• 3Five Tips for a Superior Corporate Travel Agency
    December 2016

    Five Tips for a Superior Corporate Travel Agency

    Corporate travel isn’t taking a backseat anymore to smaller travel agencies. The demand on productivity
    and efficiency is high as so many travelers use their transportation time as an opportunity to accomplish
    work. And let’s not forget about the socializing that happens between the executives and the clients they
    serve. To find the best combo of work and play (with both leading to financial success) here are five
    imperative questions corporate travel agencies should ask (and answer!) when marketing their agency
    services.

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    1. Why corporate travel vs. a traditional travel agent? While traditional travel agencies can book a flight,
    they can’t dive deep and take care of the minute details corporate travel agencies can. For starters,
    corporate travel agencies are more adept at handling complicated business itinerary, from booking high tech
    conference rooms to tracking and rescheduling group flights. They can provide information on additional fees
    for extra baggage due to equipment. Most corporate travel agencies are also extremely educated on conversion
    rates for each country. Because of their experience booking certain countries, corporate travel agencies can
    market the personal relationship aspects of their services.

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    2. What should corporate travel agencies consider when it comes to accommodating more business? With the
    economy picking up, corporate travel is definitely on the rise. That can be a blessing for new business
    opportunities but also curse if no systems are in place to accommodate the growth. Corporate travel agencies
    will want to be sure to create standards across the board that customers can expect time and time again. These
    standards will give customers a sense of routine and expectation. It’s also important that corporate travel
    agencies remember to focus on security. From baggage claim to drivers, customers want to know that they will
    be safe so they can concentrate on the work at hand. Finally, corporate travel agencies should consider the
    technological aspects of travel. Little things like not having one’s website translate to mobile phone usage
    can greatly limit a client’s ability to book their trip and navigate through countries and states.

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    3. Is your corporate travel agency the best in show? Being a corporate travel agent is competitive. To be sure
    one’s agency is truly the best, it’s vital to show professionalism as well as expert knowledge on domestic and
    international services that blows the other agencies out of the water. This might mean a company spends some
    additional funds on training for their employees to be certain each member is as educated as possible on
    everything from tours to vendors to the best way to book a flight.

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    4. Offer twenty-four- hour support Even with smaller agencies, it’s important to provide a human voice on the
    other end of the line for round-the- clock support. There can be nothing moreterrifying for a business traveler
    than to land in another country and not know how to get to a hotel or hail a taxi, let alone show up to a
    banquet room in the wrong hotel. Having a person walk them through their concerns can go a long way in
    encouraging companies to recommend the agency to another business associate.

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    5. Consider partnering with another company Corporate travel agencies who have alliances with other
    companies can offer discounts to their customers as well as give customers the feeling that they have extra
    support. From credit card companies to transportation (airlines, rent-a-cars, buses), smaller corporate travel
    agencies can gain the business of bigger clients by showing larger resources in their portfolio. It’s a bit
    counter-intuitive,but romancing other companies is sometimes the special sauce needed to romance new
    clients.

    How to best market your corporate travel services while word of mouth is always your best bet in reaching
    new clients, here are a few options you’ll want to consider to gain new clientele:

    Website: The more up to date the better (consider adding a video welcome!)

    Blogs: The magic key is three blogs week/three times a week with 700 words.

    Twitter/Facebook/Instagram

    Companies should never underestimate the power of unique content to rocket their brand to the top of a
    search engine’s page. Corporate travel is an exciting field that, if handled with intention, can be
    profitable for years to come.

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