Category: Business Travel

While the return of business travel after the COVID-19 pandemic began with a slow burn, the landscape quickly ignited as 2022 progressed. Companies clearly needed their travelers to be traveling again and travelers welcomed that opportunity after two years of quarantines and lockdowns. International business travel in particular has made a come back in recent months, especially after the United States lifted its requirement that international travelers test negative for COVID-19 before flying to the U.S.

IATA reported that international travel numbers for 2021 were 27% of 2019 levels. They forecasted 2022 to improve to 69%. With this increase in international business travel, many travelers may still have questions about jumping back into jetsetting. It can also be a little confusing as to the new rules, requirements, and regulations for entry and boarding around the world. Use the following tools and resources for your next international business trip.

Visas for International Business Travel

Visa and passport delays are being experienced around the world. The U.S. State Department reports that “U.S. embassies and consulates are working to resume routine visa services … However, the pandemic continues to severely impact the number of visas our embassies and consulates abroad are able to process.”

They go on to explain that constraints vary based on local conditions and restrictions, but include local and national lockdowns, travel restrictions, host country quarantine regulations, and measures taken by embassies and consulates to contain the spread of COVID-19. This page on their website offers a backlog report.

Similar delays are being seen in other countries. In the United Kingdom, visa applications, which usually take 12 weeks to process, are currently taking up to 24 weeks.

Lean on CIBTvisas

As you seek to get visas for your international business travelers, you might consider using CIBTvisas. They are the leading global travel visa service, focusing on obtaining business and other travel visas for corporations and individuals worldwide in a fast, convenient and secure manner.

Passports for International Business Travel

Travelers needing to renew their passport should start the process sooner rather than later. While the wait time is shorter than last year (Processing times for passport applications were an average of 18 weeks in 2021.), the U.S. State Department is reporting wait times of up to 10 weeks.

International Travel Rules & Requirements

Keeping up with the rules and requirements for entry and exit around the world is like playing a carnival game–it’s a constantly moving target. But rest assured, there are tools available.

CIBTvisas

In addition to visa assistance, CIBTvisas provides entry and health guidance with accurate, up-to-the-minute regulations for your destination, including COVID-19 and rules for vaccinated travelers. They also have an itinerary review service to provide guidance on how to travel safely and securely.

Christopherson + Sherpa

Use our destination database, created in partnership with Sherpa, to know what documentation or travel requirements exist for your trip. Simply type in your departure and arrival cities to access travel guidelines, entry restrictions, risk levels, quarantine measures, and more for both domestic and international destinations.

8 Tips for International Business Travelers

1. Prepare Early – Start the process of obtaining or renewing your passport as far in advance as possible. Remember, your passport should not be set to expire within six months of visiting. Know what the visa requirements are and plan in advance.
2. Do Your Homework – Research your destination’s entry rules, vaccine requirements, etc. in advance. Do this again a couple days before departure to be sure nothing has changed.
3. Know the Culture – Check with your company’s travel program to see if they offer cultural information about your destinations. Have an understanding of the customs, cuisine, and culture of the place you’re traveling to.
4. Have a Communication Plan – Make sure you know what your company wants you to do about an international phone plan.
5. Understand Emergency Protocol – Obtain training on your organization’s duty of care policies and risk management plan. Know who to call in an emergency and how to get out of the country quickly if needed.
6. Plan Your Baggage, Food, & Water for Travel Days – Know the luggage requirements of your airline. Pack a change of clothes in your carry-on in case your checked bag get delayed. Know when and where you’re going to find meals or snacks.
7. Make Copies of Passport – Make copies of your passport and keep separate from the real version. This will be helpful in proving your citizenship if your passport is lost or stolen.
8. Register with Your Embassy – It’s always a good idea to register your international travel plans with your home country’s embassy. This is especially true if you’re headed to a country with high crime or political and social unrest.

If you’re looking to save money on corporate travel, one area to focus on is your travel supplier negotiation. Securing these deals requires corporate travel expertise. It also requires a full understanding of your unique travel program data. This is one reason having a travel management company (TMC) partner is valuable. TMCs can lend both their industry expertise and their knowledge of your travel program to help you get the best travel supplier deals available.

We spoke with four members of our Account Management Team, who assist clients in travel supplier negotiation, to learn what insider tips they’d be willing to share. Here’s what they had to say:

1) Talk to travelers first.

Christopherson Account Manager Carol Del Giudice counseled that organizations need to first understand the voice, needs, and wants of their travelers before they try to negotiate new travel supplier deals. “It’s hard to move market share without influence,” she said. If travelers don’t like a supplier’s brand, experience, or rewards, compliance will be an uphill battle and your deal was for naught.

2) Seek fewer travel supplier relationships rather than more.

Some might think that having agreements with every travel supplier is better because then all your bases are covered. But in reality, Client Consulting Services Manager, Sue Schroeder recommends the opposite. “I suggest establishing relationships with two to three top vendors,” she said. “I also encourage clients to not have discount contracts with too many travel suppliers.”

She went on to explain that having too many discount contracts dilutes an organization’s volume and stands in the way of establishing solid partnerships. On the other hand, by focusing on just a couple top travel suppliers, you are able to focus your spend to potentially reap greater rewards and benefits from those vendors.

Implementation and Client Services Manager Adelina Littler agreed and went on to provide more specific instruction for hotel vendor negotiations. “I think it’s best to have deals negotiated with a primary supplier and a back up,” she said. “If you only have one hotel deal negotiated, what will your travelers do if the hotel is sold out? On the flip side, having deals with too many properties limits your buying power to negotiate better rates.”

3) Look for more than hard dollar savings.

Negotiating travel supplier deals isn’t just about hard dollar savings. “I always encourage clients to review any opportunities for soft dollar savings,” Del Giudice stated. “That includes additional savings options like rebates, upgrades, ancillary fees, amenities, flexibility, traveler recognition, or insurance.” These too are benefits that should be on the table and given considerations during negotiating.

4) Consider the travel supplier’s customer service.

Just because you might be able to get a great deal doesn’t mean you should partner with a certain travel supplier. “Always be sure to ask about a supplier’s customer service stats and their customer service resolution,” said Schroeder. “When things don’t go as planned or an issue needs to be resolved, you want to be confident that your organization and your travelers to have access to reliable service for assistance.”

5) Bring all your spend to the travel supplier negotiation table.

For air volume discounts, don’t negotiate based on just your transient spend. “Make sure the airline you’re negotiating with knows what your group or meeting travel spend is, your athletic spend (if you’re a university), any tradeshow or vendor event spend, etc.” said Schroeder. “You want to be able to show your total potential to support their airline.”

6) Mandate your travel program.

Mandate. We know it can feel like a harsh idea to so many in corporate travel. “But the reality is,” said Account Manager Susan Moon, “when you require all travel to be booked through your TMC, you set yourself up for better negotiation outcomes.” This is because we (the TMC) then have complete and accurate data on your spend, your number of room nights, your number of rental days, etc.

If travelers are booking however and wherever they want, you aren’t coming to the travel supplier negotiation table with a full picture of the power of your spend. In turn, you lose out on potential savings.

Conclusion

Ultimately, travel supplier negotiations are an important piece of corporate travel. And obtaining favorable deals from those negotiations is a key element of a cost-effective travel program. These six tips are just a few of the many tactics our Account Management team uses to guide our clients’ travel supplier negotiations. If you’d like to learn how they can assist you and your travel program, click here.

Travelers are ditching their masks and booking trips at a rapidly increasing rate. It appears that most everyone is feeling comfortable with traveling again. But what about business travel recovery?

The pandemic certainly shined a light on the gaps many organizations had in their travel programs. As business travel recovers in equal measure, how should corporate travel managers ensure those gaps are filled? How do corporate travel programs succeed in a post-pandemic world?

The following five corporate travel best practices will help you as business travel recovers. Read on to learn how to evaluate your organization’s needs and implement strategies that deliver bona fide business outcomes. Be sure to download the checklist at the end.

1. Identify What “Purposeful Travel” Means for Your Organization

While business travel is recovering, corporate travel programs will forever be changed by how the pandemic forced organizations to evaluate their T&E spend. It appears more forethought is now being given to which business trips are necessary. According to Festive Road, a corporate travel industry think tank who coined the term “purposeful travel”, their model “enables smarter conversation that focuses on where being there in-person will expedite or improve the outcome.”

As road warriors resume their travel routines, many organizations are now requiring that trips have an identified ROI, whether that be driving strategic initiatives, building relationships, or generating revenue. Festive Road created this guide to help corporate travel programs identify how to apply this principle to their organization and travel needs.

2. Review & Update Travel Policies

While there isn’t a “one-size fits all” template for a corporate travel policy, there are best practices everyone should consider. Firstly, travel policies should be adaptable and changeable. This allows corporate travel managers to react with agility when business travel challenges or changes in the industry arise. Additionally, travel managers should take the opportunity the pandemic provided to evaluate and update their policies. Now is the time to explore the following:

• Mandating corporate travel policies
• Whether travelers are utilizing unused tickets first when booking, and if not, how to encourage that
• The possibility of allowing higher classes of service for longer trips
• Partnering with a TMC for policy expertise
• Adding VIP service

This is by no means a comprehensive list. But if you haven’t updated (or even created) your corporate travel policy recently, this guide can help.

3. Educate, Train, & Prepare Travelers for Business Travel Recovery

The pandemic created a measure of uncertainty for business travelers. Some may still feel apprehension or stress as regulations continue to shift from location to location. Travel managers should help their traveling employees understand the following about business travel recovery:

• Reasons behind any new travel policies
• How and why to book within policy
• What the requirements are for each stop on their trip (layovers included)
• What the company’s risk management plan is
• How to receive assistance in an emergency
• How to travel safely and healthfully
• How to prepare for and return from their trips

Providing education and training on your organization’s travel program creates peace of mind for travelers. When travelers understand the full scope of their travels, they feel less stress about their trip’s responsibilities. Additionally, they’re more prepared if they encounter an interruption en route. Most importantly, communicating the full picture of business travel creates a culture of respect.

4. Outline & Communicate Your Risk Management Plan

Having survived the chaos of a global pandemic, corporate travel managers never want to face similar uncertainty. The stress in those first few days of COVID-19 was heightened for many organizations as they did not know exactly where all their travelers were or how to get them home quickly. Conversely, business travelers don’t want to face a similar emergency en route without an understanding of how their company will support them.

Travel managers need to review the technology they have for emergencies and/or fulfilling duty of care. They need to evaluate and measure the risks their travelers face. They also need to make sure they have the tools needed to locate and communicate with every traveler on the road. Lastly, they need make plans and outline protocols for taking care of employees on the road. Now is the time to ensure this is ready, ahead of the next emergency.

5. Update Traveler Profiles for Easier Business Travel Recovery

In the next few months, many business travelers will embark on their first business trip since 2020. In the two years since COVID-19 shut business travel down, a lot of their information may have changed. Travel managers need to proactively ensure that all their travelers have current travel profiles. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Updating credit card numbers and expiration dates
• Adding/updating mobile phone numbers and email addresses
• Including traveler reward numbers
• Verifying trusted traveler program numbers like TSA Precheck and Global Entry
• Checking passport validity

Taking the time now to make sure travelers have current profiles will eliminate potential issues at the time of booking. Additionally, completed and current traveler profiles are essential to carrying out duty of care.

Conclusion

Ultimately, a lot has changed since the pandemic began. Corporate travel managers face a new landscape with new challenges.

Use this checklist and commit to the recommended corporate travel best practices above. Doing so will help you and your travelers be prepared and successful for the next chapter of business travel recovery.

Did you know that protecting the well-being of your business travelers benefits your company in many different ways? Your employees are your most valuable asset. They represent your company on the road and beyond. And asking those employees to take red-eye flights or stay in super-budget hotels with dingy rooms can inhibit morale, which impacts how your company is represented.

When your corporate travel program seeks to minimize the impact of business travel on your employees, you’re protecting your best asset. In a recent GBTA webinar on reducing traveler stress and anxiety, Dr. Lucy Rattrie compared the treatment of business travelers to “athletes in a suit.” She added, “You’d never expect your favorite sports team to get up at 3 a.m., fly somewhere, ace a sports game, fly home, and get up for training at 6 o’clock the next morning.”

Frequent business travel can cause stress and eventually lead to traveler burnout, especially for employees who travel more than 14 days a month. If not taken care of, employees with burnout can feel demoralized and depressed and experience job dissatisfaction and disengagement, resulting in the expensive employee replacement process when they eventually find a better job.

Boost business traveler well-being with information and support

Sending employees on business-related travel without the proper information and support can be setting them up for failure. In a recent Amadeus survey, many employees said “their company doesn’t take steps to actively improve traveler well-being or they are unsure whether the company does.”

Another study revealed that only 44% of international business travelers said they were offered real-time information on security issues and only 43% were given tracking information for their business trips. These employees felt their well-being was of little consequence to their employers.

In order to communicate your commitment and support a culture of health in your business traveler, try these tips:

• Hold traveler training to discuss emergency plans and protocols
• Verify critical health and safety information, such as emergency contacts and personal itineraries
• Lessen the headaches of travel by allowing travelers to rebook delayed or canceled flights through travel advisors
• Review and discuss your travel policy at least once a year to ensure it’s in line with institutional and personnel changes

Let your employees know that you care by providing all the communication and support they need.

Develop a traveler-friendly corporate travel policy

A disorganized travel program with corporate travel policies that only benefit the company result in low traveler well-being. It can even “create costs for employers through higher medical claims, reduced employee productivity and performance, absenteeism, presenteeism, and short-term disability,” according to Amadeus.

Maintaining traveler well-being means being flexible and making accommodations in your policy. Doing so benefits your business because an estimated 84% of business travelers were interested in having a “very attractive travel policy” at work. Also, according to 83% of the respondents, having a better travel policy would be equal to or even more important than pay and responsibilities. This means that taking traveler well-being into account when creating your travel policies is a critical piece of employee retention and recruitment.

Invest in non-stop flights and business class

Now that we know the importance of a traveler-friendly corporate policy, what are some elements that should be incorporated that will really benefit your travelers? According to ARC, the most preferred way to ease travel friction is to allow non-stop flights in the policy. Next on the list are better and more convenient lodging options, allowing business-class travel on extended flights, and providing paid time off after long trips.

Book hotels where employees can be comfortable

When it comes to traveler well-being, finding lodging that positively impacts travelers makes a big difference. Hotels with uncomfortable or limited options leave employees turning to less healthy food options, feelings of frustration, and in some cases, lead to heavy drinking. Quite simply, poor lodging puts employees on the fast track to burnout.

Employees who feel burned out from poor travel itineraries are also more likely to engage in riskier behaviors than they usually do at home. Burnout can lead to an extensive recovery period. It’s in a business’s best interest to provide lodging that is comfortable, meets the traveler’s needs, and creates a sense home.

To better assist your travelers, book hotels with the following facilities and services:

• Easy access to meetings and conferences
• Fitness facilities, pools, or national gym membership reimbursement
• Onsite or nearby dining options that provide healthy food options
• 24-hour services
• Amenity services such as massage and yoga

Mia Kyricos, the global head of well-being at Hyatt Hotels, told the New York Times that our 24/7 world places increasing demands on work and life, so “well-being is top of mind for everyone today, and we think that’s going to continue in the future.”

Incorporate free time or days off into business travel

To increase traveler well-being, consider allowing “bleisure” or “bizcation” travel. These are personal days before or after a business trip that can help your travelers feel more motivated to travel and increase productivity. Because business travel reduces personal and social time, allowing a few leisure days to a travel policy can help your employees have a better work/life balance, leading to better employee well-being.

Your employees can also benefit from this type of business travel when they visit destinations that they might not otherwise be able to afford. Some companies might even consider footing the bill for business travelers to experience bucket list opportunities when en route. These opportunities could be things like visiting the Museo del Prado if they’re in Madrid, ziplining Arebak Volcano when in Costa Rica, or catching a concert in their destination.

Implementing this type of business travel doesn’t have to hurt the bottom line. To thoughtfully implement bleisure into your corporation, consider doing the following:

• Allow employees to take personal days if their originating or returning flight falls on a cheaper travel day
• Provide bleisure opportunities if employees subsidize their travel insurance and any travel changes that increase trip costs
• Establish and define employee responsibilities for bleisure travel, like duty of care, expense tracking, communication, and other travel arrangements
• Allow employees to travel with a self-paid companion to enjoy bleisure time and increase connectivity with family or friends
• Use bleisure travel as a reward for employees who save your business money by complying with corporate travel policies

Even though some corporations have not established bleisure travel, Chubb insurers say it is “ultimately a win-win for employers and employees. By providing guidance and extending protection to employees taking bleisure trips, companies can safeguard their greatest assets, address issues before they arise, and reap the financial benefits of their support.”

Help your employee stay up to date on the latest health information

Within the past few years, successful travel has required travelers to constantly stay on top of ever-changing rules, regulations, and testing policies. Ease the worry that some may feel as they begin traveling again by providing this information to your travelers.

With your company’s research and support, a business traveler can safely navigate their travel itinerary. To help your employee stay up to date on the latest health information, we suggest the following:

• Rely on Christohperson’s travel advisors. Our advisors can provide reliable resources and updates for the most current entry restrictions, health and safety protocols, and travel news.
• Check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s travel website. There you’ll find traveler advice, a disease directory, and frequently asked questions that are beneficial for any traveler on the site.
• Provide traveler trainings. Do your travelers know to pack medications in their carry-on? Do they know to keep prescriptions in the original bottles, so there are no issues with having unmarked medication? Have you provided simple packing lists for the destinations you require, i.e. hand sanitizer, masks, antihistamines, digestion aids, and even seasickness medication? Have you ever encouraged your business travelers to eat healthily and stay hydrated?
• Encourage travelers to stay up-to-date with vaccinations, such as flu and covid vaccines. Vaccinations are required to enter some countries, and it will help protect the employee.

Learn more about Christopherson Business Travel and our full-service travel solutions

Take the guesswork, time, and stress out of corporate travel planning when you hire Christopherson Business Travel. We help you fill in all the gaps in corporate travel management because we understand that successful business travel involves more than just booking flights and hotels. Not only do we have your best interests in mind as a business owner, but we genuinely care about the safety and satisfaction of every employee on your corporate travel management plan. We use industry-leading technologies and personalized service to protect your travelers and your bottom line. Contact us today to see how we can help elevate your business travel management plan.

Christopherson values each of our client partnerships. We appreciate the opportunity we have to consult and assist corporate travel managers as they achieve their objectives and support their business travelers. We are pleased to share these stories in our new blog series of Client Success Stories. 

. . .

CHG Healthcare, a Christopherson client since 1998, provides physician, nurse, and allied health staffing for both permanent and temporary positions throughout the world. Their locum tenens model for staffing reaches over 25 million patients every year. With thousands of travelers, CHG has had to adapt to immense growth while maintaining  functionality within their travel program.   

CHG’s NEEDS

CHG wanted to migrate to a new Global Distribution System (GDS) booking platform to accommodate their growth. 

This system migration could not negatively impact the current functionality CHG travelers experience.

The increased number of travelers being served required a higher level of support.

SOLUTIONS & RESULTS

Christopherson assigned a project manager to oversee  the  platform  migration. The  project manager was responsible to coordinate across  departments. This  additional  support resulted in a seamless transition and rollout of the new platform.

A GDS specialist was tasked with creating scripts for CHG that were specifically tailored to the new GDS and CHG’s  requirements. These scripts were deemed by CHG and the GDS support onsite as both comprehensive and easy to navigate.  

The goal for the “go live” was to minimize stress and provide sufficient support to answer 

any questions. The Christopherson team developed a system to report bugs and issues with prompt and attentive support from advisors, advisor support, IT, and the  project manager that has delivered an exceptional level of customer service and a successful transition. 

CLIENT FEEDBACK

“Our Sabre Customer Solution Specialist was extremely impressed with the scripts Christopherson created, and commented that she seldom sees conversions go as smoothly as this one did. We know this was possible because of [Christopherson’s] extreme patience with us and your attention to detail. We appreciate your whole team, there have been so many different departments collaborating to bring this together. We treasure our partnership.”

—Gordon C., Director of Travel Services, CHG Healthcare

Our goal is to make your job easier, whether you are new to Christopherson Business Travel or Concur Travel, new to managing travel, or you are a seasoned professional.

To this end, we queried our account managers, support specialists, and business development managers to find out which questions travel managers are asking most frequently.

1. What is the difference between Christopherson and Concur?

Christopherson is a travel management company (TMC) that provides clients with a consultative approach to travel management, including developing and refining travel programs and policies to meet an organization’s travel goals and budget. Concur is software as a service (SaaS) that provides a website for booking travel. As a TMC, we provide clients with access to this website, which is also referred to as an online booking tool.

Essentially, Christopherson is the bridge that connects Concur to the global distribution system (GDS), a large computer network and reservation tool where air, lodging, transportation, and other travel vendors upload their inventories for booking purposes.

Clients access Concur by either logging into Christopherson’s proprietary AirPortal platform, which integrates with Concur in the cloud, or by logging into Concur directly, depending on account configuration. Although clients use the Concur tool, we provide support for it, regardless of whether the booking is made online or through one of our travel advisors.

2. What is Christopherson’s relationship with Concur?

Concur ranks its TMC partners according to their proficiency with the online booking tool. Our Elite Partner status, which is the top tier in the Concur program, means that Christopherson (1) provides clients with the highest possible integration with Concur, (2) provides in-house Concur-certified support, and (3) offers travel management expertise and reporting tools that complement Concur’s functionality.

3. How does Christopherson provide technical support for Concur?

Christopherson supports our Concur customers with the specialized expertise of our online support team and online technology team.

Online Support Team

The online booking tool is intuitive and user friendly, but if travelers have an issue while booking travel they are directed to Christopherson’s online support team, a team that was specifically formed to help travelers navigate the booking process. The team’s purpose is to help every traveler become comfortable and proficient with using the online booking tool so they can make their own reservations.

The online support team also assists travelers with error messages, which saves travelers time and alleviates frustration. Team members provide tips that enable travelers to get their desired results when booking online, such as teaching travelers to return a broader search result and then narrow it to locate their desired options.

Online support can be obtained via email at onlinesupport@cbtravel.com or by phone at (888) 535-0179.

Online Technology Team

Our online technology team operates behind the scenes to ensure that automated processes function correctly. While we expect that every reservation proceeds smoothly, manual intervention is occasionally required.

As needed, team members will open a case with Concur and work with their technical team to resolve an issue so your travelers can continue working on their own projects.

4. How can travelers prevent issues when using Concur?

Our support teams recommend using Google Chrome or Firefox with Concur, as they are more reliable than Internet Explorer.

Also, clearing the temporary data cache and cookies from your computer or mobile device often resolves issues.

5. Do you support Concur Expense?

While Concur’s Travel and Expense tools are fully integrated, the Expense module is supported by your organization or in direct partnership with Concur. Our teams support the Travel module, as detailed above.

6. How does Concur handle travel policy?

Concur facilitates enforcement of travel policies by allowing custom definitions of the following:

• rules for each travel policy, such as approval hierarchies, authorized vendors, and spending limits;
• actions to take in the event of policy violations;
• exceptions that merit overriding the approval workflow; and
• role-based security within the application.

Concur uses visual guilt features to guide users to select airlines, hotels, and car suppliers that are within policy. Users are notified when a travel segment is out of policy in several ways:

• In-policy options display a green checkmark and can be configured to include messaging to guide user selections.
• A yellow triangle denotes when a segment is set for reporting or manager approval purposes.
• A red stop sign signals that the trip cannot be booked online.

Clients may customize the messaging that explains violations and company policy. This configurable solution not only allows clients to control policy rules across their organizations but also gives them the ability to create unlimited policy rule groups by location, role, department, and more.

7. How can I encourage travelers to book within policy on Concur?

The easier planning is for travelers, the more likely they are to comply with policy. There are several methods you can use to increase compliance:

• Filter choices. The tool can be configured to display only your preferred vendors and highlight your preferences, so the options offered to travelers are all within policy.
• Direct choices. Instead of limiting the content a traveler can view, you may opt to direct their choices using behavioral science. The visual guilt approach suggests to travelers that they reconsider out-of-policy choices by displaying messages encouraging them to stay within policy and alerts that their selection is non-compliant.
• Demonstrate safer choices. Showing your travelers how Christopherson’s SecurityLogic tool provides them with travel alerts and allows location tracking in case of emergency is also a valuable reminder that staying within policy is a safer choice and booking off-channel carries inherent risks.

8. How can trips booked in Concur be funneled to managers for approval?

Concur’s approval tool can be configured so that a ticket will not be issued until the booking is within policy parameters or has been approved by a designated manager. When there is a policy violation, travelers will be required to select reason codes and provide comments regarding the violation for notification, approval, and reporting purposes.

All travel policy violation comments, reason codes, and the policy-compliant options presented to the traveler but not selected are routed to the approving manager via email. Upon notification, the approving manager can accept or reject the trip via email, browser, or the Concur Mobile application. If no action is taken, the reservation will be held until the ticket time limit forces trip cancellation.

Policy rules can also be configured so that reservations within policy are also forwarded to the traveler’s manager.

9. What should be included in a Traveler Profile?

Transportation Security Administration (TSA) regulations require that a traveler’s profile contain the traveler’s name (must be identical to the name on the driver license), gender, date of birth, and one contact telephone number. Additional profile information can be chosen by you and your travelers.

We recommend that travelers customize their profiles to include all travel preferences, frequent-traveler program memberships, preferred method of payment, and traveler number for TSA PreCheck. The name used for travel program memberships must also match the traveler’s ID.

Encourage travelers to verify their profile information before booking to proactively eliminate errors that can delay the process, and remind them that profiles must be updated using the Concur web version and not the mobile app.

10. How can I delete a Traveler Profile?

Travel managers can deactivate Traveler Profiles in AirPortal and the AirPortal 360 mobile app. You may also contact Christopherson and we will deactivate profiles for you.

11. What mobile apps are available for Concur?

• Concur Mobile. This user-friendly mobile app allows travelers to book travel and view reservations. If travelers have the Expense module, they can also manage receipts and expense reports on mobile devices.
• TripIt. Concur integrates with the free version of the TripIt app. When your profile is connected to TripIt and Concur, you can view your trip plans on any web-enabled device and access features like airport maps and neighborhood safety ratings.
• TripIt Pro. Integration with Concur’s premium service paid app, TripIt Pro, includes additional features like real-time flight alerts, airport navigation assistance, and automated distribution of travel-plan updates to your designated recipients.

12. How do you guarantee reservation accuracy?

Christopherson uses Concur’s mid-office quality-control tool, Compleat, which automatically checks reservations for errors at milestones during the booking process and runs hundreds of other intelligent processes. Compleat is used when tickets are booked online or through a travel advisor.

13. Can I streamline booking repeated trips to the same destination?

If your travelers regularly go to the same destination on the same flights, you can save time by building a company travel template to use for that particular trip. The air, car, and hotel search criteria will default to your template settings. Only travel administrators can edit company templates.

14. What is the best way to book the same trip for several travelers?

If you are a travel arranger for other employees and/or guests and have two or more travelers heading to the same destination who want the same itinerary, you can save time by using the “clone a trip” option.

15. How does Concur handle traveler data?

Credit card and transaction data are handled by Concur and the GDS, both of which are payment card industry (PCI) compliant. These data are encrypted within Traveler Profiles to meet PCI standards.

Need More Information? 

• Got a question that isn’t addressed above? Your account manager or our online support team can provide the information you need to succeed.
• Considering moving to a managed travel program? Email your questions to our business development team at info@cbtravel.com.

Andavo Meetings & Incentives (AMI) is a division of Christopherson Business Travel. Their experienced team offers full-service meeting and event planning and corporate incentive trip planning. They also provide expertise on individual event components such as sourcing or contract negotiations. We are pleased to introduce them as our guest writer today, sharing tips for planning and hosting safe corporate meetings and events.

Corporate Meeting Safety and Guidelines

Video conference fatigue has certainly kicked in for many organizations and their team members. While virtual events have been a great way to stay connected during this time, it’s clear that we all want to get back to connecting in person. One question we regularly receive is: “when can we host in-person corporate events again while being COVID-safe?” While there’s no magical date we can give, we know that nothing replaces the value of an in-person meeting.

Once your organization feels comfortable with meeting and are able to gather for an in-person corporate event, what do you do? How do you plan a safe meeting? Although we may not be able to tell you the “when,” we can certainly help you with the “how.” Understanding the corporate event industry in this new world is more important than ever so that attendees feel safe, excited, and protected.

Here are six important things to consider when planning and hosting a safe, in-person corporate meeting or event:

1. Communication

Attendees will need to feel comfortable with traveling and meeting again, so start by communicating why your company is planning this in-person event and the significance of being together. Keep in mind that some attendees may not feel comfortable traveling or gathering yet, so provide communication about other participation options available to them. Such options could be:

• a hybrid event that includes a virtual component
• on-demand recordings
• another in-person meeting at a later time.

Whatever options you provide, it’s important to keep your attendees informed about every step you and your company are taking to keep them safe and get them excited about seeing people. Keep in mind that the “COVID climate” changes rapidly and with vaccines now being rolled out, the discomfort of today may not be an issue by your event date.

2. Destination and Venue Selection

When determining the location or destination, be sure to learn the government guidelines that are in place for the location you’re considering. For example, is there a capacity limit on the number of people that can meet in one room? However, keep in mind that if you are you sourcing for a year or more into the future, such requirements will likely change.

If you decide a particular destination is right for your group in the current environment, how do you find the right hotel or venue to host the event? There are more front-end considerations now than ever before, such as how hotels handle safety protocols and guest communication. Every brand, hotel, and property have a different set of procedures. You may find sneeze guards at the front desk of one hotel, while another may require a completely virtual check-in through their app. All these details depend on the destination, hotel, brand, technology, and amount of money that has been invested in the hotel.

3. Transportation

Distance from the airport to the venue or hotel has always been a consideration in corporate event planning, but now, more forethought is being given to how attendees will get to/from the airport while also being COVID-safe. Can Uber or Lyft be used? What about a group transfer or private rental cars?

It’s important to evaluate your transportation selection in advance to work through any potential challenges and determine additional measures that may help attendees feel safer. It’s going to take some time before group transportation looks like group transportation as we previously knew it.

If you’re scheduling group transfers, make sure you know how many attendees will be in each vehicle as this will impact your budget. You should also know and communicate the transportation company’s health and safety protocols, i.e. Are vehicles cleaned between transfers? Are rows or seats blocked off on larger vehicles for social distancing? Are masks and sanitizer available for anyone entering or departing the bus?

Airports can be another area of concern. While airlines have done a great job communicating their safety measures, there’s not been as much communication about or from airports. Communicating to your attendees what they can expect at airports and providing information on additional ways to be safe while in transit are a great way to minimize concerns. Such recommendations include minimizing the amount of time spent in airports (i.e. not arriving too early), wiping down a seat before sitting in the waiting area, and bringing your own refreshments, sanitizer, and wipes to use along the way.

4. Hotel/Venue Public Spaces

Once you select your hotel or venue, be sure to get a list or outline of their safety measures as they currently stand, as well as another copy seven days prior to your arrival, in case those protocols have changed. Review upon receipt so that you have time to request any enhancements to those health and safety measures.

Some basic hotel/venue features and practices to look for are:

• touchless options where possible (hotel check-in, doorways, bathroom sinks, soap, housekeeping upon request, etc.)
• obvious in-room changes (empty honor bar, sanitized TV remotes, etc.)
• doing visible and regular sanitizing of public areas.

Communicate all hotel/venue safety protocols to attendees in advance.

5. Meetings and Group Meals

While bringing people together is incredibly valuable and productive, you don’t want it to be a situation for concern. The following important points should be considered prior to signing any hotel contract:

• Does the venue have proper ventilation and the appropriate amount of space to be socially distanced based on current local guidelines?
• Does the space have windows and doors that open for air flow?
• Does the meeting space offer multiple access points to allow for one way in and one way out?
• Can you host your food and beverage functions outside with an indoor back-up for inclement weather?

Understanding the venue’s safety protocols for food & beverage are important because self-service stations, buffets, and meals in general will all look different. Grab-and-go options for food will be commonplace, so understanding how the catering team can make that exciting and high-quality is important to know in advance. You want your business meetings to be successful while being COVID-safe.

6. Testing & CDC Guidelines 

COVID testing of attendees may alleviate concerns, but determining when and how often can be challenging. Several new technologies have been launched (with more options coming soon) to make this readily available and affordable for all. These testing options can be self-administered or facilitated by a professional on site. There are also options for contact tracing and temperature checks.

CDC guidelines are always changing so it’s best to simply be prepared for change. Dedicating on-site travel staff to act as “Pandemic Compliance Advisors” can provide comfort and assurance that your meeting is maintaining current guidelines and protecting HIPAA laws.

Having a solid plan for what you’ll do if someone tests positive is critical to the overall success of your meeting. There are many variables, obstacles and financial obligations that should be considered for such a situation. Whatever plan you outline, it is essential that those details be communicated to attendees in advance so they know what to expect.

Moving Forward

No one knows for sure what 2021 and beyond will bring, but we do feel we’re coming out of the “COVID tunnel” and we are optimistic about returning to in-person meetings. Now is definitely the time to start planning. With so many new considerations and requirements for corporate meetings and events, doing comprehensive due-diligence upfront and over-communicating to attendees is crucial.

AMI can help you successfully and easily navigate that process. Contact us today for more information and watch the video for a closer look at AMI’s corporate event planning expertise:

In previous times, “mandating business travel” might have been considered “dirty words” to some. Many companies certainly want to offer flexibility to their travelers while maintaining a free and open culture. But in today’s world, especially on the heels of the COVID-19 pandemic, mandating travel is essential for every organization that wants to ensure business traveler safety. The bonus is that you also save money when you do so. 

“Mandating business travel, or what some may call consolidation of travel, is definitely becoming more popular post-pandemic,” said Allyson Cross, a Business Development Manager at Christopherson Business Travel. “In certain industries it was perhaps seen as scary or taboo to require business travelers to follow certain protocols when booking, but travel managers are talking more and more about mandating and the benefits are undeniable.” 

What does it mean to mandate business travel?

When you partner with a travel management company (TMC) to help you manage your business travel program, you want to consider mandating. Mandating means you officially require your travelers to handle all their travel needs through your TMC and to use your organization’s approved booking channels for all reservations. In other words, it is mandatory that they use your newly-implemented and fully-integrated systems and services.    

Why should you mandate business travel?

Travel managers have countless tools provided to them by their TMC, but they’re not useful if your business travelers are freely booking through various channels unknown to you. Here are four reasons every organization should mandate travel:

1. To Better Manage Risk

Everyone knows risk management is important, but until something happens you don’t realize how important it really is. 

“Trying to maintain duty of care standards without total visibility is impossible,” Cross said. 

Only a mandated, fully-managed business travel program provides that kind of visibility. Without it, you won’t always know where your travelers are. Here’s an example, recounted by Christopherson’s Manager of Implementations and Account Support Adelina Littler, of what happens when an unmandated travel program faces real-life risk: 

2. To Save Money 

Every organization, from non-profits to Fortune 500s, are focused on cost savings and smarter spending. To both account for and maximize every dollar spent on travel, you have to know exactly how and where you’re spending. This is only possible if you mandate travel. 

When travelers book outside your approved channels, you miss out on vendor discounts, the ability to track and re-use the ticket if the trip isn’t taken, and the ability to ensure compliance with your travel policy. When business travelers stay within policy and book with preferred suppliers, companies can reduce the average cost per traveler by 14-25%.

Another way mandating travel not only saves you money, but could actually generate income, is that you can use one, dedicated credit card to pay for the entire organization’s travel. The kickback or rebates earned from your credit card usage then provide a source of revenue, meaning business travel doesn’t just have to be a cost-center anymore.   

3. To Track and Manage Unused Tickets

A major part of generating cost savings is being able to track unused airline ticket credits. But successfully managing every unused ticket can only be done if all tickets are booked through your TMC, whether with online tools or with full-service advisors. 

Every ticket booked through a managed, mandated travel program can be tracked. If the ticket goes unused, it is then stored and provided for re-used at a future date, ensuring that you don’t lose those funds. Christopherson even provides reports that show exactly how many credits your program has, who they were booked by, and when they’re expiring so you’re able to stay informed in real-time on the status of every dollar. 

“Unmandated business travel programs will always lose money on unused tickets simply because they don’t know where those credits are or who booked them,” Littler explained. “If you mandate, you have the peace of mind that all your unused tickets are in one place and that all the work of tracking them, reporting on them, and ensuring their re-use is done for you.”

4. To Get Better Reporting & Vendor Contracts

One benefit of mandating travel that organizations might not think about as much is accurate reporting and how that affects their vendor negotiations. The ability to leverage robust data that provides a complete view of your entire travel spend means better vendor discounts and greater cost savings. 

“Having accurate reporting of your total business travel program allows you to show vendors your full spend and thus get better discounts and contracts,” Littler said. “And travelers can’t get those discounts by going straight to Delta.com or AA.com. They’re only available and applied when you’ve booked through a TMC. Ensuring the ability to receive those discounts is a huge money saver.”

How do you mandate business travel?

The real value of a TMC is realized when all the TMC’s services and tools are used by everyone in the organization. From booking, to duty of care, to policy integration, to reporting–it all works together to maximize your spend and ensure the safety of your travelers. 

If your goal is to enjoy the full benefits of your TMC, then mandating your travel program must be paramount. But doing so doesn’t have to come at the expense of your culture or traveler satisfaction. The key is to ensure buy-in from the top. 

Every member of the C-suite wants to be good stewards of the company’s financial resources. Your TMC can help you gather the necessary reports so you’re equipped with data and talking points to get your leadership team involved and on-board. 

Once you have buy-in from the top, you’ll then need to communicate the benefits of your managed travel program and newly-adopted policies to your travelers. You can even do so without ever using the word “mandated.” Keep in mind that travel policies don’t have to be rigid and unforgiving. Christopherson’s Account Managers help clients craft solid, traveler-friendly travel policies that still allow freedom and flexibility while guarding your financial resources and protecting traveler safety. 

When travelers understand the following benefits, they are more likely to stay within your travel policy and adopt the newly-required program: 

• That your organization’s discounts are only available and applied through your TMC 
• That their safety and location tracking is tied to “in-channel” bookings
• That they have access to expert travel agents who can handle problems with the airlines or get them home quickly in an emergency
• That their frequent traveler memberships, travel preferences, and profile information are securely stored and applied to every booking

You can also find super users within your organization to champion the program and tools to their peers. 

Finally, remember the importance of on-going training. Offer webinars or periodic quick tip communications to remind your travelers about certain aspects of policies or how to use certain tools and services. Include business travel training during the on-boarding process for new employees. For a mandated program to remain effectual, it has to be consistently encouraged. 

The Dangers of Not Mandating 

Patti Bragg, an Account Manager at Christopherson Business Travel, shared the following case study about the dangers of not mandating:

To learn more about the benefits of mandating business travel and how to roll out a mandated program for your organization, we invite you to speak with a Christopherson executive.