Employ more than one travel agent
Some firms get locked in to one travel agent, but by giving them a monopoly you could be the loser. Go to several travel agents to get comparative quotes for the same journey. Then you will see just how complex air fare structures can be and how a travel agent with a competitive spirit can save you a small fortune. In-house travel offices give good service but are they working as competitively as they can in a non-competitive environment?
Plan overseas trips
Overseas travel is so expensive that the maximum amount of planning should go into each trip. How often have you seen export sales executives sitting around waiting in the hotel foyer for their contact to arrive? Perhaps the reason for his delay is that your agent is out making last-minute appointments around town — a job which should have been done weeks ahead.
Understand air fare structures
With so many different structures available, eg first class, club class, economy, tourist, APEX, standby and many more, you should perhaps have someone in your organisation who is really familiar with these various fares schemes. Buying travel is a specialist function, so train the person responsible in your company to do the job really well.
Save by buying air tickets overseas
If one of your staff regularly visits a particular area ask him to compare the cost of purchasing a ticket there. He can use a credit card for the payment and in some instances will make very large savings indeed. A 12-month ticket is purchased at home for the first trip and the final return trip but in between trips are bought overseas. Alternatively, cheaper one-way flights may be available in the country of destination. In some instances savings can be made by buying locally any internal and onward overseas flights. Use your sales executives to find out about these cost reducing opportunities.
Make use of airport hotels
If meetings involve air travel, ask your customers, suppliers or employees to hold the meeting at the airport hotel. This saves the expense of driving into town and possibly an overnight stop.
Maintain performance throughout the duration of the trip
So often you see sales people going through the motions of selling, but getting nowhere. They busy themselves from plane to plane, from hotel to hotel, from taxi to taxi and from office to office — but end up unsuccessful. Consider the various factors that can influence the success or failure of a trip — lack of time, lack of planning, lack of follow-up, lack of energy resulting from an overpacked itinerary. Make sure you give enough time to the job in hand, set your sights firmly on your target and sit tight. Give enough time to follow up and close the deal.
Provide adequate back-up
It is so frustrating to be at the sharp end fighting for a contract, only to be let down by the office. Set up a proper communication arrangement that supplies back-up information seven days a week to your export sales staff. Remember they may well be working while you are sleeping, having a weekend off or a national holiday.
Open doors
Especially in the Middle East and Far East you will need a high status to open the doors of business opportunity. A single visit by the chief executive can lead to lots of business in the future and can make ensuing overseas travel by junior staff much more effective.
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