Let’s be honest. Managing a large corporation’s travel program can be taxing and a corporate travel manager can use all the help they can get. More specifically, business travelers can use all the help they can get, especially on the ground while they’re out on the road. That’s why putting together a Squad of Corporate…
Some travel costs are easily benchmarked. From average ticket prices, to the daily rate of rental cars in specific markets, to the daily rates of hotel rooms across brands, many data points are quickly examined and compared. Not so are the actual costs of certain processes. Travel reimbursement is one of those processes. Consider the…
It’s understandable if a first time travel manager (or another employee tasked with the responsibility) was a bit daunted by the challenges of their job. Coming from a diverse range of backgrounds (onsite agent, online booking administrator, payroll, financial analyst) employees who take on this function may have some areas where additional research will be…
During the lockdown non-refundable hotel rates pretty much disappeared. Along with airline and car rental suppliers, hotels were hungry for business, so they dropped cancellation and change fees and just about every product across the board was refundable, and in the case of Southwest Airlines, even non-expiring ticket credits became standard. Well, we’re not in…
How do you know you have a top-notch travel agent? Here are a few signs: They don’t take an hour to get the details of your reservation. Everyone loves a personable conversation. Your agent can chit-chat, make recommendations for your destination and even ask about your children, and yet not waste your time. But if…
Travelers aren’t created alike. There are those who never cause any trouble. They always book in advance, always use preferred suppliers and never misplace itineraries or receipts. Their expense reports are flawless, and they never, ever, complain. Then there are the other kind…And that’s not to say travel isn’t frustrating for everyone right now, with…
The part of your corporate travel policy which deals with refilling the gas tank of a rental car can have a big impact on your travel spend, especially if you have a large number of travelers who like to rent cars. The fact that gas is overly expensive at the moment just adds fuel to…
Everybody loves their travel agent. (Whether they should or not. That’s a hot topic for another time…) But, it is true. That time the CEO was stuck in Reno and airports were snowed out all across the Northwest and your travel agent saved the day and got him home in no time flat. These kinds…
While it may seem counter-intuitive to suggest that an event that had such a drastic, negative effect on an industry, will eventually become a great boon, boosting volume moving forward…it’s quite likely that may be the case. Two factors contribute to this point of view… Factor #1: Telecommuting The following telecommuting/remote work statistics were compiled…
Sold-out situations sometimes require extraordinary solutions. Flight times may not match up, or worse a traveler is stranded after a cancellation. Or perhaps it’s the weather making life hard for travelers. Whatever the situation, the best travel agents will already know most of these and can shift plans to accommodate travel when the first choice…