Blog post

Protecting what matters most

28/01/2020
Marketing

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If your business operates across different markets and geographies and your growth is sourced from getting your products and services to international markets, it’s likely you will have resources travelling to grow these markets and identify new ones. Travel, like any business expense, can be managed poorly which results in unnecessary expenditure, and arguably can put a business’ most important asset at risk – its people.

In this article we look at the benefits of working with a travel management company, like Orbit, to ensure your people (and your business) are optimised when on the road.

 

Protecting what matters most

It might surprise you to know that over 30% of travel plans are disrupted. This can create havoc for the business traveller who has meetings and other business plans to attend to - often on a tight schedule. And let’s not forget that the world can be an unpredictable and dangerous place, where weather disruption and other global events can derail a business trip at the drop of a hat.

An employer’s duty of care obligations doesn’t stop once an employee leaves the premises, so it’s important to ensure employees are well cared for when travelling and representing the business. Orbit has developed a comprehensive duty of care offering, Orbit Response, for this very reason.

Orbit Response is designed to keep your traveller supported on the road and you, as their employer, updated should anything happen. This includes 24/7 afterhours support, security updates, risk advice, client location reports, robotic incident detection and alert notification. So, if an emergency ever arises, you can rest assured that your travellers are safe and connected while travelling, minimising disruption on your business.

 

Are you getting the best value?

Travel can be a costly exercise and when you are dependent on it to open new markets or grow existing ones, it’s a necessary expense. Making the most of your time while travelling and knowing that you’re getting the best rates - whether it be air, accommodation or transport, can make a significant difference.

Like a lot of service industries, travel management companies add a lot of value through their scale and relationships which then gives them the ability to negotiate sharper rates with suppliers for their clients. Visibility of your travel expenditure is also valuable to understand your travel spend and identify what you could be doing differently to save money. Comprehensive reporting together with account management services from your TMC can provide you with advice and recommendations to reduce your travel costs.

 

Leave it to the experts

Understanding travel and the associated requirements to other countries can be a minefield - from navigating connecting flights to applying for the right visas. When every minute counts as a cost to your business, working with experienced travel consultants can save you a lot of time and money, as their knowledge and experience will avoid costly oversights and mistakes.

International business travel often involves multiple components so, if there are disruptions, typically it’s not just a flight or some accommodation that needs to be re-arranged or rebooked. Different geographies in the booking, time zones and requirements along with several travel components means that one change can disrupt a whole stream of arrangements. Changing all of these can be time consuming and expensive. This is where your TMC can come in and, with one point of contact, everything can be re-arranged effectively and efficiently saving you time and money.

 

Working in partnership with a travel management company, like Orbit, can help make a difference to your bottom line both in terms of optimising your travel spend, reducing costs and looking after your team when they are travelling for your business.