A Travel Manager’s Guide to Company Trip Planning

Gain a Good Understanding of the Destination

Thoroughly researching the destination is an essential first step. Business travellers must be aware of details such as the ease of commuting to the locations they will be visiting, safety precautions, weather conditions, and other information. The corporate travel planner can get this information online, from news sites, and travel advisories on government websites, which provide the latest news and guidance to travellers. 

Time management is essential on any workday. But it is a litmus test during a business trip when employees have to visit their client's location or attend a business conference in a city that's new to them. Planning the activities and priorities for the day is easier when they're equipped with certain important information:

• How far is the commute to the business location?
• What is the traffic situation typically like in the city?
• Are cabs/ride hailing services easily available?

Travel managers must anticipate such questions from employees. They should also note the other information they come across during research and share them with business travellers. While employees may independently look up the destination online or enquire with colleagues who've travelled to the particular city or contacts who live there, the responsibility of providing a good picture of the business destination ultimately falls on the travel manager. 

Develop a Detailed Itinerary

Creating the business trip itinerary seems overwhelming at first. But it doesn't have to be. It's a good idea to start with the basic travel details and then boil them down to the nitty-gritty. The areas to cover in the itinerary and share with employees are:

Travel Information

The important travel and transportation information to include in the itinerary includes:

• Departure and arrival airports
• Airlines, flight numbers, flight times and terminal and gate information
• Flight boarding and landing time, any layovers and what times those will occur
• Cab rentals and timing of pickup from the airport, drop to the hotel and vice-versa

Accommodation Details

The travelling team must naturally have the key details about the hotel they'll be staying at. This includes information such as:

• The name and location of the hotel
• Check-in and check-out times and procedures
• Information about rooms, amenities and cuisines
• On-premise or nearby places to have a meal or access basic necessities

The business travel planner can also add sightseeing information so that employees enjoy those places during their leisure time. This includes popular places of entertainment and cultural/historical landmarks. 

Event Details

Information about the business event, client visit, conference, trade show, or the particular corporate outing should be accurate and clear. Planners should share addresses of the locations, arrival and departure times, and contact information for each location with employees. Every member of the team should have the contact information of the client or business partner they will be meeting. In case of any delays or disruptions, employees can inform the concerned people quickly and ensure that everything still goes to plan. 

Stay on Top of Any Changes in Itinerary

The travel itinerary is not set in stone. There is a possibility of small changes or minor adjustments in schedule. The corporate tour planner is expected to stay on top of any changes and ensure an up-to-date itinerary when employees leave for their trip.

Book Flights and Accommodation in Advance

Planning flights and hotels ahead of time is a proven way to secure the best deals. Last-minute bookings are unlikely to save the company money and can be stressful if a preferred hotel or a flight is completely booked before the departure date. Making smart decisions on flight bookings for business trips also helps make work trips more comfortable and productive. So, booking early is a golden rule to follow every time. 

Select the Right Hotels

An important aspect of company trip planning is putting up employees in the best hotels that the travel policy allows. Here are some tips on choosing hotels:

• Location: The hotel should ideally be close to the company's office or event venue. This convenience saves time and travel costs.
• Amenities: Select a hotel that has facilities for business travellers, such as free high-speed Wi-Fi, work desk and chair, multiple power outlets, and USB ports. Features like gym, swimming pool, and gaming areas, are also nice to have as they allow business travellers to unwind after a tiring day. 
• Flexibility: Unexpected issues can arise during corporate travel. Hotels with flexible cancellation options can help save costs and avoid complications.
• Safety and security: No employee will want to stay at a hotel in an unsafe area of the city. The corporate trip planner should be careful in selecting hotels in safe areas, such as in the city centre, and check reviews of hotels' safety measures like CCTV systems, key card access, electronic safes, and well-trained staff. 

The corporate trip planner should check guest reviews of hotels. If the hotel is known for business stays, the reviews will be from business travellers and can be relied upon to make informed decisions.

Organise Important Travel Documents

Business travel often involves employees visiting different countries, sometimes even multiple destinations on a single trip. Each country has its own regulations and may require specific travel documents. Be prepared with the following important documents:

• Traveller’s Visa, Passport, and National ID card
• Copies of ID documents
• Travel itinerary details
• Proof of accommodation bookings
• Business travel insurance
• Vaccination proofs
• Forex

An essential corporate travel tip to remember is to provide travellers with both physical and digital copies. This way, they won’t encounter any issues while travelling from one country to another.

Keep Checklists of Other Important Details

Companies are expected to ensure the safety and well-being of travelling employees. To implement their duty of care, travel managers must know who they're planning the trip for and what those travellers need to take care of themselves on their trip. Making a checklist of the relevant information is a simple way to assist employees and step in confidently when needed. Here are the details to add:

• Employee's information, such as their name, contact number, address, emergency contact numbers, medical conditions (if any), meal preferences, and others. 
• A travel safety checklist, which can include:

• Checking where the hotel's emergency exits and fire escapes are located
• Checking if the locks on windows and doors are working
• Avoiding entering their hotel room if it is unlocked or open
• Avoiding venturing out late evening or at night in case some incidents have recently been reported
• Suggesting wellness apps that help employees take charge of their well-being

• A travel security checklist focuses on securing business data on business trips. Airport lounges, hotels, and event venues are among the places where sensitive business data or a company device is vulnerable to spying or theft. Items to include in the checklist are:

• Only connect to known Wi-Fi networks/Never use a public charging station 
• Password protect devices
• Set up VPN
• Encrypt hard drive
• Use privacy screens as needed

Use a Business Travel Management Platform

Travel management software is designed to streamline travel planning and booking. It helps ensure that bookings and expenses adhere to the company travel policy. Leading business travel management platform myBiz provides access to special corporate rates on flights and hotels, keeps flight cancellation costs low and shows hotels reviewed and rated by other business travellers. myBiz also makes travel expense management easy, allowing corporate travel planners to track all spends made by employees on business trips and access real-time expense report claims.