There is never a dull day in our office and often I feel like I’ve done a round the world trip myself by the end of the day!
At present we are arranging client travel to Scandinavia, particularly Norway with Stavanger being a hotspot right now. Other worldwide destinations we are regularly working on include Los Angeles, Washington, Singapore and Abu Dhabi.
End destinations depend on a number of factors; in some cases, it can be the global office base for a client, in other cases we arrange business travel for clients running contracts and projects in those localities. For the latter, we have a broad base of regular customers whose work moves around the world for projects and contracts and we assist as they move on to the next one. Then, there are of course client meetings, these generate travel requirements on an ad hoc basis and often at short notice.
Arranging travel is relatively straightforward. Our clients use our travel management service because we add so much more value than just booking the flights. Knowing someone has their back if things go pear shaped is worth its weight in gold to them. No matter what time of the day or night and no matter what day of the week, there is always someone to help in their hour of need. (Our consistently high customer NPS score of 10 is testament to that!)
Here’s a client story which illustrates just how critical it is for our clients to have the services of a travel manager:
Our customer offers highly skilled engineering support on turnkey solutions and are a top quality ground support equipment supplier. A global business where international travel features as part of the day job!
One of the directors and his colleague were about to embark on a short but critical business trip to Dubai. On completion of the business meeting, the director was due to travel onward from Dubai to Singapore. His colleague was flying home once his part of the business had been completed, that same day, later in the evening.
They were both due to fly with BA and arrived at the airport to learn their flight was delayed. It was eventually cancelled just after midnight. Terminal 5 at this time of the morning is not staffed with reservation teams and so our clients were confronted with an unplanned overnighter in a LHR hotel, facing the prospect of a reservation desk bunfight first thing in the morning to try and secure themselves on the next available BA flight.
How did we help?
Being a Travel Counsellor for Business customer, the director knew that he had a 24 hour support team he could call on. His relationship with us was such that he picked up the phone and called us personally for help.
We sprang into action and spent the next 3 hours arranging and coordinating alternative flights for both travellers, also rearranging the onwards flight to Singapore and accommodation for them both in Dubai. Every detail was taken care of, even the car parking back in the UK was extended to accommodate the delay. UK reservation desks were closed – this was the middle of the night after all! US reservation teams however were available and provided us with the information we needed and enabled us to get this sorted with the minimum amount of fuss.
What was the outcome?
Our clients spent the night at an airport hotel which was organised and paid for by BA, got some sleep and returned to T5 later in the morning, refreshed and ready to get on their newly booked flight to Dubai.
By using TCB and enlisting our help to arrange alternative flights, they avoided any difficulties at the BA desk next morning and were well on their way before most people had secured their seats on alternative flights. What had the opportunity to be an incredibly stressful experience was turned into just an inconvenient one. No harm was done, meetings were moved, and the delay accommodated for, they both went about their international business as usual.
The director sent this message “thank you very much for your hard work and helping to reduce the stress levels, it is very much appreciated.”
It’s not often that we must help a customer in the middle of the night, but we were delighted that we were able to get our clients back on course again with the minimum amount of fuss. With time so short on their trip, they really couldn’t afford to wait for BA to find them alternative flights.
This is exactly why business travellers benefit from working with Travel Counsellors for Business, we take the stress away from the traveller, allowing them to get on with what they do best.
Contact Katharine Cleall on 01202 802166 if you need help with your business travel arrangements.