Author Archive
Who’s in Charge Here?
Who’s in Charge Here?
by Tony
I had the pleasure of speaking at two separate travel industry events a couple of weeks ago, the CWBTA January Chapter meeting, and the Wisconsin BTA’s annual Education Day (my thanks again to both organizations for extending an invitation). I did the same presentation at both, something I pulled together and titled, “Travel Management Out of the Box, How Technology Could Impact Your Travel Program.” The presentation covered a lot of ground but the main theme was that technology will continue to evolve and have a greater and greater influence over people’s behavior, eventually impacting the travel program (hence the catchy presentation title 
).
In one section I started by posing what sounded like a rather odd question to the buyers in the audience when I asked, “how many people line up outside your office to get the next iteration of your company’s travel policy?”. Both audiences laughed which was expected, but I followed by asking a question designed to get them thinking when I said “but how many of those same people will line up outside a BestBuy or Apple store at midnight in the rain and cold, waiting to get the latest iPhone, Tablet, or Game Console?”. I went on to make the point that great technology can change people’s behavior whether it’s a device, app, or even a web property like Google or Amazon.
I also talked about the need for the managed travel program to address two masters; the traditional “boss” whether a VP of Procurement, CFO, of Travel Manager who has historically been responsible for watching over the company’s investment in T&E expenses, and the second, a new and potentially more influential master, the person who can spend up to 200 days a year on the road consuming that same travel program.
With that as the backdrop, I read with interest a couple of recent articles in The Beat, the first by Scott Gillespie where he talked about a potential Travel Policy crisis where Travelers reject corporate tools for consumer tools that are faster, easier and more respectful. Scott went so far as to question why a travel policy might be needed in the first place. The second piece was a follow-up to Scott’s piece by Alan Tyson the CEO of DataBasics, where Alan recognized Scott’s point, and sighted the 7 Deadly Sins of the traditional Travel Policy.
Obviously I think the guys are both on to something. And, I think my presentation hit more than one nerve of corporate managed travel that I think it’s time to address. Anyone listening? Better yet, anybody doing anything about it? Are your travelers starting to influence your travel program, and if so, how? Drop a line and let us know.
Becky’s December Challenge: 31 Ways to Pair Travel with Giving
by Becky
I love chocolate, and I love salted caramel. But the two together are something FAR better than the sum of the parts. Bliss, even.
It’s the same way with two other things I love: travel and giving. Every time I board a plane I’m struck by how fortunate we are, we weary travellers, that we have the privilege to jet around the world and see new landscapes, meet different people, and peek (in some cases, leap) beyond our cultural comfort zones. Even just seeing the planet from 35,000 feet is a joy sometimes, a chance to get some perspective on the chaos below, or at the very least, an opportunity to see the sun shining above the rain clouds.
It doesn’t always feel like it, as we schlep through crowded security lines and wedge ourselves into middle seats, but we are lucky, lucky people.
Travel also gives us a unique opportunity to impact the places we are visiting for the better. This month I am running a Twitter campaign to highlight organizations that pair travel with charitable giving and volunteerism. Some will be easy and are relevant no matter where you’re travelling, or how. Some apply only to those of you who are trekking to more adventurous destinations, or specific spots. Some don’t even require you to actually travel. But all of them, I hope, will inspire you. Follow me at @BeckyontheRoad and #31TravelGiving.
Do you think I can find 31 of these opportunities? I’m sure I can – and if you know of one, send it my way to make it even easier. I’ll highlight in my Twitter campaign and in a couple of roundups posts I will offer here on Carrying On this month. Post comments here if you have ideas!
Happy travelling, you lucky wanderers! How sweet it is, indeed.
Want a Great Social Profile? Try a Great Customer Experience.
by Becky
One of the more valuable (and oft-re-Tweeted) pearls of wisdom that came out of the energetic PhoCusWright Conference a couple of weeks ago was from Hilton’s president of global brands and commercial services, Paul Brown. Social media may not be the death of brands, he said during his keynote speech, “but social media may be the death of bad brands.”
Ah, yes! The influence of social media is strong, no doubt. But the influence of an outstanding customer experience is far stronger. (Not the least of which is because it begets a more positive social media sentiment.) It was fun to see that simple idea so boldly and overtly stated on stage.
Brown said Hilton will aim to avoid rewarding customers who choose passive-aggressive methods of airing grievances, in favor of those who choose private and direct channels, like writing to the hotel. So, if you have an issue, you know what to do, weary traveler!
Keep It In Check, Travelers
by Becky
I’ve been following Joe Brancatelli for some time now. Though he sits in business class (seat 2B) while I am back in coach (almost always in 6B) — we agree on many things. His post this week for Portfolio.com gives attitude adjustment advice for business travelers, to ensure a smooth road warrior experience. Like I always say, “Go Zen, be prepared and save the arguments for later.” Safe travels!
Hotel Peeves: A Charged iPhone or a Quiet Night? Gimme Power
by Becky
I don’t claim to be any more authoritative on hotel quality than any of my fellow weary business travellers, but I do know this: My number one hotel complaint is about power. Specifically, iPhone power.
It’s such a simple, easy thing, and yet my unscientific personal study of hundreds of hotels suggests that only 1 in 10 or so gets it right. Put an outlet next to the bed. Preferably at table level, close to the headboard. Not at the unseen end of a melange of lamp and clock cords that lead to a mystery spot somewhere deep behind the bed along the floor. Not on the other side of the room. Put it near my pillow, so my woefully short iPhone charger can reach it while I drift off to sleep playing Sudoku and so I can check my email first thing in the morning after I wake up to the sound of iPhone crickets on the only alarm I trust to be set correctly when I travel. This, hotels, is not hard to do.
Now, I admit, perhaps I am alone in this demand. Earlier this week USA Today reported that noise is the number one complaint from hotel guests, beating out even smelly rooms and rude staff. Crowne Plaza has snore patrols in some of its British properties now! (Good thing my Dad is prone to domestic travel only.) Sure, I’ve heard a snore or two, but man, do I love a charged iPhone.
So fess up, Carrying On readers. What’s your biggest hotel pet peeve? (And remember, if you’re the one who never hears your hotel neighbor snoring, well, consider the old joke, “My mom tells me there’s an idiot on every bus…. but I ride busses all the time and I never see one…”)
Read Up on Relevance – A Good Book and Some Good ?s to Ask
by Becky
I am singing the praises of an outstanding book I recently read about relevance technology and the personalization of Web content searches – technology that Rearden is all about. “The Filter Bubble: What the Internet is Hiding from You,” by Eli Pariser, is a well-balanced exploration of the ethical and sociological pros and cons of the way that consumers search today. Whether we know it or not (though for the most part we know it), with every search on Bing or purchase on Amazon, we are trading personal data – tiny bits and bytes about our preferences, behavior, and history – in exchange for convenience and the personalization of the search experience.
For proof, watch the advertisements being shown to you on the popular Web sites you frequent most. I visited KateSpade.com looking for wedding shoes recently, and ever since ads for Kate Spade goodies are following me to CNN, Facebook, and the other sites I frequent. (Works for me! I’d rather see Kate Spade offers than stuff from online dating sites and credit score providers, any day.)
With Deem and our applications like travel, we’re using relevance technology to help get users in and out of the booking experience faster, showing them the best logical fare given who they are, what policy they’re subject to, and what we know they prefer.
You don’t have to search very far to see statistics in the media about how personalization is working for marketers. Your own marketing department may be thinking about it – if not already exploring it – today.
But as consumers (like Eli Pariser points out in The Filter Bubble), companies are wise to ask good, smart, proactive questions about this stuff when talking to cloud-based software vendors. Doing so helps you understand the implications and get your head around what’s good, what’s scary, what’s thrilling, and what’s really going to move the needle on your goals.
I put some questions together for companies to ask their cloud-based software vendors, for a recent Webinar I did through GBTA. Click here to download them. We’ll ask you to trade a wee bit of data in exchange for the document, mind you. But we think the content, like personalization so often is, will be worth it.
It’s time to call this boarding to order…..
By Tony
On my flight home from SFO to JFK last night I observed what has become an all too common occurrence that I’m sure you have all witnessed as well. Airlines are reworking the system to get butts in seats faster, but good intentions aside, it can all go south really fast and usually does. When it gets close to the time to begin boarding, we all tend to start jockeying around to ensure we get the pole position when the race to board begins. I’m not thrilled with the various strategies that I consider somewhat unsavory, like The Sidewinder (master of the ‘End Around’ move, going wide around a row of seats to make a side entry into an already formed line) or The Space Invader (Hi. We all see your blatant invasion of the open space). The Invader is rude but in some ways understandable because the Invader could think you are in a later zone and not in the first heat of the race. But what I find most upsetting is a blatant infraction by The Entitled One, someone who tries to join a Zone earlier than the one they are designated for.
Today a young man who had on one of those too tight suits and a pair of pointy shoes, made the classic Entitled move. I looked him over and said “no way this punk has more status than me,” but I had just finished an In-N-Out Burger with a Vanilla Shake on my way to the airport, and I was not as fast on my feet as I normally am, so I shot him a look, but let him have the inside track. Up to the boarding pass reader with his slick smile he goes, only to be stopped with… “Sir we are only Boarding Zone 1 at this point, so you will have to step aside.” Entitled said “oh, I didn’t hear the announcement,” so I said “she probably made 67 of them and you missed them all, did you sunshine?” The woman next to me smiled and muttered something that I didn’t completely catch, other than the last part which ended in “hole,” so I felt somewhat vindicated, but I think we should take this a bit further.
To solve this conundrum once and for all, Carrying On offers the following. From this point forward I say that anyone caught in a boarding pass infraction should be tracked by the airline AND required to wear a sticker that says “I’m a boarding pass cheater” for the entire flight. If they are caught a second time they should be boarded last regardless of their Zone. Caught a third time, they should be forced to check their bag regardless of its size or the availability of space on the flight.
If you agree let me know and I will put a project plan together to roll this out. I might even request Government funding under the “if you see something, say something” program. Either way, I think it’s time we take a stand.
Ok, I’m not Keats, but what did he know about Travel Expenses…
by Tony
I was feeling very inspired today and needed to top the tabloid flair I gave my last blog post, so I decided to channel my inner poet for this one. For your information, I referenced data from two articles: one from BTN about the 10th airfare hike of 2011, and the other discussing Advito’s across the board spend projection increases for 2011. Enjoy!
Surprise, Surprise…Travel Expenses on the Rise
Airfares are rising for the 10th time this year,
And Advito has shouted for all those to hear,
That the costs they will rise, in hotel, air and car,
To a point where our budgets will surely be marred.
Is there something a buyer of travel can do,
To avoid the boss pointing a finger at you?
Perhaps, said the blogger with many ideas,
There are a few ways to manage and shed all your fears.
There’s Parking, and Dining, and Car Service spend,
That you should start owning, let’s make this a trend.
Everyone eats, and they ask for it back,
On the expense report processed, it surely gets tracked,
So why not inform them of a new place to eat,
Where a rebate is possible, now isn’t that neat.
And while you are giving them words of advice,
There are places to park that are really quite nice.
And the best thing about them is the price that you pay,
Which is half then as much, for each single day.
To the airport they go in a chauffeured sedan,
Make sure it is one that you know and can stand,
One that’s approved with a discount you see,
To ensure that you manage this category.
If you take this advice and start tracking this stuff,
It’s a guarantee that your boss won’t be gruff,
For who would complain with a plan such as this,
It’s simple, it’s easy, it’s almost like bliss.
Perhaps you are thinking, but how do we start?
Give me a call and I’ll sell you a license to our Platform*
*Don’t know what happened with the last line. I guess my inner salesman kicked my inner poet out of my office.
The Best Things About Business Travel: Showing Them the World
by Becky
I’ve been tweeting since last week about the 30 things I love most about business travel (#30things), and just today I got to #14: “We help people see the world.”
When she was head of Carlson Companies, Marilyn Carlson Nelson, one of my personal heroes, frequently referred to this as one of the more important roles business travel plays in the world, and it always inspired me. Just think: Because of our industry, professionals young and old are seeing Singapore and Beijing, Dubai and Mumbai, Minneapolis and San Francisco, Cairo and Rio de Janeiro. With each of those trips, cultures are shared, minds are expanded, perspectives are broadened, stereotypes are challenged, and the world gets a little bit smaller.
After traveling to Denver for GBTA, I got to see a new part of the world myself, when, as promised in my last post, I hiked with friends to the top of our fifth 14,000-foot peak in the Colorado Rockies, Mount Quandary outside of Breckenridge. A wonderful added bonus was getting to see Levi Leipheimer, Christian Vande Velde, and Elia Viviana sprint to the finish line in stage 5 of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge in Breckinridge the next day. The world looked pretty amazing at 14,265 feet and at that finish line.
But then, the world has also looked amazing to me from a yurt in the Hong Kong harbor, from the banks of the Seine in Paris, from Queen Street in Toronto, from a pink-sand beach in Bermuda, from a balcony in New Orleans…. All places I have stood for the first time thanks to business travel.
Where has business travel taken you for the first time? Let’s keep the inspiration going!
I haven’t gotten to the laundry in a while, and it just kind of built up
by Tony
Not sure if you caught this story, but it goes to show you how far people will go to collect frequent flyer points. Mint ends frequent fliers’ dollar-coin scheme: The U.S. Mint has put an end to a crafty frequent flier rewards scheme.
The scheme was started by savvy travelers back in 2008 when the U.S. Mint launched a “direct ship” program to sell and ship dollar coins directly to the general public in hopes of increasing the use of the coins.
A few frequent fliers got the idea to buy the coins with credit cards to accumulate rewards points, then deposit the coins at a bank and pay off the credit balance.
Word of the strategy spread on blogs, with at least one frequent flier claiming he bought $800,000 in coins on his credit cards to boost his rewards point total.
When the U.S. Mint got word of the scheme, the federal agency contacted anyone who bought more than 1,000 coins within 10 days, asking whether they were using the coins for general use, as the program intended. Although the scheme did not break any laws, Mint officials said they wanted to make sure people used coins as intended.
The coin guys obviously took it to the extreme, but we’ve heard many tales of frequent travelers going on one last seven-leg trip in December on their own dime to secure airline status for the next year. If you’re like me, you’ve probably pondered how you can leverage this kind of behavior into something more positive for your travel program. And as I pondered this I started to consider the topic of gamification that has been so hot lately.
What looks like a generational move towards gamification (my oldest daughter leads many virtual lives in which she has amassed a great deal of virtual currency), is in fact not that new. Hell, I started “gaming” the system at St. Michael’s School when I was in 6th grade (it involved those candy bars we used to sell to raise money and I will spare the details to protect the innocent).
When you think about it, whether planning a seven-leg journey with just the right amount of legs or miles, or buying coins to collect miles, you are in fact gaming a system, hopefully to your advantage.
Now as you probably know, we’re pretty big on the whole user-centric approach to things at RC, and we’ve been thinking about this a lot lately.
How can we capture this fervor that people have to play and win a “game,” into something positive for everyone (the gamer, their company, and the service provider being gamed). I’d be interested to know if anyone has dabbled in this area and if so, how successful it was (or wasn’t as the case may be). Has anyone out there “gamified” their travel program yet? I think this might be one of those transformational opportunities, and would love to hear if anyone agrees.
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Attention travel managers: What’s getting in your way when it comes to managing corporate travel online? http://goo.gl/tQEmf
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