Ms. Utley

Guest Service / Customer Experience Mgmt

Hot Business Travel Trends for 2010: What you need to know moving forward

By Teri Utley, Senior Account Manager, Range Online Media

With business travel showing a slow rebound going into 2010, business travelers are being forced to review the need for travel on a case-by-case basis and are being forced to brainstorm new ways of reaching the customer, the convention or the meeting that can’t be missed. Marketers will need to rethink and rebuild an ongoing strategy that is reflective across all channels. As the effectiveness and the necessity of face-to-face meetings are being debated within organizations, here are some trends for 2010 that will be on the forefront of the business travel market.

Digital Decision Makers

Exposure to search, email, display ads and social media platforms combined; make this year’s business traveler accessible to your message at all times. The business traveler has a constant need to be accessible to clients and their office support at all times. With in-flight internet access now available on certain carriers, this idea moves beyond the gate area and into 35,000 feet. The notion that one is “unreachable” while in the air is quickly fading as more airlines adopt wi-fi. Business travelers can no longer use this time to sit back and enjoy the flight.

With business travelers increased internet access at their fingertips, more travelers are letting their friends and families know their status, which can include snippets of their experience while on the road. Good news travels fast, but these days bad news about accommodations or a poor experience can appear instantly. With the growth of mobile devices and their capabilities, a tweet or Facebook post about their stay or experience is only a touch away and can spread through office blogs and corporate social media pages like a wild fire, sure to impact the next corporate travel decision.

Multi channel marketing will be the primary source of reaching those that are traveling for business this year. Each day they are exposed to hundreds of messages via search, email, display, blogs, Twitter and Facebook. Smart marketers looking to rebuild their business travel in 2010 will be on the forefront of digital advertising in order to remain in the pockets of the business consumer.

Instant Gratification with “Digital Gratification”

With the high-speed data networks and surging sales of smartphones, look for travel related applications and communication to be one of the hot travel segments for 2010. Mobile devices are now a permanent accessory of business travelers and a necessity for managing their day-to-day travel. Being able to plan itineraries, track flight status, receive alerts and even serve as a boarding pass, travelers are dependent upon these devices for the value that it has added to managing their busy lives. Business travelers rely on having their day plans and appointments organized, and with the current capabilities of the smart phones; they have everything they need for meetings at their fingertips.

With “digital gratification”, the business traveler will enjoy a sense of comfort in 2010 knowing that they have their contacts, numbers, documents, presentations and the ability to find out what they need to know while on the road. Those that are successful with their strategy to capture the business traveler will embrace digital offerings and services and devise a way to provide meaningful tools and applications that will effectively reach the business traveler.

Video Conferencing

With travel costs still being evaluated, video conferencing is gaining an increased presence due to the benefits associated with it, the claim by many that online meetings are cost efficient. As airfare and accommodation costs escalate, particularly for businesses that have global and/or regional outreach, the tendency to view computer mediated communication devices more favorably is obvious. The current economic and social trend is to promote video conferencing as an alternative to the face-to-face business meeting. While direct client meetings will continue to be a priority for many, be prepared for businesses to test this as a practical use of dollars. While the barrier to implement the technology is cost prohibitive for many firms, look for this to become the norm as more cost effective technologies emerge.

Apps for Efficiency

An appetite for saving time and energy drives business travelers to have an entire collection of tools that will make their lives easier while on the road. Whether waiting for security screenings (there is an App to rate TSA screening checkpoints) or having the ability to order room service before checking in, business travelers will be well armed with a variety of apps that will help to make their days less stressful, while streamlining their hectic schedules. To provide convenience and value to the business traveler, future-shopping screens will adapt to the users' stated profiles, observed profiles and travel style. Similarly, the content presented will be the most meaningful to the traveler. With the growth of broadband wireless subscriptions and smartphone adoption, more apps will begin to embrace location and context in a new way, enhancing the travel experience.

Incentive Programs

Loyalty Programs will continue to be a strong focus for the business traveler. While some have recently made changes to their awards, look for renewed focus in the offerings. There is still no better way to acquire repeat business and retain brand loyalty than by offering incentives to the business travelers. Travelers will come back – they will respond if the offering is fair and valuable to their needs. Another enticement? More personalization – from knowing their name to their preferred accommodation, to the amenities they have requested during past stays, will all continue to be the drawing factors to retain the repeat customer. Consumers are becoming more comfortable with traveling on a budget and the incentives that are offered will be of interest to the majority of business bookers.

While some of the glamour of travel has been stripped away during the economic downturn, most higher ups are willing to sign off on travel when there are perks like free nights, discounts on multiple night bookings, complimentary meals or free wifi. With bookstores and coffee shops offering free wifi, many hotels will fall in line this year and discontinue charging for this service. No longer can this be called an amenity or an added feature in hotels and 2010 will see larger and more upscale hotels matching the offering of free wifi now featured in many economy and mid-priced chains. With Amtrak offering wifi on their trains this spring, the days of charging for wifi will soon be in the past.

Business-to-Business Partnerships

In 2010, look for more partnerships to evolve in an effort to provide new value to business clients. Airlines and hotel chains will test the response of rewards programs that will enable travelers to redeem points on air or hotels for their next stay. These brands are using the downturn as a way to provide new value and offerings to their clients. Look for more of these “mash-up” offerings through the year.

A New Wave of Coupon Cutters

According to a Honeywell survey conduced by Harris Interactive in December 2009, consumers are slow to take advantage of mobile coupons but usage is expected to skyrocket over the next few years. While still in the early stages, mobile coupon redeemers will be the new the paper coupon clippers of yesterday. You can expect younger respondents to be the quickest to adapt to the electronic coupons.

Shorter Trips – More Stops

Trip bundling will move into a new form of business travel in 2010. Focused on saving time and money, business travelers will begin to book shorter trips with several stops along the way. This one trip strategy will rise in popularity as chains begin to offer a “bundled” rate for travelers choosing to book their stay with the same chain through the duration of their trip. This offering can reduce the time spent waiting for check-in/check-out and will also offer an easier and simpler itinerary for the traveler to manage.

Business, Leisure or “Bleisure”?

The opportunity to extend a business trip by a few days to include a bit of leisure time is a subject of great interest to frequent business travelers. While often inviting family or a friend to join them, the opportunity for a small bit of leisure time can be the incentive needed to book the face-to-face meeting or attend the conference. Increasing airfares and hidden fees are changing the way that business travelers view their time on the road. If travel is already planned – why not include some recreational time along the way?

Teri Utley is Senior Account Manager for Range Online Media, a leading search and interactive marketing agency that delivers measurable success through comprehensive, online marketing services, including paid search marketing, search engine optimization (SEO), online media placement and social media, strategic planning, performance optimization and more. Having worked with travel and hospitality clients over the last seven years, Ms. Utley has had the opportunity to participate and lead strategy in both search and media campaigns on a national level. Ms. Utley can be contacted at 817-509-0350 or teri.utley@rangeonlinemedia.com Extended Bio...

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