Organise Business TravelCertificate IV in Business Administration

Elements and critical aspects

1. Organise business itinerary for domestic and overseas travel

2. Make travel arrangements3. Arrange credit facilitiesEvidence of the following is essential:

› organising business-related travel for others, including scheduling and developing itineraries and travel-related documents

› efficiently booking and organising travel within budgets and time constraints to meet traveller and organisation needs.

Assessments Blackboard assessment folder

1. Portfolio submission1.1 Practice activity

2. Evidence of arranging travel for Simwen Manager:› Completed air travel request form› Business trip folder with all the relevant

documentation

Why is business travel increasing?

Globalisation› Foreign subsidiaries manufacturing products› Participation in other markets› Competition against companies located in other

countries Improved Telecommunications Overseas postings Developments in international trade Staff exchange Increasing trade between Asia and Australia

Group activity – reasons for business travel

Discuss when staff may need to travel on behalf of the organisation.Make a list under the headings:› Intrastate travel › Interstate travel› Overseas travel

Reasons for business trips

Visit branch offices Buy new equipment Market products Expand export markets Attend conferences or seminars Attend trade fairs Discuss company business with interstate

colleagues Speak at a conference Meet a consultant

Policy & Procedures

Procedure – specific method or way of doing something.

Policy – plan of action adopted by company

Travel policies and procedures

Approval process (eg names of people authorised to approve travel and expenditure - meals, taxis etc)

Preferred travel agents Preferred airlines Membership details (eg frequent flyer programs) Preferred accommodation Reservation process Preferred method, class and suppliers of travel Allowable expenses Method of payment (company credit card, cash,

cheque) Documentation to be completed by travellers

Simwen Travel

Policies and Procedures› PF Q1, 2, 3

Air Travel Request Form › PF Q16

Group activity

You have been asked to book a flight for one of the Simwen Managers from Perth to Sydney for a 10.00 am meeting next Friday, what information would you need to have access to?

Travel requirements (PF Q 4, 8)

Travel policies and procedures Flight details (from travel agent or airline) Available accommodation (from a travel agent or

your organisation, preferred list of Sydney accommodation, hotel guide)

Class of accommodation & Travel Connections and transfers (details of taxi companies

to take the traveller to and from the airports) Mode of transport Time differences – between Perth and Sydney Timetables Calendar (to check holidays in other States)

Preparation

If you understand the purpose of the trip you are planning, you will know what kind of arrangements need to be made

This will make the process easier and more efficient and you will be able to make suggestions to the person you are organising travel for

Documentation may have to be prepared or collated for the traveller to take on their trip

Time management

Making travel arrangements is very time consuming so allow plenty of time to clarify details, make booking enquiries and confirm bookings

All meetings, appointments or conference attendance should have been confirmed weeks before the departure of the traveller and details incorporated into an itinerary

Individual preferences (PF Q 10, 11)

Traveller may have preferences. For example:› May want daily schedule structured in a

certain way› Lunch breaks – opportunity to meet with a

client› Time of first and last appointments

Schedule needs to be structured efficiently – customers situated near each other should be seen one after another if possible

OHS Allowances (PF Q 6)

Jetlag Time for travelling from the airport to the hotel,

to appointments and in between appointments Proper lunch breaks are taken Limit of appointments in any one day Limit of travel in any one day Adequate rest periods and leisure time It often takes longer to achieve things in an

unfamiliar environment

Summary

Understand your boss’s preferences Have list of clients or people with

whom to make appointments Know the amount of time to allocate to

each appointment Know the time gap to allow between

each one Know guidelines regarding OHS

What is an itinerary? PF Q 9

Summary of entire trip - shows daily record of travel› Accommodation, meetings, lunches, dinners,

business meetings and any special instructions› Arrival/departure times› Transport arrangements› Times and places of appointments› Names/contact numbers of people involved› Documentation for appointments, eg files,

company brochures, reports, tenders, contracts, or reminder notes (P/F Q 4)

Reasons for an itinerary?

Record of events Traveller can easily determine their

destinations and appointments Any special files or documents that

should accompany them Used to identify the traveller’s

whereabouts and activities by a number of interest parties

Prepare itinerary

Gather all details › Mode of travel› Class of travel› Transport timetables› Connections and transfers› Time differences› Budget› Accommodation (availability/class)

A draft itinerary should be handed to traveller a few days prior to their departure

Using Travel Agent

Arrange visas Time differences Details of connections and transfers Timetables Advice about car hire and booking

procedures Arrange rail or local transport passes Arrange tickets for shows

Benefits of using a travel agent (P/F Q14)

Centralised booking system Access to lower fares and discounts Access to expert knowledge Reduction of errors from booking over the

internet Accurate processing of complex change

requests Provision of travel warnings and advice Assistance with travel insurance Assistance with processing necessary visas

Make bookings

Follow policies and procedures› Being aware of health and safety issues› Procedure for dealing with telephone calls› How to contact clients to make appointments› How to respond to instructions/give

instructions› Policies governing the use of voice/e-mail

On-line Telephone Travel agent

Travel folder (P/F Q 5, 15)

Passport Tickets Visas Travel insurance

policy Travel itinerary Timetables Maps Health or medical

documents

Travellers cheques/expense account forms

Hotel/motel confirmations

Correspondence relating to trip

Note relating to appointments

Business cards

Confirm/Check arrangements

E-ticket Paper ticket Electronic or printed airline itinerary Accommodation confirmation

documents

Negotiate and confirm alternative arrangements

Negotiate – to arrange for or bring about by discussion with another, to talk with others in order to reach an agreement.

Inserting additional appointments after itinerary prepared

Cancelling pre-arranged appointments Re-scheduling existing appointments Changing travel/accommodation bookings Why might travel arrangements change?

(P/F Q 13)

Record travel details/itinerary

Separate files Single file Checklist for you Checklist for traveller

Methods of payment

Company account Raising a purchase order Company credit cards/debit card Traveller pays and is reimbursed later Cash payment by the traveller with

cash advance Traveller’s cheques Electronic transfer

Blackboard Documents

Travel request form (PF Q 16)

Organise Business Travel Learning Guide

Itinerary template Simwen Policies and Procedures Powerpoint presentation Practice exercise

Practice Exercise Prepare a checklist of the steps involved. Include a

list documentation and materials likely to be needed Refer to airlines timetables, hotel accommodation

guides Make itemized list of all expenditure incurred, provide

realistic figures Provide sightseeing suggestions Prepare an itinerary outlining complete schedule and

provide any additional references and documentation you think may be useful

Collate the above into a travel folder