Brent Blake, President, Acendas Travel
You need support in your travel.
With each passing day, the world is opening up to a greater degree and the number of travelers is increasing. However, we are quickly learning the return to travel is not like riding a bike. Much has changed and will continue to change as we adjust to the new normal.
Survey Says
As a travel management company, it is vital that we have your feedback so that we can provide the best service in helping you achieve your business goals and provide a positive traveler experience. Through conversations with our program managers, via our monthly virtual client meetings and based on responses of a recently-completed client survey, we are taking that feedback and implementing it in our travel programming.
For example, in terms of importance, it is not surprising that online booking tool integration, ease of doing business, value to price, communications and duty of care to be most important coming out of the pandemic. With businesses cutting back in staff, hiring new associates and working remotely, it is important that working with a travel management company such as Acendas Travel is as easy as possible. Based on those same reasons, online resources are even more vital to your travel program’s success. These tools create efficiencies for travelers when a few minutes can make a difference.
Communicate, Communicate, Communicate
Not surprisingly, communications from a travel management company was deemed highly valuable. This was reinforced during the various stages of the pandemic as our clients looked to address unused tickets, utilize an enhanced travel authorization process, and secure information on testing, quarantines, airline protocols, etc. So much was unknown as the pandemic continued and we started to board flights, rent cars and reserve hotel rooms. It truly is a brave new world.
Even More Care for the Traveler
While Duty of Care has been increasing in importance to companies over that past decade, the pandemic elevated it to an even higher level. Business leaders are taking added measures to ensure the safety and security of travelers. The industry had to react to make adjustments and demonstrate those changes have had a positive impact. Distancing, masking and sanitization were part and parcel to this, but additional issues such as community Covid-19 spread levels, quarantine requirements, early flights, long layovers and the like all speak to traveler welfare.
So, what does this feedback mean to us as a travel management company? It means we must be even more diligent in making your lives easier; our duty is to communicate, communicate, communicate; and we must institute processes to further safeguard travelers. Thankfully, we have received positive feedback from our clients in many of those areas of top concern. For full disclosure, user satisfaction with online booking tool integration was much lower than the importance they placed on it. We must continue to work with our vendor partners to make these resources more intuitive and easier to use. If there is a silver lining, it is that our online support staff was rated to be responsive, knowledgeable and supportive.
We appreciate your feedback, even if it is not positive. It is the only way for us to improve.