Frequent business travelers have for many years been labeled
road warriors. It comes from a time when business travel was an arduous, often
lonely and disconnected experience. To use that term now is a failure to
understand the nuance of modern business travel.
Not so long ago, when traveling internationally for
business, I'd change my voicemail recording and send a note to my colleagues. No
one expected to reach me until I returned to the office. Nowadays, travelers
are plugged in to social channels and to work platforms simultaneously, and the
line between consumer and business professional is blurring as organizations recognize
travelers first as individuals. Adaptable by nature, business travelers have
evolved with the changing times, and the road warrior has become the modern business
traveler.
It's imperative
that our community support modern business travelers by putting them at the center
of everything we do. Not doing so could mean losing on traveler satisfaction
and retention, especially in a business environment in which companies are
pushing the envelope to attract the best talent.
Here are three ways that travel managers can reorient their
travel programs around modern business traveler behavior:
Let Travelers Take
Advantage of Their Destinations
Situation: Stuck
in their hotels or meeting venues, travelers often miss out on what a destination
has to offer. Modern business travelers won't settle for staying indoors, especially
Millennials who prioritize travel for personal growth. American Express Global Business
Travel research conducted in partnership with the Association of Corporate Travel
Executives found that at companies where most travelers are ages 20 to 30, 70
percent of travel managers reported increased inquiries about combining
business travel with leisure.
Action: Travel
managers should consider policy changes that enable travelers to take advantage
of a destination. Offer them an extra day to get out of the city, or make
bookings for two so their partner can join a weekend excursion. Business
travelers who immerse themselves in a new culture will return to work inspired.
Embrace the Sharing Economy
Situation: Business
travelers who prefer using vacation rentals and ridesharing services as
consumers will only put up with the traditional alternatives for so long.
Action: Organizations
should embrace the sharing economy as travelers do and update policies to
match. Simple things like allowing travelers to expense Uber and Lyft will go a
long way. Renting a home or apartment for groups of business travelers
attending a major conference will encourage collegial camaraderie and could even
be more cost-effective.
Talk to Supplier Partners
About What They Offer
Situation: Travel
managers aren't the only ones to notice the business traveler evolution. Travel
brands from high-end luggage to legacy hotel chains are becoming more
traveler-centric in ways that employers would be wise to leverage.
Action: Ask supplier partners what traveler-centric products
and services they may have. When possible, see how your travel program can work
these offerings into negotiations to guarantee the benefits to travelers.