Staff travel has plenty of challenges, but that’s not an excuse not to get the booking done. Whether it is for a conference, regular business travel, or going to close a deal visit Monos. When you need to book travel accommodations for a group, there are a few things you can do to make it easier on yourself and minimize the chances of serious screw ups along the way.
Schedules Need to Be Centralized
Everyone’s schedules and itineraries need to be in one place. This not only trains everyone to go to the same place for information but it also makes individual schedules and meetings available for others to see. This allows you to avoid double booking or spot potential conflicts early so you can do something about them ahead of time.
This also makes it much easier to see schedules, make changes, and to keep everyone abreast of changes that would affect the overall travel situation.
There are many types of software programs that do this. The key is having a setup where you can have multiple schedules in one place, have a master schedule to see where everything fits, and have that information open to the people in the group so everyone can adjust as needed.
Look for Deals
There are almost always deals of some type during travel. This could be finding discounts on tickets, finding travel rewards programs that pay off with enough travel over time, or calling hotels directly to negotiate a better deal. You might be surprised how often simply asking can get you a deal that isn’t being advertised.
Sometimes there are organizations that specialize in this and can help you broker better deals on hotels, travel, meals, recreation when you get there and more.
Make Technology Work for You
New and improved software is being improved all the time for both business and travelers. Look at what both offer to get the best combination of deals. This could be in the form of websites offering deals, special apps that give rewards, or free online resources that let you look at various options and compare prices. Don’t hold to just one tool. Look at multiple options.
Don’t overlook business travel magazines, either. This often talk about new companies, new apps, new software, and changes in the field of business travel. Staying on top of how things are changing will let you know what to look for to find even better deals in the future.
Ask Partners for Recommendations
You never know. Clients, customers, or even other businesses who have a working relationship with you may have deals they are willing to share. Asking can open doors you didn’t even know where there. This can be incredibly handy, especially if it’s at a frequent travel destination. You never know what doors a local recommendation might open for you.