Arranging staff and corporate travel – a drain on your time

The task often falls to PAs and Executive Assistants to book staff travel requirements for busy corporations.

Travel for conferences, meetings and events for individual, and groups of, employees all fall under this remit. From internal employee celebrations and the Christmas party, to individual staff shuttle services, the requirements when it comes to staff travel are extremely varied, time-consuming and can be complex to organise.    

“It’s never a case of just booking a ticket”

In a recent consultation with PAs and Executive Assistants, it was reported that it can take approximately three hours to arrange a single business trip for one employee, amounting to nearly half a day.

The demands on PAs and Executive Assistants are wide-ranging. Staff travel is often seen as a simple administrative/payment function carried out alongside many other tasks, such as managing demanding diaries, handling correspondence and matters of governance, executive administration and research.

But staff travel is complex and time-consuming to arrange.

It takes time to research operators and travel management companies

For a busy PA, with many demands on their time, the burden of staff travel may also carry the challenge of other business-orientated goals, such as saving time and money for the company.

The conflict between saving money, while draining a PA’s time in an attempt to do so is hard to manage, and at the same time ensure that employees’ travel is booked safely, with the appropriate facilities and as cost-effectively as possible.

Pressure to brief and reassure those staff travelling

According to a new survey by Opinium, three-fifths of employees believe their employers could do more to “ensure their travel is safe”.

A lack of travel briefing, guidance in what to do if something goes wrong, and contingency plans when it comes to both travel and accommodation, all contribute to a lack of unease for employees engaging in corporate and business travel – a further pressure for those arranging their itineraries.

Company policy for staff travel can save time

An effective company policy for staff travel can save time and streamline the process for PAs and Executive Assistants. Checks regarding pricing, payment structures and staff briefing and documentation can be handled more effectively and efficiently, but often they are not in place, and take time to set up.

The high cost of quality business travel

The time to research the right travel operators or travel management companies is just one aspect of cost.

The cost of the travel itself

Inflation and rising fuel prices have generated increased costs throughout the industry. Margins are tighter than ever for tour operators and travel management companies, necessitating hard negotiation with businesses and corporates over travel bookings, making it even more challenging for PAs booking travel arrangements to find the cost-effective, quality solutions they need.

Our buying power saves companies’ bottom line

With our extensive access to a wide range of vehicles, we provide the most cost-effective solution for any form of staff, corporate or hospitality travel.

From small-scale and individual arrangements, to multi-site venues with operational challenges and the large conferences, we are able to provide mini buses, elite and operational coaches, and various sustainable vehicles – all to suit your needs and to your budget. 

Your extra team member for arranging staff travel

Work with Travel Connect and you’ll also have your own go-to team member for all staff travel.

No more negotiating with tour operators and travel management companies.

We’ll spend the time doing the arranging, offering complete reassurance your staff travel requirements are as cost-effective and smooth as possible.

Gain time and peace of mind

We know the pressures PAs and Executive Assistants are under to ‘do it all’. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

With us as your travel specialist team member, you’ll also have less worries over staff reassurance and compliance.

If you have a staff travel policy, we’ll follow it. We may even be able to improve arrangements and make helpful suggestions that can save you time and resource going forward.

We’re staff travel experts – done for you

There’s no staff or corporate travel arrangement-type we haven’t organised before, so you don’t need to worry your requirements are ‘too specialist’ to handover to our team. We understand your requirements are specific to your organisation and we wouldn’t want it any other way. We’ll work in full consultation with you and exceed your expectations in quality, service and cost.

… is it time to get your Christmas party travel organised?

When we say we organise all staff and corporate travel, that really does include everything from the annual conference to the Christmas party.

Our experienced transport event coordinators will take care of everything so you can concentrate on the festive details, including:

• The right vehicles, at the right budget, for your staff, whether that’s for one, ten or a 1000 people
• Local on-site ground support for on-the-spot support for large events (extra cost / if required?)
• 24/7 regional control room support, for your complete confidence our team are with you every step of the way

It’s easy to work with us. Get in touch today to discuss your staff and corporate travel needs and start saving time, and cost, from day one.

Tags: Corporate travel, Travel management