Whether your travel program is mandated or not, increasing employee adoption provides well-reported benefits for travel managers, including enhanced duty of care and budgetary insights. Having a complete view of your company’s travel data helps you to understand your travelers and make more informed business decisions. Use these techniques to get traveler buy-in for your program.

Write Your Policy with Travelers in Mind

Much of the attitude of travelers toward a policy comes from the language. Complicated jargon and negative language can confuse readers or, worse, stop them reading entirely. When crafting your travel policy, use clear and concise language to lay out rules that all levels of travelers can understand. As an added benefit, you’ll save time by having to answer less questions.

Also, consider the tone of the language you use when writing. Focus on the benefits and perks your travelers can take advantage of instead of the rules that restrict them. If you are excited about your policy, your readers are likely to be as well.

Increase Available Perks/Options

Building traveler benefits into your program, even if they add additional expense, can often be less costly than replacing valued employees with years of experience. Employees who feel valued tend to produce more and stay with their current employer, ultimately providing a higher value to the company. There are many perks that can enhance the travel experience, including these traveler-focused inclusions:

• TSA Pre-Check/Global Entry to expedite security and allow employees to be more productive.
• Airline club memberships for frequent travelers.
• Allow nonstop flights, regardless of cost savings for a connection.

Communication Through Various Channels

How you communicate your program to your travelers has a direct impact on how new information is absorbed. By using one or a combination of approaches, you can reach all types of travelers and learners. Examples include:

Support from leadership

Ask your executive team to lead by example by showing support for your travel program through personal communication, such as a company blog or newsletter post. When those at the top are advocates, the support often creates a trickle-down effect.

Video reach

In addition to sending out written communication and documents, partner with your marketing team or TMC to create a video highlighting the traveler-focused benefits of your program. Video often garners more engagement.

Continued release of content

Don’t stop with one communication to travelers. By providing your travel policy information all at once, those unfamiliar with travel could become overwhelmed. Instead, focus on one aspect at a time such as the online booking tool or expense reporting, with a steady stream of information following.

Sharing tips and tricks from frequent travelers

Highlight best practices from new and veteran travelers alike by showcasing tips and tricks learned throughout their travels. This could not only alleviate stress but also spotlight employees for their knowledge.

Survey Travelers to Learn Pain Points

One of the best ways to understand your travelers is to listen to them. Some companies do this through a committee of representatives from all departments and levels of management. Even better, start a volunteer-based committee to have those passionate about the subject voice their ideas. Have this committee survey your road warriors and novice travelers for all perspectives on what works within your travel program and what areas you can focus to improve.

With Fox’s latest business intelligence platform Cognition, you can take your compliance to the next level with actionable insights on your program. Learn more about Cognition here.