Use a business travel itinerary template for a more successful trip

The ups and downs of COVID-19 have shown the importance of the humble travel itinerary. Here’s how to create a great business travel itinerary (and the common pitfalls to avoid).

In a world where travel regulations and requirements are changing daily (sometimes hourly), a business travel itinerary is critical for making business travel stress-free, safe and successful.

When planning a business trip itinerary, there are lots of variables to consider, details to comb through and reservations to book. But even the best-laid plans can go awry – there’s still the possibility that problems will pop up while your corporate traveller is on the move.

The best thing you can do is be prepared with a detailed business travel itinerary. That way, when things change, you can move straight into problem-solving mode. Business travel itineraries help streamline the planning process and create consistency, so you can be confident you’ve hit the planning nail on the head.

1. It’s all about the detail when business travel planning

Far more than just a list of flight times and hotel bookings, a business travel itinerary is a summary of all a trip’s details, saving travel managers and business travellers time and aggravation.

But as Customer Experience Leader Lisa Hooper explains, creating a detailed itinerary is ultimately about ensuring business traveller safety, and should be a routine part of your duty-of-care policy.

“The importance of having a detailed itinerary is that if things do change, it's much easier for you to implement those changes – you know exactly where your business traveller is going to be and when.”

COVID-19: Be extra prepared

There’s no denying that COVID-19 has transformed almost every aspect of the travel industry, and itineraries are no different. Planning business travel is more complex than ever, and that means business travel itineraries need to be more thorough.

Nicola Tarrant, Travel Manager, works on the frontline with Corporate Traveller clients. She says there’s a lot of conflicting information out there which can make it even more challenging for businesses to prep for business travel.

“You want to find sources you can trust, like our COVID-19 Travel Hub, so when you’re putting together your travel itinerary, you know what is required from business travellers – vaccination passports, PCR test requirements, declaration forms, government and travel regulations.”

Even in the domestic market, things can change very quickly.

“We’re still seeing a lot of schedule changes that we can’t control, so itineraries need to be more flexible and adaptable to circumstances,” Lisa adds. “A lot of the responsibility is now on the traveller, and that’s where we’re seeing more customers turn to TMCs because they’re worth their weight in gold.”

2. Must-have elements of a business travel itinerary

Not all business travel itineraries look the same. Often it comes down to the type of trip and what business travellers will be doing. That’s where using a business travel itinerary template can save valuable time and resources, because it ensures you always cover the basics.

A good business travel itinerary should include the following information:

• Travel information. Date of travel, check-in times, flight times, flight numbers, seat numbers, in-flight amenities
• Airport information. The name and address of your departing/arriving airport/s and terminal number/s, expected layovers, airport lounge reservations
• Transportation to the airport. Mode of transport (taxi, bus, train, shuttle), travel time and cost, car-pooling (meeting time and location), parking (if applicable)
• Accommodation information. Name, address and telephone number, hotel reservation number, available amenities, check-in/out times, Wi-Fi details
• Transportation to the hotel. Mode of transport (taxi, bus, train, shuttle), travel time and cost, rental car pick-up information
• Contact information for the people you’ll be visiting, as well as all travel partners (if travelling with others)
• Daily schedule details:
  • Time and location for all meetings, names of people involved, meeting agendas
  • Time and location for all meals and events, host/hostess information, guest list
• Suggested daily budget and local currency exchange rate. If cash is required, the best method to withdraw money and from where
• Other relevant information (where applicable):
  • Train times, stations, platforms
  • Taxi pickup times, account details or payment required
  • Town car information, pick-up and drop-off times, locations, reservation numbers
  • Important local information – weather, local etiquette, dress code, tipping advice

Go above and beyond for international trips

While the big three pillars – flights, accommodation and work schedule – will look much the same across most itineraries, factors like international flight variations (think round trip versus one-way) will add layers of complexity.

“It’s about cost, but also duty of care,” Lisa explains. “Return tickets are often the most cost-effective, particularly with varying regulations around entry requirements, flights and transit. It’s certainly safer now to have all of your travel booked in advance.”

Travel insurance should also be a top priority, even for domestic travel. Travelling can be unpredictable at the best of times, so you want a good policy that covers the basics: cancellations, flight delays, lost, stolen or damaged luggage, medical and dental care, even emergency cover for evacuation. Most importantly, doublecheck what isn’t included in a policy, particularly around COVID-19-related travel issues.

Stay updated on the latest safety measures, restrictions, transmission levels and travel guidelines with Corporate Traveller. You’ll also want to go through a business travel checklist to make sure you’ve considered every stage of the travel journey – before, during and after.

It’s the little details that matter

When it comes to business travel planning management, the devil has always been in the detail and COVID-19 has added a new layer of complexity. That’s why it’s more important than ever to check, and then check again, that you’ve got all your ducks in a row.

Changes are happening so often that what is valid when you book may not be valid when you travel, so check travel requirements just before your departure too, not just when you are booking.

Here’s a list of details to consider:

• Different time zones. Make sure everyone involved with the trip is on the same page, and when setting up meetings or making reservations, check you’re in the right time zone.
• Check passport details. Some countries require passports to be valid for at least six months after your scheduled return, so don’t let your traveller be turned away or delayed at customs because of an old passport. 
• Visas (both travel and transit). A lot has changed in the world of travel, and many travel and transit visa regulations have changed in response to the global pandemic. It’s safest not to assume anything.
• Inter-city travel time. Work out the time your business travellers will need to get from the airport or train station to their appointments. If it takes half an hour to reach the other side of the city, but you’ve only scheduled 10 minutes travel time, then they’re running behind before they’ve even landed.
• Adequate time to eat. If your business traveller’s work schedule is jam-packed, don’t forget to carve out some time for lunch or dinner.
• If all else fails, have a plan B. It’s best to approach business travel itineraries as if something will go wrong, and include a backup plan in case of emergencies. It’ll give your traveller peace of mind and ensure you’ve got everything in place to get your staff back home safely.

3. Avoid common business travel itinerary mistakes

Every business has different travel needs and goals that influence business travel itineraries. However, some common mistakes can be easily solved with proactive approaches.

• Not setting a budget. You need to create a trip budget and your business traveller needs to adhere to it. Surreptitious costs, such as hidden fees, fluctuating exchange rates, taxes, tips and more, can take a big, jagged bite out of your financials. 
  • The solution: A streamlined business travel expenses management process will ensure your staff can quickly claim back on anything they’ve had to pay for. Expense management tools like Savi will give your business greater control and visibility.
• Using wrong or outdated information. Make sure all passports and any visa documents are updated and all names are a correct match. A lot can happen in two years, and name changes are one of those pesky details that can cost time and money to fix.
  • The solution: Create checklists and templates for business travel so nothing gets missed or overlooked. These might include traveller profiles including names, personal details, passport numbers and expiry dates, a new-traveller checklist to make sure you have everything you need to arrange their travel itinerary, and a travel itinerary template, into which you can easily drop booking confirmations.
• Unclear travel policy. A good travel policy will help to reduce costs and ensure that you are meeting your duty-of-care obligations as an employer. It’ll also help manage employees’ expectations, and offer them options that are in line with your company's travel goals.
• The solution: Review your corporate travel policy (there is no better time than the present). Make sure it’s specific on what you’re expected to deliver for each business trip you plan, and budget/responsibilities are clearly defined. Here are our top tips to improve your travel policy.
• Using tech or apps that lack full visibility. When planning corporate travel, timing is everything. Forgetting to factor in things like time-zone changes or leaving no time for dinner puts your traveller on the back foot when the goal is to make business travel easier and safer.
  • The solution: A simple travel booking platform allows you to report and manage related expenses and duty of care for your travellers. This is why we stay at the forefront of developing TMC technology to support the ever-evolving needs of our customers. 

4. Striking the perfect balance when creating a business travel itinerary

While this might seem like stating the obvious, a great business travel itinerary covers as many bases as possible but also has enough flexibility to adapt to unexpected change. Just as you can under-plan your business travel itinerary, you can also over-plan, and there are consequences of both.

The consequences of over-planning

Over-planning can be damaging to a successful business trip, mainly because it leaves too little wiggle room should your business traveller’s circumstances change – and this can be costly for the organisation.

Steer clear of over-planning by building in extra travel time, particularly to and from meetings. Try not to cram too much into one day, avoid back-to-back meetings where possible and give your business traveller plenty of time to pack in and out, especially around long-haul flights. And remember, time-zone changes are tough. When it comes to jet lag, a general rule is that it will take you as many days to recover as time zones you’ve crossed.

The consequences of under-planning

The whole point of a business travel itinerary is to make getting from A to B as smooth as possible. Speed bumps and potholes come with under-planning, and for a business traveller, there’s nothing more frustrating. It can also lead to wasted time, over-spending and stressed-out travellers who struggle to put their best feet forward.

Creating a business travel plan

One of the primary motivations for any travel manager planning a business trip is to make sure no detail gets lost in the shuffle. No travel manager wants to receive a call from a desperate employee about incorrect ticket dates or problems checking in because of mistyped information. That’s why a set of templates and checklists will do wonders to prevent mistakes and oversights.

“It’s about having everything in one place, so the minute business travellers leave home, they can see every step of the way,” Nicola says.

You could use tools like Google Docs or Microsoft Excel to get started, but they do have their drawbacks – often requiring a lot of manual data entry to keep them updated. There is cutting-edge business travel tech like Corporate Traveller’s AI online booking tool, Savi, that help businesses make smarter travel decisions, offering real-time updates and a single, streamlined view of all business travel details.

• The travel booker module, Savi Select, streamlines travel requests, quotes and interactions between you, the travel booker and your travellers.
• The tool’s machine-learning capability lets you create multiple options for a single trip via a shortlist, which the traveller can accept or reject.
• Savi memorises a traveller’s preferences to customise and shortlist options for flight routes, times, carriers, properties, room types, car options and rates.

Consider using a TMC to do the heavy lifting

Finding that middle ground is a learned art form, one that TMCs have had many years’ experience perfecting.

“Our travel managers go through every last detail with a fine-tooth comb, and considering the time it takes to make an international booking has increased ten-fold, you want someone who knows what they’re looking for to do that double and triple-checking,” Lisa says.

TMCs “fill in the blanks” as Nicola describes, but here’s where they add the most value.

“Our ultimate goal is to help you implement the most effective travel programme for your business. When you work with a TMC like Corporate Traveller, you get access to tech solutions like our Mobile App, which gives business travellers a full picture of their itinerary (and any changes) in real-time."

“On top of that, we use industry benchmarking to get a true indication of whether what you’re paying is actually a good rate.”

Business travel itineraries craft successful business trips

Business travel success requires carefully considered, clever planning and a detailed itinerary. At its core, an itinerary ensures no part of the travel plan is forgotten – the reason why it’s become such a fundamental part of business travel preparation. An itinerary helps your employees stay more organised, manage their time effectively and keep within budget. Overall, it’s a win-win for business travellers and their organisations.

With so many details to organise and check, there’s always a chance that mistakes will happen. Using business travel booking software will streamline the booking process. Combine that with the expertise of an experienced TMC, and you can rest easy knowing your staff are safe with a fool-proof business travel itinerary.