Seamless Technology Integration Is Vital For Travel Management

While Travel Management Companies (TMCs) provide many solutions for businesses, I’ve found that one of the most valuable is offering effective system integrations.  A managed travel program needs the flexibility to easily connect to many diverse systems that are required for a complete and effective travel management system.

That’s one reason why we created our own proprietary system, AirPortal. Not only does this provide access to our own unique travel solutions, but it manages all of the information flowing between these systems as well.  AirPortal also provides the user interface for our clients, giving them one central location from which to manage their travel program. 

Our new AirPortal Integrations highlights many of the integrations that we offer, including some ‘one click’ installs.  Take a look and see what we can do for your travel program.  If you have a key vendor that is not on the list, give us a call — we are always adding additional integrations.

integrations8-9

The following are some of the category choices that we offer:

  • Data Feeds/Reporting
  • Traveler Safety/Security
  • Virtual Payment Solutions
  • Online Expense Tools
  • Online Booking Tools
  • Traveler Apps/Integrations

So, leave the heavy lifting to us and get on with the rest of your day. Christopherson Business Travel is a corporate travel management company that specializes in innovative travel technology and consultative customer service. Contact us to learn more about our proprietary technology and how we continually save our clients time and money.

Categories
Business Travel Travel News Travel Tips

Finally, Refunds For Delayed Checked Bags!

lost-luggage

Thanks to a recent FAA ruling, travelers will be refunded if their checked baggages are delayed more than 12 hours or 15 hours internationally. It is a $25 rebate for the first bag and $50 for two delayed bags.  Prior to this ruling, Delta Air Lines was the only airline offering refunds for delayed bags.  Now all airlines are required to follow this ruling and set up procedures.

Sounds like good news, right?  Good news is the refund itself.  The bad news is that the refund is administered in the form of an electronic travel voucher—not cash!  Though not convenient for the traveler, it also creates a headache for the companies who booked the travel.  The refund will not be credited back to the credit card, but to be used for future travel in the form of this travel voucher. This further complicates billing and travel budgets.  The deadline for the airlines to set up these refund procedures ends in September 2017, so there is wiggle room for this system to change.

Tips to smoothly receive your refund for delayed checked bags:

According to Yahoo! Finance, while your bags are delayed, consider the following to get reimbursed for expenses:

  • Before you leave the airport, file a complaint for your missing bags. Why? Some airlines will not provide assistance of any kind until or without a formal complaint.  Some airlines allow a complaint by phone within 24 hours.  My experience has always been, “Don’t leave home without it,” …meaning hang at the airport and file the complaint so you can get your bag returned ASAP!
  • Keep all documentation. (in a safe and convenient place). Starting with your boarding pass, baggage claim ticket, plus all receipts for any expenses.  At some point, you will likely need them.
  • No shopping spree! Resist the urge to buy replacement clothes or items. Don’t expect the airlines to reimburse you completely for items that may be lost or delayed. Consider carrying on items you can’t be without, such as a tux if you are traveling to a wedding or special handouts for an important meeting (e.g. Christopherson’s signature chocolates). Though they are essential for you, the airlines probably wont pay to replace these items.
  • Check your credit card’s baggage coverage. In the case of business, know what your company credit card provides. This should be in your travel policy guidelines. There are different rules for each credit card.  As an example, Chase Sapphire Card will reimburse for essential purchases up to $100 a day for five days. Delta is the only airline with details as to what they offer as compensation:  $50 a day for the first five days a bag is delayed as long as you provide receipts.
  • Try to relax. Delayed or lost baggage is definitely a major hassle but most bags are found within 48 hours.  Personally, I dislike carry-on bags (weight, bad rotator cuff, etc.) so I usually have essentials in a small case besides a checked bag.

Christopherson Business Travel is a corporate travel management company with more than 60 years of experience assisting customers. Learn more about our philosophy or talk to us about how to start a corporate travel policy.

Read next:

 

Categories
Business Travel Travel Tips

Beware – Hotel Wifi Is Not Always Secure!

 Whether it be a vacation splurge or just a place to rest your head before an important meeting, hotels have worked hard to become an easy place to trust and feel secure.  That’s why I was initially surprised when I read a recent article. A study by Trustwave found that 38 percent of known cyber breaches occurred through hotel wifi. You read that correctly – almost 40 percent of all known cyber breaches occurred in our home away from home! Additionally, many of these hotels are well-known chains including: Trump Hotels, Hard Rock Cafe, Hilton and Hyatt, to name a few. This is not just a lack of security at smaller hotels or motels, this is an issue affecting even the big dogs. 

How to protect yourself from cyber breaches through hotel wifi:

So, what are you suppose to do? As a business traveler, you need to be prepared professionally in a moment’s notice, and conquer any personal responsibilities at the same time. Before you take the chance of using the free or cheap wifi at your hotel, make sure you take these precautions.

  1. Always keep firewall and anti-virus software on and up-to-date. This is your first line of defense, so make sure it’s a good one.
  2. Be wary of connecting to a duplicate or twin wifi network. Most often you are given a wifi name and password at check in. A common hacking tactic is creating an evil twin network that has a very similar name to the valid hotel wifi network. People often assume the name of network or simply choose the free wifi with the most signal strength. Always verify at the front desk before joining a new or unknown wifi network.
  3. Disconnect when not in use.  Don’t leave your drawbridge open if it doesn’t need to be. Minimize your risk by disconnecting when you aren’t actively using the wifi.
  4. Avoid financial transactions when using free or public wifi.  If this transaction is not avoidable or time sensitive, make sure the site you are using is secure. You can tell if it is secure based on the site url. A secure site’s url will begin with ‘https:’ instead of ‘http:’
  5. Use a company VPN, if possible. This is a company-created computer network that provides employees with remote access to company servers. It encrypts your online activity, so others can’t see what your doing and allowing access to company drives and software. 

Most importantly, never let your guard down when it comes to potential cyber breaches. It may feel like an inconvenience at the time, but it could lead to a lifetime of repercussions.

Christopherson Business Travel is a corporate travel management company with more than 60 years of experience. Known for our consultative customer relationships and one-of-a-kind travel technology, we provide dedicated and superior travel management service.

Read Next- Avoiding High-Tech Scams While Business Traveling 

 

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Choice Humanitarian Travel News

Choice Humanitarian Expedition – Donna’s Story

Nine of our employees had an experience of a lifetime this summer. Every year, Christopherson sponsors a group of employees to travel with CHOICE Humanitarian to volunteer on one of their international work sites. Based out of Salt Lake City, CHOICE Humanitarian is a strategic non-governmental agency (NGO) working in seven countries: Kenya, Nepal, Bolivia, Guatemala, Mexico, Ecuador, and Peru. Their overriding goal is to end extreme poverty and improve quality of life through a bottom-up, self-developing, village-centered approach. Christopherson has been involved with CHOICE for more than 20 years and is also a corporate sponsor. Employees who are part of the employee contribution program are eligible to go on an expedition. These employees contribute donations to CHOICE monthly, with Christopherson graciously matching the donation. Below is Donna Alford’s story from this year’s trip to Guatemala:

There really isn’t any way to adequately describe my recent CHOICE Humanitarian trip to the Polochic Region of Guatemala.

Was it hot? Yes! If anyone hears me complaining about the heat and humidity in Alabama, you have my permission to whack me on the head.

Was it exhausting? I typically sit at a desk all day. So, yes! It was exhausting.

Was it amazing? Absolutely. I would go back in a heartbeat!

It was such an incredible experience and I’m so honored to have met and worked with the villagers of Chimaxyat. To say that these people don’t have much is an understatement. At the beginning of the trip, my first inclination was to feel sorry for them. By the end of the week, I realized that what they lacked in material things, they more than made up for in their wonderful spirits. They were so gentle, happy, and full of grace, and I am so thankful that they welcomed us into their lives.

The CHOICE model states that “rather than participating in short term service delivery, we focus on building long term, sustainable solutions to issues related to extreme poverty” and boy, did we see that in action. Instead of CHOICE deciding what is best for a community, CHOICE involves the people of the village themselves. They determined what was needed for their village and we all came together to make that happen. In this case, it was a stove project.
Before this project began, the women and small children spend all day in close proximity to an old, unvented stove or, in some cases, just a re pit, which causes many health problems. Our project was to build new, more efficient stoves that were vented to the outside. They were so welcoming and kind to us as we went into their homes for this project.

We were also fortunate to visit the Sikaabe (meaning “Seek your Path”) Training Center. This is an educational and vocational school that can accommodate up to 32 students. It is a real life changer. The school teaches classes such as masonry, animal production, farming, hospitality, and culinary arts. The students gave a presentation and it was incredible to see the pride in their eyes. No translation needed for that! As a bonus, one of the students was getting married the day we were there and we were all invited. After the wedding, the groom changed back into his work clothes and proceeded to give us a tour of the animal production facility. All in a day’s work!

From the moment we arrived to a ceremonial dance performed by the children, to the end of our stay with the men of the village carrying our luggage on their heads, up the muddy, slippery trail to the bus, we were wrapped in love and caring from “our” village. The CHOICE staff did a wonderful job taking care of all of the logistics and the in-country team of cooks and servers were incredible. They served us three delicious meals each day and I am craving more of their hot chocolate. I am forever ruined for Swiss Miss in a packet.

See more pictures of the 2016 expedition team’s photos here.
To view pictures from previous expeditions, visit our Facebook page.

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