Our previous blog posts in the Redefining care series have focused on several changes we believe are contributing to the need to redefine care in business travel.
We’ve explored changes in expectations – how consumers are becoming more life-centric and demanding true personalisation; changes in the workforce – how employees are seeking to be seen as individuals, not just personas; and changes in travelling – the ongoing shift from millennials to Gen X and what this means for business travel.
The final factor we feel is impacting the need to redefine care, and arguably one of the most prominent in our day-to-day lives, as well as the business travel industry, is technology.
Technology has transformed business travel over the past twenty years. From the rise of the online booking tool to the new frontier of AI, technology undoubtedly plays a key part in the continued evolution of travel management and business travel as a whole.
But how do we integrate technology with a care-led approach?
Historically, technology has been used in business travel to evolve the sector from manual processes to digital solutions. While this brings cost and time efficiencies, as well as enhanced oversight from a data perspective, there has also been a loss of human interaction.
The rise of self-service was a key trend before 2020, with more and more travel management companies and travel bookers opting for online booking tools. The concept was to make the booking process easier for all parties involved. And whilst the reality in some cases increased levels of efficiency and autonomy, there was undoubtedly a decrease in the level of personal service.
This approach didn’t sit comfortably with us.
At Travel Counsellors, we’re led by care. It’s at the core of what we do. And we also believe that, used in the right way, technology can work alongside your care-led strategy to enhance your programme and bring increased efficiency to both you and your travellers.
We knew that we couldn’t avoid technology – and nor did we want to. So we had to ask ourselves, and our clients: are the two mutually exclusive? Or can they work together to enhance your travel programme while maintaining the personal touch?
Our Business Travel Consultant, John Fayle, explains it beautifully: “The personal touch we’re famous for is magnified by technology.”
Technology does indeed act as a magnifier. AI, machine learning, and big data are all technological trends that our industry is currently adopting. But adoption doesn’t mean sacrificing the personal.
In a care-led, individual-focused approach, technology can be your best friend. It’s not about technology replacing; it's about technology enhancing.
For example, routine bookings can take considerable time. But if they are taking up less time through utilising technology, you then have more time to focus on those trips which require more personalised approach, ensuring that each and every traveller has exactly what they need. That's exactly why we launched our online booking tool, myTC Online.
It’s a care-led approach, enhanced by technology.
The changes in technology impacting a need to redefine care are not simply limited to travel booking. While this has been front and centre of the discussion for many years, advancements such as AI, mobile apps, augmented reality, and blockchain are all elements that, when combined, force us to start considering ‘care’ in a newly defined way.
For many businesses, opting for an online booking tool and utilising technology to create cost savings and efficiencies is a clear winner. But it is when businesses harness this change in the right way, coupled with a care-focused strategy, that truly optimises their business travel programme - and ultimately, the traveller experience.
Traveller tracking is also an invaluable technology when it comes to ensuring duty of care, locating travellers and informing them in real-time of any risks in the areas in which they’re visiting. Use of such technology means businesses can quickly locate, communicate with, and support travellers who are in distress, or whose safety and security could be compromised.
If we continue to assume that ‘care,’ in our redefined sense, means meeting the needs of the individual traveller and inspiring confidence, then technology can absolutely become an extension of your Travel Counsellor’s expertise.
For us, a human-centric approach will always be the way we do business. And, our research shows us that as workplaces change, consumer expectations grow, and the way we travel evolves, there is a need for a care-led, human-centric approach at the very core.
Using data to understand traveller preferences and improve services, implementing tech-driven feedback systems for continuous improvement, and combining automated services with personalised human touchpoints are all best practices in an integrated care/tech approach.
In summary, technology and a care-led approach are not mutually exclusive but can work harmoniously to enhance business travel management. By leveraging advancements in AI, mobile apps, AR, and blockchain, we can redefine care, ensuring that every traveller feels supported and valued.
Looking ahead, the integration of these strategies promises even greater innovations and efficiencies, but not at the cost of traveller experience and the human touch.
In the words of our Director of Corporate, Mel Quinn, “As Travel Counsellors we remain committed to blending technology with our renowned personal touch, ensuring the best possible outcomes for our clients and their travellers.”
In our final blog post in this series, we will tackle what we believe to be the new definition of care, looking at outcomes of this approach and benefits to our industry.
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