Karen Abbott, head of global corporate account management, ATPI
Planning for a return to travel is a priority for corporates right now, but providing travellers with accurate information without increasing their anxieties around travel is a precarious business. Wellbeing is front and centre of the agenda, and this extends to travel policies. TMCs are really proving their worth with timely information, supporting the updating of travel policies, training people on new booking policies and much more.
But there is a stark reality that some people are personally anxious about travelling. The information in our day-to-day lives about Covid-19 is overwhelming, which only adds to a greater sense of confusion. Corporates have a responsibility to guide travellers through the process of considering business travel again, as well as ensuring their safety on any trip and applying learnings each step of the way – without causing undue anxiety.
The starting point in ensuring travellers feel prepared and not intimidated, is to re-publish the travel policy. Highlighting any updates that might have been implemented since the last journeys were made will remind travellers of the company’s protocols and provide them with the necessary information to feel confident moving again.
Information is key here and it’s vital that corporates are providing their travellers with accurate facts and detail from trustworthy, reliable sources in a timely and easy-to-digest manner. With the saturated news only adding to traveller apprehension, sharing links to official sites and dealing with the facts rather than speculation is essential in putting minds at rest to build confidence.
The right TMC support will arm travel managers with a clear process flow, from approval to journey end, so that they know exactly what is needed from the outset and the best way of sharing this information with their travellers.
Most businesses have added an extra layer regarding permission to travel and have refreshed both online and offline booking processes. It’s been a long time since most people have planned, booked and undertaken travel. Knowledge is power in ensuring that everyone feels confident with travel booking processes and protocols.
Working with a TMC partner on training in these areas is key to both raising understanding and building confidence on new booking protocols. For example, we introduced vaccine status into our traveller profile system some months ago – an important area that travellers need to understand is how to update it accurately with vaccination dates and health certificates, so they have the information easily to hand. With vaccination entry requirements changing regularly across the globe, knowing that their company is in-the-know with their vaccination status will build traveller trust for the future.
Travellers may be cautious of dealing with travel managers who have new responsibilities beyond their traditional remit. In these circumstances it is important to engage HR, and risk management teams where possible, to ensure that traveller safety and wellbeing runs throughout all business policies and processes in order to instil confidence among travellers.
Knowing that other colleagues have travelled before them will be key in getting corporates back moving again. Taking onboard feedback from returning travellers is essential to preparing corporates for when their time comes to set off.
Post-trip surveys are a great way to learn and evolve, and to identify any possible resistance areas that can be addressed ahead of future trips. It’s also a great way to be able to share the learnings with travellers to raise awareness of what to expect, and help everyone feel less concerned about travelling in the future.
It’s important to remember that it’s not just Covid-19 that has impacted on traveller confidence throughout this period of hiatus. Brexit has also brought with it a flurry of new complications for travel managers and potential areas of concern for future travellers. There are additional complexities that corporates must consider, including visas and work permits. It's another layer to what was previously a simple short-haul trip to manage.
It’s somewhat mind boggling for travel professionals that we have to train to travel again, but for each and every one of us that is the case. Stepping back and thinking about planning to travel from the very first stage of the process is essential to providing reassurance and ensuring travellers feel confident again.
The people we've supported to travel throughout the pandemic report that accurate information and the tools to mentally prepare for what to expect are key to avoiding scaremongering and instead building the trust that travellers need to get moving again.