Common Event Travel Nightmares (and How to Avoid Them!)
Planning and managing a corporate event takes a lot of time, money and effort. Event travel management can be particularly challenging, and being aware of potential issues and how to avoid them can prevent problems before they start. These common corporate event travel nightmares don’t have to ruin your event; with a little help you can pull it off without a hitch and even save a few dollars.
1. Overspending
When it comes to corporate event planning and travel, one of the major problems is that the money being spent doesn’t belong to the people who are spending it. Creating a budget and staying accountable is essential if you want to pull off a successful event that won’t break the bank. Corporate travel management companies have access to global networks that provide low corporate rates for air, hotel and ground transportation and can save your company thousands of dollars. They offer rooming lists, arrival/departure reports and cost-savings analysis to help you save money and solve attendance problems before they happen. After your event is over, having access to a money-saving reports, analysis and follow-up assessments can help improve planning and spending for your next event.
2. Too Many Cooks in the Kitchen
Organizing committees may sound like a good idea, but let’s face it—when there are more people involved there is more potential for conflict and errors. Streamlining the planning and execution of a corporate event can save an inordinate amount of time, stress and money. Putting a few knowledgeable employees in charge of the project and having them work in concert with experienced travel management services professionals will simplify the process and make things easier for everyone involved. These dedicated agents can help with everything from event site selection, transportation and attendee registration to meals, activities, and more.
3. Poor On-Site Management
So it’s time for the big event and everything seems to be going well….until it isn’t. Lodging mix-ups, registration mishaps, inclement weather and other factors beyond your control can throw a wrench in pulling off a successful corporate event. On-site program directors can help you and your employees avoid stress while traveling by taking care of both small details and bigger issues, allowing you to focus your attention on the meetings and events at hand.
4. Walking a Fine Line Between Business and Pleasure
If an event is too dry attendees may lose interest, but it’s important to keep it professional. The best corporate events communicate a company’s values, culture and intentions with engaging content in an environment that connects guests. Recreational activities are a great way for people to unwind and connect, but providing clear guidelines for employee conduct can help your company avoid personnel disasters that could spell trouble. A company that provides travel management for business travel can assist you with creating well-defined guidelines that outline your employees’ responsibilities, a code of conduct and the procedures they are required to follow when attending conferences, events or traveling for business.
Professional travel management assistance and proper planning, coordination and execution can turn these event travel nightmares into a successful and enjoyable event you’ve dreamed of.
