What Dictates a Successful Trip?
Was your trip successful? Unfortunately, it is complicated, yet this could be a terrific place to start. The traveler may be considering their trip successful based upon the quality of the meetings, if the flights were on time, hotel room clean and/or if they were productive while on the road. On the opposing side, they may have had weather delays, canceled flights, a missed meeting or a myriad of other challenges that impacted their emotional connection to the success of the trip.
Voice of the Traveler
Surveys should be viewed as an integral component to traveler satisfaction and experience as you simply won’t know if you don’t ask. Just as importantly, it is what you do once you have consolidated the information that may matter most. Your travelers will want to ensure their input is taken into consideration. You will need to review, discuss among various internal stakeholders including Human Resources, and then communicate steps that will be acted on as a result of the information provided.
BTN (Business Travel News) have given us permission to provide you with the link to the survey they used to gain travel program insights as part of their Traveler Experience Index. The intention of this survey is to help you identify two primary areas:
What is important to your traveler?
What components of the program do they rate as less effective?
Policy – The Tone and Tenor
After you have had the opportunity to review the survey responses, it is important to realize the project isn’t over. It needs to have ongoing review and consistent communications. The Traveler Experience Index offers two recommendations which we feel are highly relevant.
1. Start a Traveler Advisory Council
Invite a mix of travelers with disparate demographics and profiles based upon the frequency of travel and their advocacy of your company. Meet with them periodically to gain a pulse-check to ensure their voice is being heard as it relates to recent industry developments or trends as well as the importance of their representation of a mix of their colleague’s perspectives and recommendations.
2. Consider the tone and tenor of your policy.
Having the intent to effectively communicate based upon the choice of words and expression of trust can make an incredible difference and emotional connection to your travelers. Avoid the dictatorial approach and consider a well-crafted policy that outlines the benefits to the company and the importance you put on the traveler’s safety, productivity, and well-being.
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