Meet our BDMs: Joe Vickers on building trusted relationships in business travel

After more than 20 years in the business travel industry, Joe Vickers knows that successful partnerships aren’t built overnight. They’re built through trust, consistency and understanding what businesses really need from their travel programme. 

As a Business Development Manager at Travel Counsellors for Business, Joe works closely with organisations across the UK to help them find smarter, more supportive ways to manage their corporate travel. But his journey in the industry began long before that. 

Two decades in business travel

Joe’s career in business travel started straight after university, giving him a front-row seat to how the industry has evolved over the past two decades. 

“I’ve worked my way up from smaller regional TMCs to global organisations,” he explains. “And now I’m at the right company.” 

Much of Joe’s career has been focused on supporting businesses across the North East of England and Scotland. Working in these markets has given him exposure to a wide range of industries, but over time he’s developed particularly strong expertise in sectors such as energy, marine, sports, and manufacturing and construction. 

Since joining Travel Counsellors, Joe has also expanded his knowledge into the fast-moving world of TV, film, gaming and music production – industries where travel requirements can be complex, fast-paced and highly specialised. 

A role built around conversations

Ask Joe what a typical day looks like and his answer is refreshingly simple. 

“Talk, talk, talk.” 

In reality, though, Joe structures his time carefully to balance the many ways of developing and nurturing client relationships. 

Rather than focusing on rigid daily routines, he prefers to organise his schedule across the week. One day might be dedicated to email outreach, another to cold calling, while others are focused on LinkedIn networking or getting out and meeting businesses face-to-face. 

Alongside that, there are catch-ups with Travel Counsellors, responding to enquiries, chasing conversations, and building detailed RFPs and proposals for prospective clients. 

Why people still matter in travel

Despite the rapid advancement of technology in corporate travel, Joe believes the most important factor for businesses remains unchanged: people. 

“It might sound like a cliché, but people still want to deal with people,” he says. “I recently tried calling my bank and all I wanted was to speak to an actual person rather than a machine or bot. Travel bookers and travellers are exactly the same.” 

While digital tools and automation play an increasingly important role in travel management, Joe says businesses still value knowing there’s an expert on hand who understands their needs and can step in quickly when plans change. 

Supporting clients with evolving priorities

Today’s corporate travel programmes are shaped by increasingly complex expectations, particularly around sustainability and duty of care. 

Joe says many organisations recognise the importance of these areas, but don’t always have the internal infrastructure or tools to support them effectively. 

That’s where Travel Counsellors’ technology and expertise can make a real difference. 

“We work closely with our Travel Counsellors to understand each client’s pain points,” he explains. “Then we can show how our solutions help address those challenges - whether that’s better reporting, improved visibility or stronger duty of care processes.” 

The future of corporate travel

Joe believes one thing won’t change. “When disruption happens or travel plans change at the last minute, clients don’t want a chatbot,” he says. “They want an expert who understands their business and can act quickly.” 

The future of corporate travel, he believes, lies in combining smart technology with human expertise – which is where Travel Counsellors for Business comes into its own. 

Thinking about switching to a more responsive TMC?

If your current travel management company isn’t delivering the support, visibility or personal service your business needs, it might be time to rethink your approach. 

At Travel Counsellors for Business, we combine smart technology with dedicated travel experts who understand your organisation and respond quickly when it matters most. The result is a travel programme that feels seamless, proactive and genuinely supportive. 

Get in touch with Joe and our friendly team of BDMs to find out how switching to a more responsive TMC could transform the way your business travels.