The 5 Rules of Thumb for Executive Travel Management | Mark More

In a perfect world, your executive would provide you with every single piece of information needed to manage their corporate travel—from their preferred airlines and hotels all the way down to their favorite seats on different planes and the brand of water they prefer to have in their vehicles.

In the real world, however, you’re unlikely to get such comprehensive instructions out of your executive. Instead, it’s up to you, as your executive’s strategic partner, to make the best decisions you can based on the information available to you—including both their specific preferences and the general rules of thumb that guide executive travel management.

The infographic below offers “5 Rules of Thumb” that can help you quickly evaluate options when it comes to corporate travel services for your executive.

1. Flexibility. Executives don’t always have the visibility and control over their schedules to plan trips weeks and months in advance. Flexibility often wins out, as businesses must be nimble in order to take advantage of new opportunities quickly.
2. Confidentiality. Business executives know that they must be careful about what they say in a public setting. The travel arrangements you make must allow for their privacy.
3. Engagement. Executives rarely have the luxury of relaxing their schedules while traveling. Their travel arrangements must reflect this reality, enabling their continued productivity at every stage of the journey.
4. Safety. High-profile executives face different security risks than everyday travelers. Itineraries must be booked and vendors chosen with an eye towards minimizing these risks as much as possible.
5. Value. Executive travel can be costly, but if spend is aligned with the organization’s priorities, and it has a tangible, positive impact on the company, it can be well worth it.

In conclusion, managing corporate travel for executives requires a nuanced understanding of both their specific preferences and the broader principles of executive travel management. While it's unlikely that you'll receive exhaustive instructions detailing every preference of your executive, the "5 Rules of Thumb" highlighted in this article serve as a guiding framework to make informed decisions. Flexibility, confidentiality, engagement, safety, and value are critical considerations that can greatly enhance the travel experience for executives. By prioritizing these principles, you can ensure that travel arrangements not only meet but exceed the expectations of your executive, facilitating their productivity and safeguarding their welfare. Ultimately, the role of a strategic partner in executive travel management is to navigate the complexities of corporate travel with insight and foresight, leveraging both specific knowledge and general guidelines to deliver exceptional travel experiences.