INSIGHT

Take the guesswork out of the travel resumption process

Plane on a runway
FCM today launched a Return to Travel framework that aims to remove confusion surrounding business travel, create direction and empower customers to take informed decisions and confident action.

The framework, which offers travellers access to the benefits of the latest technology and automation tools, as well as unlimited traveller information, forms part of the second in a range of pledges to help customers on the road to business travel recovery.

In this second pledge, the FCM team of promises to support travellers with expertise backed by government policies, supplier updates and trends.

“We’re turning a corner in the COVID-19 crisis, as South Africa is gradually preparing to ease lockdown measures and to kickstart the economy. We all hope for a return to normality but with that quiet optimism comes justified concern,” says Bonnie Smith, GM FCM Travel Solutions Southern Africa. “As the world continues to re-open, businesses need to navigate their way to recovery, and prepare for the next step. It’s important to select a TMC, like FCM, that comes armed with expertise so that you can make real-time decisions to support your travellers and adjust your travel programme as needed.”

FCM will assist companies who want to optimise their travel programme, help them strike a healthy balance between people, process and technology, and guide them through the new norm of travel, using data to make the right travel decisions.

From flight and accommodation bookings to individual preferences and per diem expenses – business travel generates large amounts of data. By partnering with a TMC, companies can put this data to work, automating the process of data mining and analysis to derive actionable, real-time insights to help guide better decision-making in a time when many are suffering from decision-paralysis.

The ability of a TMC to effectively manage travel data is contingent on its use of smart analytics.  FCM Travel Solutions has a system that tracks corporate travel data to reveal trends and inconsistencies in travel patterns. By knowing exactly how well your travel plan is functioning you can make changes to optimise your strategy in both the short and long term.

Having a good grasp on your company’s travel data will also assist in the company’s duty of care responsibilities. It allows companies to craft a duty of care policy that considers all possible steps – pre-, during and post-travel. It will help anticipate, manage, and eliminate common travel risk factors.

With business travel during COVID-19, there are a lot of moving parts, and the last thing travellers want to worry about are issues of health, safety, and unexpected restrictions.

With its comprehensive Return to Travel framework, FCM will help combat the spectre of uncertainty brought on by the pandemic by enhancing duty of care, preparing travellers with what to expect, and providing up-to-date information on their destination, including border and health regulations and supplier updates.

Whether it's a time of crisis or business as usual, a TMC such as FCM offers tangible benefits that extend well beyond your travel programme, affecting decision making, employee satisfaction, and your business's bottom line.

As part of the second pledge, companies who sign up in August, will receive a free virtual consultation to review their current travel programme. This consultation will allow companies to reinvent a travel policy that is COVID-19 ready.

Take your travel programme to the next level. Talk with our experts.

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