After a time of travel bans, we have noticed that our customers are putting travel back on the agenda. Slowly and carefully, but still – some people are traveling for business purposes again. In most cases, we’re talking local (commuting) travel. But one of my friends who lives in Prague actually hopped on flight KL1350…
Last week, I read a great interview with John Rose in The Company Dime. John – or, as I call him, mister Rose – was a program director for the U.S. Department of Defense in Italy, president of AIG Travel Guard Assist, and COO of iJet (now WorldAware). Unsurprisingly, all eyes in the industry are…
These are surreal times. Like many countries, the Netherlands has started to shut down due to coronavirus concerns: schools are closed for the next three weeks, and my wife and I both work from home. Here’s what our morning looked like: after having breakfast together, we helped our three kids create their own little ‘study…
The business travel landscape of services and experiences isn’t a pretty view. It is awfully fragmented. Think about all the different channels business travelers need to use to get a few basic things done: finding a cab, calling a restaurant, connecting with a local co-worker, (re)arranging a client meeting. Their focus shifts, and they can…
To minimize confusion for your travelers, you should keep your program simple. But make no mistake: simplicity is not easy. It starts with getting a grip on the offers your travelers get. You need to own the content to stay in control of your travel program. Complex? You bet. But you need to hang in…
We know, we know. We’re probably the last ones to wish you a happy New Year. But our message comes straight from the heart – and it’s still January, so we hope you’ll let us get away with it. In 2020, our team will work as hard as always. We’re still on a never-ending quest…
I will kick this story off with the cheesiest thing to say that comes to mind: it’s almost that time of the year! As everyone was making Christmas plans and decorating the world in pretty lights two months in advance, which I absolutely adore, I was learning one of life’s greater lessons. With only a…
Let’s face it: today’s travel-management landscape is changing rapidly, and its increasing fragmentation and complexity are causing a fuss among travel managers. Having focused on cost savings and compliance for years, they now find themselves in the midst of a juggling act they haven’t yet mastered. In addition to negotiating deals with suppliers, they need…
Today’s road warrior is not your average business-traveler Joe. Milking the company’s funds by raiding the minibar, ordering twenty-dollar juices, or booking expensive plane seats ‘just because you can?’ Not the road warrior’s style. In fact, contemporary business travelers are often more frugal and environmentally conscious than their employers. They will go the extra mile…
‘Keep it simple,’ ‘lean and mean,’ ‘less is more:’ the plea for simplicity has seeped into our language and culture over the years, and it is here to stay. Even more so, it has made the leap into the corporate travel world, where it’s already a hit among forward-thinking travel managers. Against the backdrop of…