Move Away from Traveller ‘Naughty or Nice’ List

Business travel is often spoken about with a split right down the middle; on one side, well-behaved employees and on the other, the ‘rogue’ travellers. This has led to much of the thinking around traveller behaviour and how best to respond to it being similarly split into these two, finite categories.

But as data and analytics have improved, it’s become clear that this way of thinking has meant a loss of nuance when it comes to managing employee travel effectively. That’s as true for the 21-year-old employee going to Europe for the first time as the seasoned director making their 50th trip to the Middle East. It might be Christmas soon, but the idea of a ‘naughty or nice’ list simply won’t cut it for effective, modern business travel management.

Understanding that there’s subtle nuances between each traveller’s attitude is crucial, as we discuss in our latest article with Business Travel iQ. The piece aims to:

• Establish a set of typical profiles to refer to when discussing employees who follow procedure and those who stray away from the rules when it comes to business travel
• Provide a deeper understanding into the motivations and most likely reasoning behind the travel decisions staff make when it comes to booking flights and arranging accommodation for example
• Offer advice as to how best to support these employees and guide them towards following best practices and company policy

There are of course more than two types of traveller – not simply ‘naughty’ or ‘nice’, and each of these types respect policy differently.

The spectrum covers fearless travellers, ‘I can’t be bothered’ types, those early in their career, and those who are determined to treat themselves to a VIP experience – not the best news for most companies when it comes to cost and differentiation later down the line.

Knowing the rules and respecting them tend to depend on maturity within an organisation – less experienced team members are usually more inclined to play by the rules due their need for guidance and support through this business process. Conversely, we’re more likely to observe seasoned travel directors taking policy short cuts and evading travel booking procedures in order to suit their personal preferences.

Managing business travel programmes is a tricky business and the problems presented here are nothing new, but thankfully technology is evolving to offer tools and data that will ensure travellers are satisfied, safe and home this Christmas.