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Travel blog

What are your hotel horrors?

8 April 2013 |

It may be a British cliché, but when I enter a hotel room the first thing I check is the tea and coffee-making facilities. As long as there is a kettle, some

teabags, a small tube of coffee and a packet of biscuits – preferably shortbread – I feel I have got my money’s worth.

So I was a little surprised not to find “poor hot beverage-making facilities” in a survey of travel bugbears by insurance company Direct Line. (more…)

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Well done for avoiding travel, here’s a holiday to Bermuda

6 February 2013 |

‘Gamification’ is quite the in-thing these days. Apps such as FourSquare have, for millions

of users, turned mundane everyday tasks, such as grabbing a coffee, into a literal game of life. Go to

the same coffee shop, bar or gym more times than anyone else and you can become ‘mayor’ of that establishment and receive rewards.

I’ve never actually tried FourSquare as the spoils just don’t provide me with sufficient incentive, but do see the appeal of the concept. That concept popped into my head once again on Monday as I was attending this week’s Business Travel Show. (more…)

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Meeting requirements for the year ahead

14 January 2013 |

Simon ThompsonAusterity measures have impacted every area of business, but none more so than procurement departments, which have been handed the task of reducing spend while maintaining quality.

When it comes to meetings, conferences and events, many businesses were previously unaware of exactly how much they spent, with corporate ‘jollies’ making up a large percentage of this expenditure. The recession has forced businesses to scrutinise every penny spent and evaluate how that spend is perceived publicly. These conditions have changed buying trends in a number of ways. (more…)

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Staying in the loop on travel expenses

11 January 2013 |

More than two-fifths (44 per cent) of HR directors have seen an increase in remote working over the past three years. When dealing with these employees, the challenge for companies is to ensure that policies such as those for travel and entertainment (T&E) are well-communicated so remote workers feel they are kept ‘in the loop’. In turn this will help businesses keep control centrally of T&E-related costs across the company. (more…)

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Meet me halfway

4 December 2012 |

Strategic meetings management is a discipline requiring expertise, knowhow and patience. Everyone seems to be aware of the theory, but is anyone really seeing it in practice? (more…)

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Get smart with travel spend

13 November 2012 |

For most businesses, the financial challenges of 2012 will continue into next year. With budgets tightening, it is important for them to review their 2012 business plan targets against their achievements and to look at ways of improving profitability in 2013. (more…)

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If Ukraine beat England, blame the travel buyers

12 June 2012 |

So thanks to the head of Joleon Lescott and the hands of Joe Hart, the England team drew 1-1 with France and took their unbeaten run under manager Roy Hodgson to three games. (more…)

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Time to tear up 
the travel policy?

8 May 2012 |

A contributor to a recent study into the future of corporate travel suggested one of the major sources of stress exists because providers “are not incentivised to make life any easier for passengers”.

The same criticism could levelled at some business travel processes and policies. They are in place for the company’s benefit, not the employee’s. The growth of “consumerisation” in corporate travel suggests this could be about to change. (more…)

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Time versus travel

8 May 2012 |

If you lived above a shop, as prime Minister David Cameron does, you might think that getting to see your family would not be too much of a problem. But in his recent Today programme interview on Radio 4, the PM bemoaned the fact that sometimes he only got to take his children to school once a month. Sure – he’s a busy guy. But he must see his wife and kids a lot more than many people do. (more…)

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Cutting accommodation costs

2 March 2012 |

When it comes to reducing the cost of accommodation, here are five things to bear in mind:

1.  Location is everything

Staying slightly out of the city centre can save a fortune, even once you factor in travel costs. In London, nightly rents can drop by as much as £100 with a move from zone 1 to zone 3, while for anyone working in New York, areas such as Jersey City and Brooklyn offer much better value. You also often get more space for your money the further out you go.    (more…)

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