Ryan Potgieter | General Manager | Flight Centre Business Travel | mail me |
With the rise in digital nomads and travelpreneurs, it’s business as usual, whether you’re sitting at your desk, or 30,000 feet up in the air.
Business no longer keeps office hours and if you’re a business owner or director, chances are you’re conducting business in a noisy coffee shop or in the waiting lounge of an airport.
Business travel has become a necessary way of reaching out to your customers and it’s unlikely that it will ever be replaced completely with the likes of Skype or conference calling. And why should it? It’s become easier than ever to travel.
With travel apps and Travel Management Companies (TMC) staying ahead of the curb in what they offer, from the booking process to the journey itself, along with industry leaders keeping up with the rapidly evolving needs of this market, business travel is far more accessible for all business owners than it has ever been.
Myth#1 | Business travel means sterile hotel rooms
Business travellers have long been associated with hotels, but in recent times there has been a shift as travellers seek a more relaxed, convivial environment in guest houses.
They still want amenities that help make their work easier, but tend to request accommodation that feels more like a home than a hotel. Guest houses have become a top option and now offer facilities such as coffee to go, fast, free Wi-Fi and airport shuttle services, while hotels across the board are also picking up on the trend of personalisation, converting some rooms into self-catering apartments with kitchens, lounge areas and even braai areas for guests to feel more at home.
TMC’s have further evolved their hotel offerings to include complimentary extras for hotel bookings across Africa as part of a SmartSTAY programme.
Myth#2 | Business travel means all work and no play
A 2017 report by the Global Business Travel Association in North America showed that the percentage of generations extending a work trip for leisure were:
- 23% Baby Boomers (1946-1964)
- 33% Gen-X travelers 1964-1980)
- 48% Millennials (1981-1997)
‘Bleisure’ reflects a small, yet growing trend in business travel where a business executive combines both business and leisure. If you’re an entrepreneur, who worries about the additional expense and time, there are ways in which to take advantage of bleisure for yourself and your sales teams, without encroaching on productivity and budget.
You simply need to be smart in your travel planning and enlist the help of a travel management company to ensure you get the most benefit from your bleisure extension, be it for a work incentive or to retain millennial team members who hold leisure travel experiences in high regard.
Myth#3 | Using a travel agent for business travel is expensive
In business, time is money. With the amount of online travel platforms circulating the World Wide Web, you can spend hours going in circles trying to plan your business trip on your own.
These days, accredited travel agents have leveled up to the needs of business travel, offering a balance of tailormade expert advice, recommendations and efficient booking processes to match your travel expectations. They can save you money by keeping within your budget, and saving you time by pre-booking flights, accommodation and transport all in one go, and making necessary changes for you when you need, so that you can focus on your business.
Myth#4 | Business travel is more stressful
Business trips can be incredibly stressful, especially the part where you need to get to meetings in unfamiliar, often obscure areas. There are however ways to alleviate stress on business trips and this comes down to efficient planning and using the right tools to help you along your journey.
Partnering with the right TMC which can take care of your travel plans is the best place to start, from arranging a fast-track service when collecting your rental car, to pre-empting flight changes and cancellations. With so many mobile apps out there, rest assured there are plenty of helpful, user-friendly options, great for day-to-day use, from the usual favorites like Uber and Google Maps to ones such as XE currency converter and TripIt, which stores all of your various reservation numbers for easy access offline.
Myth#5 | Business travel is lonely
Avoid the travel blues by being proactive on your next business trip.
Take a moment to scout out a local yoga class or running club on your next trip, by looking online or on global social platforms such as Meet-Up. Instead of working from your hotel room, try a local coffee shop for a couple hours or, better yet, take up a desk space at an organised co-working space for the day. There’s bound to be one in every major city, and it’s a great way to connect with other entrepreneurs.
Teaming up with a reliable Travel Management Company makes for a hassle-free, more enjoyable travel experience. Let your travel arrangements become one less thing for you to worry about, and use that extra time to focus on growing your business with each trip you take.