In each issue of Business Travel Executive, the members of our Buyer Think Tank offer their individual thoughts on what’s hot, what’s cool and what’s coming next in managed travel. The Think Tank is a team of nine veteran travel managers from programs that run the gamut in size and complexity – but each member contributes a unique viewpoint. Travel Buyer’s POV brings fresh perspectives and ideas to inspire innovation and thought leadership in the corporate travel industry. For business travelers and their companies, flight delays and cancellations – what airlines euphemistically refer to as ‘irregular operations’ – erode confidence in the managed travel program and hurt productivity. This month, our Think Tank’s point of view looks into the costs and the cures for these troublesome IROPS.
The Human TouchTrip disruptions are the bane of business travelers. The cost in time, lost productivity, and potential loss of business is always a major topic when discussing travel management. To assist corporations with the easing of pain when traveling, here are some items on NetApp’s wish list. These are not rocket science and are not necessarily practical when taking into consideration cost:
• True twenty-four hour service whether that means having a ‘sun never sets’ call center network or teams of dedicated agents that rotate schedules.
• Recognition of airline status by TMC service personnel to help speed their ability to provide acceptable travel alternatives with less cost and hassle.
• Useful mobile apps that have chat capabilities that really work.Since technology cannot always solve major disruptions, my wish list revolves around the human touch.
– Mark ZieglerKnowledge is Power Unfortunately trip disruptions occur at some point in business travel and it can certainly wreak havoc on the traveler’s schedule and state of mind. Here are a few items I would like to happen when it occurs:
• I would like to know the actual reason for the delay whether mechanical or weather related, via e-mail or text, in order to make a contingency plan as well as know the airline’s liability.
• I would like the industry to standardize real time alerts when a delay is occurring no matter the website or app. Many times, a third party tool will show the delay before that actual airline discloses it.
• I would like to be notified in a timely manner from my TMC, preferably via a text or e-mail, with alternative options that can be completed without having to receive a phone call.
– Chris BrockmanMake Things Better Trip disruption is always an opportunity for improvement. During this time, you can see the best of people and the worst. Here are my thoughts for improvement during this time.
• Better Options – TMCs need to be better in relaying information to travelers, as well as back up options.
• Better Communication – updates should be timely from the airlines and airport agents.
• Better Attitude – try a little kindness in times of difficulty. We all want to get home or to our destination as well as having a job to complete.
Proactive vs Reactive Trip disruptions are one of the biggest causes of frustrations for business travelers. The more proactive buyers and suppliers can be, the better the overall traveler experience and less the cost to the travel program. The areas that I wish could be improved upon are as follows:
• Agencies should take a more proactive stance on trip disruptions versus a reactive posture. That means they are aware of delays and cancellations and proactively assist travelers even before a traveler knows there is a disruption
• Text based services need to be utilized to communicate with travelers
• We really should be able to garner more detailed information from the airlines on the exact amount of disruptions my travelers incurred, the type of the disruption, and what the carrier did to resolve the issue for the traveler.
– Jennifer SteinkeTravelers Say… I could easily just toss out my thoughts, but instead I reached out to five of my top travelers for their input since they’re the ones who live with trip disruptions. One said it feels like a “fend for yourself” adventure when a trip is canceled.
• The rebooking system isn’t really “smart.” There should be a couple of questions in the rebooking announcement and then an itinerary with a couple of options. The question(s) could be as simple as, “Do you want to reschedule today or tomorrow?” If the options being offered are not adequate, there should be an easier way to rebook.
• Alerts should be delivered more consistently. Not all airlines are equal in their notifications.
• Cancellation notifications need to be more timely.
– Cheryl BenjaminMoving Experience With all the advancements in business travel, we need to remember that we are still moving humans in tin cans through the atmosphere…and things are bound to disrupt some of those trips. Whether it’s schedule changes, weather, staffing or geo-political issues (looking at you, Government Shutdown), we need to be prepared for whatever changes come our way. My ideal disruption disruptor would have the following:
• Smart monitoring of the flight status against the disruptive force. During one recent event, an agent made a proactive move to shift my flight during a blizzard. My current flight was scheduled after the storm would be over, but the agent was suggesting an earlier flight which – as it happened – would have been departing in the middle of white-out conditions. I opted to stay on my current flight and was able to get to the event in time.
• The disruption avoidance technology should flexible when working with larger cities with multiple airports. If you are scheduled to land at LGA during a weather event, you’ll have a better chance of landing closer to on-time at JFK or EWR thanks to their improved infrastructure. Being able to move the traveler to an alternate airport could mean they make their meeting or make it home.
• Finally, the technology has to know my preferences. While this is secondary to getting there, I want to be traveling on my company’s preferred airline, and if we are getting picky, the front half of the plane on the right side.
– Rosemary E. Maloney