Looking at the question above it is easier you state what I do not do. I do not SELL Airline Tickets. I do not match or beat the price you found on Expedia, I do not have a secret inventory of super low fares.
I Consult. Take the burden of planning the logistics around a business trip away from the traveler so he/she can concentrate on what they do. I act as the “fixer” for the traveler when things go wrong by dealing with the problem first hand and presenting a swift solution that allows the traveler to move on and focus on their business. How do I do it?.
The first and most important foundation for effective Corporate Travel Consulting is to know your client. What does he do? What does his company do?. What is the corporate culture?. what are the guidelines for expenditures (Travel Policy and Budget). What are the individuals preferences?. What are the specific requirements for each trip (type of meeting, location,times etc).
Without the information above it is almost impossible to apply the over 20 years of knowledge I have and secure a smooth effective transaction. I know most of my travelers “profile” information down to the type of pillow preferred at the hotel, it’s all in the communication.
Time is money. Managing a company’s travel budget and ensuring it is spent the most effective way is also what I do, however securing the lowest fare that has a traveler sitting at an airport for 4 hours waiting for a connection to save $150 is not always considered a “saving”. Let me try to give you an overview of how I work:
1. a request comes in for a trip to Brussels Belgium. The client is in Stockholm and is attending a meeting that will commence at 2pm Monday and end at noon Tuesday.
First I look at connections, and availability. I have 2 posibilities, a direct flight that arrives at 1225pm Monday or a cheaper flight via Frankfurt that arrives at 1130am BUT departs 2 hours earlier. The savings are only $165 and I want to avoid delays in Frankfurt. I book the direct flight, Calculate the driving distance from Zaventem Airport to the meeting location, taking traffic into consideration. Reserve a room at the Marriott which is a 5 minute walk from the meeting location and secure a return flight with a short connect in Dusseldorf that departs at 2pm giving time to drive to Airport and check in (I have asked if the client is checking bags and that is not the case). Once the option is reserved I present this to the traveler by E-mail wih google map links showing distance on the ground. I also inform about the lower fare and justify my recommendation of the slightly higher option. When approved I assign seats (as per preference) ensure membership numbers are applied and send a message to the hotel requesting a specific room. The ticket is issued nad documents sent to the client with a copy of the invoice to the company’s finance department. 24hours prior to departure I check the booking to ensure there are no schedule changes, cancellations etc. I also check weather forecast and travel advisories. Lastly I call the hotel and by voice ensures that the preferences are met and all is good to go. Should there be any alerts or concerns I look at alternatives and contact the client.
While the client is traveling they are instructed to contact me immediatly if there are any problems such as cancellations, delay’s etc. I have direct access to 90% of the airlines and can solve a problem faster than them dealing with a counter agent at an airport, this service is offered 24/7 365 and I DO get calls.
Once the client returns from a trip I send a quick email asking for feedback which I use for future reference. SO how do I know what traffic is like in Brussels at noon on a Monday?. Over 20 years of making travel arrangements, advising people, solving problems and having traveled extensively through out the world with the ability to do research on the internet provides a solid foundation. Rule number one in my business, never embelish or try to extend advise on something you are not sure of or do not know. I often tell my clients that I am not certain about something but I will gain information and be able to advise based on that. I am afiliated with a company that has a knowledge base that is 2nd to none. Ask a question and be certain someone has the experience and will share.
So how do I make a living?. I am proud of what I do and believe that there is a value in what I have to offer. I charge a fee per transaction for my support, knowledge and advise in general. The fee I charge if compared with the value I provide (not only in saving hard dollars on tickets,hotels,cars etc) is a small expence if converted into time saved, and gained ease of conducting business. to give you an example below is a snipit of a client testimony in assistance:
Ottawa & Vermont – on a Sunday morning in September I was the victim of bureaucracy between SAS and Air Canada and they both cancelled my flights. I emailed you at midnight your time and you answered! And you spent the next three hours talking to everyone you could at AC and SAS to sort out the issue. In the end, you took matters into your own hands, put me on Iceland Air and then took care of Air Canada the next week and fought to get not only my refund but also my secured me an upgrade on the way back to Europe.
· Return trip to Sweden this summer – flights were Victoria-Toronto-Heathrow-Arlanda-Ovik and of course the flight out of Victoria was delayed so my family and I missed every connection after. Air Canada said they could get me as far as London but after that I was SAS’s problem. You told me to just get on the flight to London and you promised me that when I landed in Heathrow it would all be sorted out. Sure enough, 8 hours landing in Heathrow there was the email from you with everything taken care of.
· Trip to BC: you contacted me two days before my most recent trip to BC and let me know about the Air Canada strike AND you already had a backup plan in place with Lufthansa.
The extra cost for all this service? $75. Unbelievable. If I booked this online or with other travel agents I would never ever get this service. I’ve tried to deal with the big agencies before and after hours they don’t care and during office hours I have left messages that don’t get returned for days. After hours I get some 1-800 help line and it’s a mess; they know nothing about me, my preferences or needs. It’s incredibly frustrating to deal with these big agencies. If I worked through our office assistant there’s no way she’d try to help me out in the middle of the night and there’s no way she’d do it for $75!
So I can’t say it enough, but thank you, for everything you do and for being so patient with my crazy travel schedule, my unique invoicing requirements and putting up with my constant travel changes. You are a pleasure to work with and I know you have my back on every trip.
I love my job, It’s complicated, demanding the travel industry changes so fast and having to adapt and learn new rules and regulations can be overwhelming. 22 years in the industry there is nothing like it!
Shoot me an email if you need assistance or advise….
