Go Travel’s Post

🔒 Best Practices for Ensuring Employee Safety on Business Trips🔒 As corporate travel managers, ensuring the safety and security of your traveling employees is a top priority. Travel Risk Management (TRM) has never been more important in today's fast-paced, global environment. Here are some key practices to follow for effective TRM: 📋 Pre-Trip Risk Assessments Evaluate the political, environmental, and health risks in travel destinations. Use tools like government advisories and insurance services to provide up-to-date information. 📚 Employee Training Equip employees with training on travel safety, including emergency protocols, health guidelines, and cultural considerations. This preparation can help them avoid risky situations. 📲 Real-Time Communication Channels Ensure that employees have access to 24/7 communication support, including mobile apps or platforms that can assist in case of emergencies. 🛡️ Travel Insurance & Assistance Programs Provide comprehensive travel insurance that covers medical emergencies, evacuation, and other risks. Partner with travel management companies that offer global assistance. 🔄 Post-Trip Reviews & Continuous Improvement After each trip, collect feedback on the safety protocols and experiences to improve future travel risk strategies. 💡 Go Travel is your partner in managing travel risks with confidence! We provide comprehensive travel risk assessments and real-time traveler support to ensure your employees are safe, regardless of where business takes them. Let us help you craft a solid TRM strategy for your organization. ✈️ #TravelRiskManagement #EmployeeSafety #CorporateTravel #HRManagement #BusinessTravelSafety #RiskAssessment #GoTravel

Some Important Things to Know About Corporate Travels Corporate travel is an integral part of business operations, enabling companies to expand their reach, build relationships, and seize new opportunities. However, managing corporate travel effectively requires attention to various details to ensure smooth and cost-effective trips. 1. Travel Policy Compliance Every organization should have a comprehensive travel policy that outlines the guidelines and procedures for business travel. Key components of a travel policy include: Booking Procedures: Preferred travel agencies. Expense Guidelines: Limits on travel expenses such as airfare, accommodations, meals, and ground transportation. Approval Processes: Necessary approvals for travel requests, changes, or cancellations. Reimbursement Procedures: Documentation required for expense claims and timelines for reimbursement. Adhering to the travel policy ensures consistency, cost control, and compliance with company standards. 2. Traveler Safety and Well-being Ensuring the safety and well-being of employees during business travel is paramount. Companies should: Risk Management: Conduct risk assessments for travel destinations and provide travelers with safety information. Emergency Protocols: Establish clear protocols for emergencies, including medical assistance, travel disruptions, and evacuation procedures. Travel Insurance: Provide comprehensive travel insurance covering medical emergencies, trip cancellations, and other contingencies. Health and Wellness: Encourage travelers to maintain a healthy lifestyle, including tips for managing jet lag, staying hydrated, and finding healthy meal options. A focus on safety and well-being enhances traveler satisfaction and productivity. Corporate travel is a critical aspect of business operations that requires careful management and strategic planning. By focusing on travel policy compliance, cost management, traveler safety, technology integration, and sustainable practices, companies can optimize their travel programs, enhance employee experiences, and achieve their business objectives efficiently and responsibly. #travoofy #corporatetravels #travelmanagement

As a Personal Assistant, a large part of my role involves coordinating travel plans, ensuring seamless trips for guests, executives, and employees. But recently, I faced a situation that highlights the importance of staying up to date with airline operations 📰—something every professional handling corporate travel should take seriously. Kenya Airways—an airline I’ve often relied on—has been experiencing disruptions. On September 4, 2024, an article from The Kenyan Times headlined: “Kenya Airways Explains Flight Delays and Gives Customers Way Forward” 🔗 (see the image I’ve attached below) reveals the operational challenges the airline is facing, including frequent delays and rescheduling. While I understand that flight delays are sometimes unavoidable, it becomes a real headache when important business schedules are affected. This is a lesson I want to share with fellow PAs and travel coordinators: 💡 Always stay informed about an airline’s reputation and recent news before booking—things can change fast. 📅 Monitor flight schedules closely and have a Plan B ready, especially when dealing with tight timelines. ✅ Consider alternatives if the risk of delays is high—sometimes it’s worth booking a different airline if reliability is key. The value of being proactive in travel management is clear. You ensure business trips are smooth and avoid unnecessary stress for your guests. Keeping track of airline performance helps you make informed decisions and builds your reputation as a reliable coordinator. 👉 So, to everyone managing corporate travel out there: Don’t rely on past experiences alone—always check recent news, airline announcements, and delays to avoid disruptions. Remember, your guest’s success might depend on it! Let’s stay one step ahead and make travel smooth for everyone we serve ✨.

Safety in Business Travel: The Power of a Buddy System and Reliable Support ✈️ Reposting this from Karen Smith she's spot on about the importance of a buddy system and specialized support for business travel. When travel plans shift or emergencies pop up, it's reassuring to know there's a dedicated person behind the scenes to handle things. I'm here to help make sure your team's travel is smooth, safe, and worry-free, taking care of everything from bookings to those "what if" moments. Let's chat about how I can support your business travel needs! What travel practices help keep your team safe? Share your approach in the comments!

🌍Safety Share: The Importance of a Buddy System for Staff Travel🛫 When sending staff on work trips, implementing a buddy system can be crucial for ensuring safety and also using a specialized business travel agent, that can assist from not only booking, but when things may go amiss during the trip. It not only reduces stress but can also serve as a safeguard when travel plans change unexpectedly, or emergencies arise. Employees traveling solo can be exposed to risks, from missed connections to unanticipated delays, with no one to check in on them. Back back before our children tracked us on Life360, I heard stories from sales managers where partners of traveling employees contacted them, panicked because their spouse hadn’t returned as expected. In these situations, the manager had no idea how or why the travel plans had changed, causing unnecessary confusion and concern. These all turned out to be missed communication, and the employee returned home safely. But, let me share a personal example of how things can go wrong: On a work trip, my booking team got my travel plans mixed up. I arrived at my hotel at midnight, only to find there was no booking under my name. Alone, tired, and stuck in an unfamiliar city, I had no quick solution. And the corporate travel agency we were using were not available to assist after hours. Had I been traveling with a colleague or had a designated contact, the situation would have been less stressful. That’s why I strongly recommend relying on professional travel services to manage these details. My go-to is Alex Pilarski - she can take care of everything to ensure smooth, worry-free business travel, so you can focus on the results in your profession. How do other companies manage employee travel to ensure their safety? Do you implement a buddy system or have other best practices in place like software? I would love to know in the comments ⬇️

Small and midsize companies often prioritize traveler safety over cost savings to prevent incidents that could lead to significant time, money, and reputational damage. Here are five strategies to enhance business traveler safety, even with limited resources: Designate a Booking Channel: Establish a specific booking platform, such as partnering with a corporate travel agency or using an online booking provider. This centralization aids in monitoring and managing travel arrangements effectively. Communicate and Educate: Implement a travel safety communication plan through newsletters, webinars, or dedicated channels. Ensure travelers know whom to contact in emergencies and provide basic safety tips, like avoiding late-night arrivals and safeguarding personal belongings. Leverage Existing Resources: Assess current partnerships with travel management companies or insurance providers to understand available traveler safety support, such as location tracking or safety alerts. Ensure employees are informed about medical coverage and emergency procedures. Prepare for Emergencies: Develop a comprehensive emergency response plan involving relevant stakeholders, including human resources, legal, and IT departments. Consider potential scenarios like medical crises, natural disasters, or cybersecurity threats, and establish clear protocols. Establish a Travel Safety Policy: Create guidelines addressing safety concerns, such as limiting the number of executives traveling together, specifying safe transportation options, and implementing IT protocols to protect against information theft. Tailor policies to address specific risks faced by different employee groups. Implementing these measures can significantly enhance traveler safety and fulfill duty of care obligations. https://lnkd.in/dKAZsiuU

Managing Corporate Travel Safety & Security: It is important to manage the safety and security concerns of any Organisation. This ensures that all employees are aware of the potential risks associated with business travel, and how to minimally mitigate them. To do this, there are three key steps: 1) Ensure Employees Are Up-To-Date On Travel Regulations 2) Emphasize The Importance of Insurance Coverage 3) Review Safety Protocols for Each Destination 4) Ensure the availability of a First Aid Kit Review Safety Protocols for Each Destination 1)All travelers should be aware of any current regulations regarding their destination immigration laws, health advisories, or restrictions on entry into certain areas due to political unrest. 2) Emphasize The Importance of Insurance Coverage Business travelers should ensure they have comprehensive insurance coverage including medical evacuation services, liability protection from accidents or injury caused by another person or property damage caused by the employee. 3) Review Safety Protocols for Each Destination Before setting out for a new location, understand potential threats in the area so appropriate precautions can be taken during travel and at the hotel/lodging facility selected — including: Researching crime rates & and scams targeting travelers. Determining if safe transportation options exist. It's helpful to review common courtesy tips like using discretion when discussing company information outside the office walls and dressing appropriately in more conservative cultures. With proper management of safety and security concerns addressed prior to departure, companies will minimize risk exposure while allowing their personnel to conduct business effectively within foreign territories without interruption or harm coming to either party involved. Security and Safety advisories should be followed by any means. #traveling #businesstravel #corporatetravel #security #safety #NGO #ingo

Travel Managers Say Travel Safety Outranks Saving Money in Corporate Travel Survey – 5 Questions To Ask About Your Program The attached article by Business Travel News highlights a survey conducted by Corporate Traveler USA and the GBTA | Global Business Travel Association revealed that 40% of travel managers prioritize traveler safety above all else, with an additional 29% ranking it as their second or third highest priority. After you read the article, here are five basic questions to evaluate your organization’s travel risk management. Keep in mind many more questions could be asked - but these get the conversation started: 1. Where does travel safety rank within your travel program? 2. What measures does your travel program implement to address travel risk management? 3. What internal resources and solutions does your program provide to your internal departments/staff that manage and support its travelers? 4. What travel risk resources are available to your employees, and how/when are they informed about them? 5. Are you maximizing your existing internal and external (supplier) travel and meeting risk management resources? If you’ve attended my talks, you know I’m a strong advocate for leveraging existing resources to enhance travel risk management. Reach out for a complimentary consultation to assess whether your travel and meeting programs effectively utilize your EXISTING resources to manage risks that can impact your traveling employees and meetings and events. Let’s have a no-cost conversation to explore how we can better protect your travelers using your current resources. Kevin Coffey  Travel and Meeting Risk Management Evangelist www.KevinCoffey.com

Navigating Travel Safety: Best Practices for Risk Management Introduction: Business travel exposes employees to various risks, ranging from natural disasters and medical emergencies to security threats and transportation mishaps. To ensure the safety and well-being of travelers, organizations must prioritize effective travel safety and risk management strategies. 1. Understanding Travel Risks: Identify common risks associated with business travel, including health-related risks (e.g., illness, injury), safety risks (e.g., accidents, crime), security risks (e.g., terrorism, civil unrest), and environmental risks (e.g., natural disasters, extreme weather). Provide examples and statistics illustrating the prevalence and impact of these risks on business travelers. 2. Developing a Travel Risk Management Plan: Outline the key components of a comprehensive travel risk management plan, including risk assessment, mitigation strategies, emergency response protocols, and communication plans. Emphasize the importance of proactive planning and preparation to minimize the impact of potential risks on travelers and the organization. 3. Conducting Risk Assessments: Discuss the process of conducting risk assessments for business travel destinations, considering factors such as geopolitical stability, health and safety conditions, transportation infrastructure, and cultural norms. Offer guidance on leveraging resources such as travel risk intelligence platforms, government advisories, and local contacts to gather relevant information. 4. Implementing Safety Protocols: Provide practical tips and best practices for ensuring traveler safety during business trips, including guidelines for transportation safety, accommodation selection, personal security, and emergency preparedness. Highlight the importance of establishing clear safety protocols and expectations for travelers, as well as providing training and support to empower them to make informed decisions. 5. Leveraging Technology for Travel Safety: Explore technological solutions for enhancing travel safety and risk management, such as travel tracking systems, mobile safety apps, emergency communication platforms, and real-time threat monitoring tools. Discuss the benefits of integrating technology into travel safety initiatives, including improved situational awareness, faster response times, and enhanced communication capabilities.

  How easy is it for you to contact your Corporate Travel Manager?   Why would you need a TMC?    Here are some recent examples of how I have helped clients out of hours in the last couple of weeks.   (We have an excellent 24/7 Emergency assistance line based in Manchester, but when I can, I help clients personally.)   . Phone call. On a Tuesday at 19.00, client delayed due to road closure caused by an accident and was going to miss his flight and meeting the following next morning. He called me, I rebooked him for the first flight in the morning. He still made the important meeting on time.   E-mail, on a Sunday afternoon. Lufthansa strikes announced and my clients flight was cancelled. By acting quickly , I managed to grab one of the last seats available on a flight avoiding the strike times. Result, client had a very smooth trip with no delays!   Whatsapp for Business. Yes Whatsapp. Its 2024 and most decent agents these days will be able to communicate in multiple ways, does your agent whatsapp you?. Some of my clients love the fact I can whatsapp them boarding passes straight to their phone and that for urgent queries they can massage me at any time. I got a whatsapp from a client about 6.15 yesterday in a bit of panic as having problems checking in and worried, they would not make the flight to the US. Within 5 mins they had their boarding passes in hand, and all sorted via Whatsapp.   My clients didn't have to wait in phone queues; they reached me straight away. They didn't have to deal with call centre staff who were unaware of their identity or travel plans. And I saved them a significant amount of money twice by ensuring they didn't miss their flights or important appointments.   What does you agent do for you, can you contact them easily out of hours?    Its our personal touch in a business environment that really sets us apart.   Please get in touch if I can make your travel a smoother, altogether easier and a stress-free process right from booking to when you get home!