the essential bookers guide to business travel

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guideThe Essential Booker’s Guide to Business Travel

Having worked in the travel accommodation industry for over 14 years, here at SACO we know our stuff when it comes to business travel.

That’s why we have put together this guide to help you work out the best methods of researching, booking and succeeding in organising business travel for your colleagues.

Planning business travel for other people can be a minefield. With so much to organise, we want to help you cover every base, making sure you don’t forget the big things and helping you to think of the little extras that will make the traveller happy.

In this guide you will find some great tips, methods and foolproof plans to help make sure you don’t miss a thing.

Lesley Freed, Founder and CEO

Welcome

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guideThe Essential Booker’s Guide to Business Travel.

1

2

To succeed in organising business travel, follow our 5 stage process...

3

Booking the tripChoose the right transport and accommodation for your traveller. Page 5

2Preparing for the tripInside tips and planning advice for seamless business travel. Page 15

contentsBefore you bookGather the information needed for successful booking.

4While they are thereThings to consider for a hassle-free and productive stay. Page 19

5 Travelling abroadPrepare for travel with this quick and easy checklist. Page 21

Really useful top tipsThe best websites and mobile apps for an easy, more cost-effective travel experience. Page 23

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1With so many different types of travel and accommodation available, we have broken this section down into a checklist for you.

Gather your requirements. Ask yourself the following questions before clicking on the ‘buy now’ button...

1 What is the purpose of the trip?

you

e.g. Meetings,

project work, awards dinner

beforebook

3


2 How many people are travelling?

✓ ✓

5

e.g. Health, allergies, timings, preferences

Are there any specific meeting times for the traveller?

7 Does the traveller have any special requirements?

6 What budget is available?

Once you have all your answers... You will have a much better idea of what options are open to you and what items to include on a checklist for the traveller to pack. We’ve included space for your notes later in this guide.

4

e.g. Single day, overnight, multi-night, over 1

month

4 How long is the trip?

3 Who is the traveller?

e.g. CEO, Project

Manager, Junior

Auditor

✓✓

✓✓

✓SACO Waterloo Serviced Apartment

2bookingthe trip

5


Which option is best for the traveller?

The following guide will help you decide.

arrangingtransportation

6

case study: don’t let your boss

make his own arrangements!

I never, but never, allow my (academic) boss to book a plane, train, taxi or even a rickshaw

himself. Not since the time he booked an internal flight in the USA and ended up at

the University of Washington in Seattle, not, unfortunately, at Washington University in St

Louis, where he was supposed to be! Talk about absent-minded professors...

PA Club member

Great for...

1. If there is more than one person travelling within the UK

2. If they are picking up clients

3. If there are multiple stops required in one trip

4. If the traveller is away for a long time and will need transport on multiple occasions

5. If they are not based centrally

6. Keeping a low budget

Other things to consider...

1. Is the traveller correctly insured on the vehicle? (Many personal insurance policies will not cover for business use.)

2. Would it be cheaper to hire a car rather than pay mileage on their own car?

3. Do they have emergency breakdown cover?

4. Pre-programme a satellite navigation system with postcodes of all destinations or print out maps and directions for your traveller with journey times so they know to leave with plenty of time to spare.

5. Is there car parking available at the traveller’s destination or do you need to book a space?

car

flight


Just before the traveller sets off, check online for traffic warnings that may cause delays and if necessary plan an alternative route.

inside tip

If air travel is frequently required then consider

which airlines have loyalty schemes that

your organisation and the traveller can benefit from.7

Great for...

1. Being able to work on the move, especially for long journeys

2. Comfort (as long as you have pre-booked a seat)

3. Time – train can often be a lot faster than driving

4. Ease of use for the traveller - once they are on the train they can sit back and relax


1. Does your traveller have any personal railcards that you can use to keep costs down?

2. Will they need transfers to and from the train station – local taxi numbers will always come in handy

3. Do check and plan for any delays, especially in bad weather

4. Depending on your traveller, make sure you book the right ‘class’ of travel

Great for...1. Long distance

journeys

2. Cost in comparison to long train journeys

3. Ease of use for the traveller

4. Speed of journey 8

rail

flight

If the traveller is likely to use an electronic device during the journey remember to request a seat near a plug socket.

inside tip


1. Is the traveller’s passport in date?

2. Do they need any extra baggage allowance?

3. Will they need transfers to and from the airport?

If air travel is frequently required then consider

which airlines have loyalty schemes that

your organisation and the traveller can benefit from.

inside tip

top online flight booking site

We’ve reviewed the top 20 flight comparison sites using specific criteria and

have chosen Skyscanner.net as

the winner!Below are the reasons why we put it on top...

• Providesunbiased options and directly links to many airlines.

• Abroadrangeof leading travel agent fares are offered.

• Allairlinesare offered, irrespective of whether they pay commission.

• Skyscannerprovided the most accurate search results every time.

top flight booking tips • Choose“compare

flight times” instead of “compare prices.” When searching for a short flight for a business traveller, schedule is as important as price.

• Watchoutfor extra fees and credit card charges. Make sure you look out for additional handling fees, transaction fees, compulsory airline protection, insurance and credit card charges before you book.

One flight can look the cheapest but if these costs are not included it could work out to be the most expensive.

•Unlesssavingsare substantial or you have

a mandated travel policy through a Travel

Management Company

(TMC), book direct with the airline. This applies particularly to low cost airlines and British Airways. Travel agents will add a mark-up to the fare which may not be apparent at the first comparison stage.

• Booking two or more passengers? Check availability for just one seat. Airlines allocate a certain number of seats to be sold at various prices. They don’t want to fill an aircraft with passengers paying low fares. Frequently, just one seat is left at a lower fare. If you request two seats, the reservation systems will not offer you that last seat price but will sell you two at the next highest price.

• Putareminderinthediary, where relevant, for 24 hours before the flight to ensure online check-in happens and preferred seats can be selected.

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top train and car booking tips• Thebest rates are

available further in advance so look to book sooner rather than later, do be aware that advance tickets can be inflexible.

• Iftherearemultipletravellers, ensure car rentals are shared where possible. Many car rental and online train booking systems offer free loyalty points schemes. Always check if they are offered and register before you book.

• Avoid peak times: Arrivals before 0930-1000hrs, returns 1500-1900hrs. Always check the earlier or later train. This could save you hundreds of pounds.

• Considerusingrailcard options – check if the traveller has their own personal railcard that you can register to save money on their rail fare.

• Forticketmachinecollection, your traveller will need the credit card that you booked with for identification, so use the traveller’s credit card or have tickets posted to them before their travel date.

Avoiding peak travel times will save you hassle

and money!

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deciding onaccommodationguideThe Essential Booker’s Guide to Business Travel.

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SACO Manchester Serviced Apartment

case study: etiquette is vital

For a senior boss like mine (CEO of a consultancy firm), a knowledge of etiquette when travelling is essential. Business is

much harder to win, and relationships much harder to establish, if you offend your hosts, however unwittingly, when travelling around

the world. That’s why I provide him with a little “good manners” summary wherever he goes, as an aide-memoire. In China, for

example, there are lots of do’s and don’ts during a business dinner, so he can check his mini guide before the dinner starts.

PA Club member

deciding onaccommodationThese days hotels aren’t the only choice for

accommodation. To help you decide what type is best for your traveller, assess their requirements based on the checklist below and review the pros and cons of each option on the following pages.

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How long will they be away?

Do they need car parking?

Where do they need to be located –

centrally or out of town?

Do they want a restaurant on site or would

they prefer to be self sufficient?

How much space will they need – are they

staying away for a while and will family or

friends be visiting?

Do they need broadband access?

Do they need/want separate living

and sleeping areas?

Is there a limit on expenses claims

for breakfast, lunch and dinner?

Do they ‘need’ their room to

be cleaned daily?

This is not

an exhaustive list and can be

tailored to any extra requirements your

traveller may have.


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hotelsGreat for...Short stays

On-site restaurant

Extra on-site facilities e.g. gyms

Daily cleaning

Individual travellers

Broadband access

Not as good for...Cost of eating out

for every meal

No extra living space to work/

relax in/entertain family and friends

With space confined to one room, it can feel claustrophobic

Special dietary requirements

serviced apartmentsGreat for...

Low overall budgets (inc. expenses)

Short and long stays

Home from home feel with separate living and sleeping areas

Space to work/relax in the apartment

Saving money on expenses by cooking

in the apartment

Multiple bedroom apartments are great

for more than one traveller, or for family visits, keeping costs lower than multiple

hotel rooms

Broadband access

Not as good for...Daily cleaning –

normally done on a weekly basis

On-site facilities, such as a gym

and restaurant, are limited

bed & breakfastGreat for...Short stays

Homely feel

Personal service with only a small number of rooms

Low accommodation budgets

Breakfast is included in the cost

Daily cleaning

Individual travellers

Not as good for...Level of quality/

luxury

Cost of eating out for lunch and dinner

With space often confined to one room, it can feel

claustrophobic and makes it difficult to

entertain

Broadband access – not all B&Bs will offer

this as standard

SACO London Waterloo Serviced Apartment

who to book

through?

• Fromourresearch, Booking.com and HRS.com come out as the most flexible reservation sites. Instead of requiring prepayment, these companies will hold reservations, which can usually be cancelled up to 6pm on the day of arrival, without penalty, and without having to apply for a refund. This makes them ideal for the business traveller.

• Unlessthereisasignificantsaving, it is always best to go direct to the accommodation provider. They will then have direct access to your booking should you need to contact them and could offer discounted rates for frequent bookers.

• Ifyoubookalotofbusinesstravel then it would be worthwhile checking out a GDS (Global Distribution System). This is a live booking system which has access to thousands of accommodation providers across the world.

top online accommodation booking sites

top accommodation booking tips• Notallaccommodation

providers make all their rooms / apartments available to book online. Always be sure to call if you can’t find a room online.

• Forservicedapartmentrequirements, take a look at market leader SACO, the worldwide serviced apartment network, at www.sacoapartments.com

• Ifyouaregoingdirectto an accommodation provider, call them to see if they offer

discounted corporate rates or discounts for multiple bookings rather than just going for their online rates.

• Booking multiple locations? Save time and choose a provider that covers all locations with one point of contact.

• Somecompanies offer better deals for loyal customers. Check to see if they have a loyalty scheme or if they will offer you better rates the more often you book with them.

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3for the trip

preparing


The key to productive and cost-effective business travel is organisation.

Preparing business travel requires forethought and planning.

Plan ahead as far as possible what the traveller will require during their trip. This will save you considerable time and help

avoid unforseen problems.

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case study: belt and braces

My boss loves high-tech gadgets, so it’s never a problem persuading her to adopt the latest one. We got unstuck on one occasion, however, when she went jetting off to an extremely important meeting at very short notice with the entire agenda (including place and time and bullet points for her part in the

meeting) on her Blackberry and nowhere else.

I always give her paper versions of everything but she hadn’t time (so she said) to wait as the car was at the door. What she didn’t know was that her battery was nearly out and she’d left

the charger, complete with spare, on her desk! Everything got sorted in the end but now I insist she always takes paper

versions of everything important.

PA Club member

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ResearchFamiliarise yourself with the agenda for the business trip in question. This will help the traveller get the most out of the visit and will avoid frustrating situations.

LuggageFor trips that are up to four days long, a small wheeled luggage case is ideal for a business traveller.

LaptopConsider all the roles the laptop will be used for and make sure the necessary accessories are packed: the charger, the correct plug adaptor if travelling abroad, connection cables for projectors and a portable USB storage device for data sharing and backups.

Find out details of the internet connections in hotels and venues beforehand and include a contact number for your technical or IT support team should the traveller encounter any problems.

INSIDE TIP The Department of Transport no longer sets a maximum size for hand luggage. By carrying your case onto the plane, you’ll save time not having to check bags into the hold. Always check with the airline’s own regulations as rules regarding hand luggage change between providers. INSIDE TIP

Remember that on budget airlines a laptop bag is considered hand luggage and only one item is allowed.

Dress codeMake sure you’re aware of the dress codes required for events the business traveller will attend during their trip. Suits may be required for business meetings and there may be a dress code for conferences and exhibitions.

Anticipate a few social events and/or evening functions that may have dress code requirements.

Save on space by suggesting the traveller packs outfits which can be worn for different occasions.

INSIDE TIP Suggest to the traveller that they travel in business attire; then if they lose their bag they won’t be underdressed.

Mobile phonesEnsure the traveller never leaves home without a charger and, if travelling abroad, enable voice roaming as they can’t do it retrospectively once they are there.

For travel abroad, often you can call the mobile provider to pre-pay for a voice package at specific destinations. Ensure the traveller knows how to ‘disable data roaming’ on their smartphone if they want to avoid excessive roaming costs when away and are able to use wi-fi to retrieve email at their destination.

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for the trippreparingBusiness

cardsA sufficient stash of business cards is imperative.

Business documentsConsider what documents need to be printed in advance to prepare for the trip such as meeting agendas, presentations or previous meeting minutes for reference.

If the traveller is meeting new associates, gather relevant names, contact details and full addresses so they are easily accessible throughout the trip.

PaperworkEffective business travel is well planned business travel. Compile all the information the traveller needs to ensure they have a smooth trip.

This should include your contact details as the travel planner, accommodation details, venue names, addresses and contact numbers along with location and local area maps.

Don’t forget to include booking confirmations, tickets and of course the passport (if required).

It can be a great help to the traveller if you update their calendar/diary directly with all travel details/ times/ reminders for their trip.

INSIDE TIP A business card holder is always a handy addition to a trip to ensure that business cards look clean and professional when handed over.

INSIDE TIP eTickets are always advisable as it means carrying less paperwork but make sure that online “check-in” is done in sufficient time.

4while they are there

guide

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case study: every second counts

If your boss has a habit of calling you from abroad without thinking what time it might be, try putting UK time in brackets by the side of the local time on his itinerary.

With luck, he’ll realise that it’s 3 o’clock in the morning in UK - despite the bright sunshine outside his Sydney hotel

– and he’ll wait until a more civilised time to call you!

PA Club member

The Essential Booker’s Guide to Business Travel.

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Transportation As well as getting to and from their destination it’s important to consider how the business traveller will get around during the trip so make sure you include contact details for taxi firms, chauffeurs, train timetables, station locations and car hire centres.

If the traveller has decided to make their own way by car which has a sat-nav, remember to programme all the postcodes and addresses of places the traveller is likely to visit.

Tell the traveller about car parking details and charges so they have enough change to pay. In the UK, NCP.co.uk will help you find car parking details for local areas and kabbee.com is great for helping to find and compare taxi firms in London.

Local area When travelling to a new destination it’s useful to know a little about the local area in order to make the most of the trip.

Supply the traveller with maps and contact details for local business centres and hotels that offer meeting facilities and suitable restaurants for corporate entertainment.

Recreation Where possible, business trips should include some leisure time so speak to the local tourist board for things to see and do and local places of interest.

Itinerary To ensure a trip is as productive as possible, devise an itinerary in

advance.

By outlining the schedule of meetings, conferences and exhibitions you can ensure meeting times do not conflict and travel time has been considered.

Where possible it may be useful to group meetings together in one location so that travel does not have to be

considered.

If the company is exhibiting at a conference or trade show, make sure you include information on set-up and preparation times as well as a delegate timetable for the event.

Once you’ve outlined the events, you’ll be able to see gaps in the schedule and consider how the traveller can make the most of their free time.

For example, there may be useful networking events they could attend or they could meet clients, associates and potential customers based in the local area.

INSIDE TIP Contact the reception staff at your booked accommodation and use them as a resource.

They can provide you with all sorts of useful information about the local area.

INSIDE TIP Search to see if there’s an app for the local area which could help provide up to date information on the move.

5abroad:travelling

As travelling abroad on business gives you a whole list of other things to remember, we thought it would

be useful to break it down into a quick and easy checklist to make sure the traveller is well prepared before they set off.

case study:the basics countI always give my boss a complete itinerary including journey times from one meeting to the other. I also enclose a map with the hotel highlighted on it, the venues for her meetings, plus the British Embassy or consulate – just in case. I also enclose a list of the best restaurants and some good shops in case she has time for present-buying for her children. I get great tips from other PA Club members – and it makes me look good in my boss’s eyes!

PA Club member

checklist

The basics

Flight booked

Accommodation booked

Transfers or car hire arranged

✓

✓

✓21


abroad:

22

Before they go

Purchase travel insurance to

cover trip

Check the passport is valid for the duration of the trip. Some countries require it to be within six

months of the expiry date.

Research call charges – it

may be worth purchasing an overseas SIM

card - and make sure data roaming is switched off to

avoid unexpected charges

Are any vaccinations

required?

Purchase currency

Travel essentials

International power converters

Sun tan lotion, sunglasses

(if hot country)

Ear plugs

First aid kit with malaria

or indigenous disease tablets

if required

Phone charger

Travel documents

Copy of the travel insurance

Passport (in date)

Check-in documents or

boarding passes if checked-in

online in advance

Details of flights

Details and address of

accommodation and booking confirmation

Details and contact number

for the transfer or car hire company

✓

✓

✓

✓

✓

✓

✓

✓

✓

✓

✓✓

✓

✓

✓

✓

real

lyus

eful

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SACO Serviced Apartments Offering access to over 12,000 serviced apartments across the

UK and worldwide.

best accommodation

websites{www.sacoapartments.com

Booking.com and HRS.com Both of these offer a range of

hotels, serviced apartments and B&Bs in all sorts of locations.

www.booking.com

www.hrs.com

Tripadvisor Great for getting those insider tips on accommodation before

you book.

www.tripadvisor.co.uk


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best travel websites{

best travel mobile apps{

Skyscanner Provides unbiased options, directly links up with many

airlines and offers a broad range of leading travel agent fares.

www.skyscanner.net

The Train Line and Red Spotted Hanky

Both of these give you access to huge savings on rail travel

with accurate timetable updates. Red Spotted Hanky also awards loyalty points on bookings made

through their site.

www.thetrainline.com

www.redspottedhanky.com

Car rentals This is a useful site for comparing

lots of different car hire companies. Once you have found

the cheapest, it is then worth going direct as lots of car hire companies offer loyalty points.

www.carrentals.co.uk

National Rail Generally provides platform

information before it is announced at the station, giving you time to find a

seat before the stampede!

XE Currency Very useful tool for converting money from all over the world.

oMaps Though most phones have a built-in maps application, it often requires 3G connections

to function properly.So, if you happen to be out of the country and roaming can be very expensive, oMaps allows owners to download maps of destinations

ahead of time, then browse through them on the phone without the use

of 3G or a connection to the internet.

Google Translate Google Translate allows you to

translate text between 57 languages.

Tube map Being able to navigate your

way around the capital is crucial for anyone visiting London.

TripIt This clever service does a lot of the hard work for you; just by forwarding booking confirmations it will turn all your flight, hotel and rental

bookings into simple mobile travel itineraries.

All your train travel needs wrapped up in one

guide

25

The Essential Booker’s Guide to Business Travel.

my notes

26

my tips

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With over 5000 members nationwide, The PA Club is the country’s leading membership network for PAs, EAs, travel bookers and event organisers. Sign up today and let us lighten the load.

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This guide is brought to you by SACO Serviced Apartments with thanks to the PA Club for their

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