Business Travel Executive, Dec 2020/Jan 2021

41 Business Travel Executive askBTE com December 2020 January 2021 WENDY PALMER Manager Event Experience Team Electric Power Research Institute EPRI ROSEMARY E MALONEY Global Travel Lead Sprinklr DAVID L SMITH Travel and Relocation Manager Amdocs Americas MARK ZIEGLER Senior Travel Manager NetApp Inc Although in the past senior leadership as made policies based on duty of care or company culture in these times many in the C suite are seeking more guidance from their travel managers to prepare for the new world of business travel Whether it be tracking all the protocols set in place by suppliers taking the pulse of their travelers feelings about traveling again or collaborating with other travel managers to share strategies to eventually lift these bans travel managers are needed more than ever by senior leadership to guide their travelers back on the road safely more reason for me to sharpen my skills as a travel advocate Knowing my resources as well as cultivating my network are assets that have opened doors to consulting and speaking opportunities and who knows Maybe to a new company and a new position The changes in 2020 have taught me so many lessons Most importantly is that my love for travel is not diminished and my circle of friends and my network are stronger and more supportive than this crazy virus My career path completely changed this year but thats even more reason for me to sharpen my skills as a travel advocate Gloria Gonzalez Relationships cultivated by travel managers with their peers and suppliers matter Mark Ziegler Other than managing unused ticket funds extending supplier agreements and navigating service for the little travel that is happening it seems that a newfound respect is due travel managers for way they have shown flexibility in shutting down travel and communicating to their constituents throughout their organizations Technology has become ultra important and it remains to be seen how travel managers will integrate new ways to use it in travel Many in the C suite are seeking more guidance from their travel managers to prepare for the new world of business travel Chris Brockman Link to More Intelligence Insight on This Topic Click Here Like other travel managers Ive pushed my leadership teams to take duty of care seriously It took this crisis for it to hit home that taking care of travelers was more important than savings or at the very least of equal importance Advocating to the C Suite on travel should not just be focused on the immediate post COVID return Travel managers should be using this exposure to ensure that going forward they are seen as experts in their field throughout their company It took this crisis for it to hit home that taking care of travelers was more important than savings or at the very least of equal importance Rosemary Maloney