Business Travel iQ
Nikolaj Madsen's Expert post this week asked travel buyers if they are ready for digital nomads. What we noticed about the post is how the trend does not focus on just young travellers but the entire spectrum of employees changing the way they search, book and stay while on a trip.
Groups of travellers are often bunched to help make sense of the latest trends and the latest grabbing the headlines in the business travel sector is handling those pesky 'millennials'. Definitions of the group, also known as Generation Y, varies but is typically defined by those aged between 18 and 34 that grew up with technology constantly around them, starting with televisions featuring predominantly in living rooms since birth up to the recently-announced Apple Watch.
Further detail would describe how millennials want more authentic experiences when they travel and despite the incessant presence of technology are still keen for human interaction and business relationships with a face-to-face element. Notice how Facebook's new advertising campaign focuses on the memories its users should be making (and therefore sharing on the site) rather than images of everyone with their noses in their phones. This need for interaction means this generation want to travel more, and want more from it. It means millennials expect free WiFi in their hotel room, or that they can ask Twitter to find the coolest coffee shop to meet a business partner.
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©iStock.com/aydinmuytluBut these definitions aren't trends that apply only to those aged between 18 and 35 years old. We all know it's not only those in that age group booking up a room in someone's house or looking to share a taxi into the city. As Nikolaj also pointed out, these changes are becoming more mainstream and it means they will affect business travellers at all ages, levels, gender, nationality, you name it.
For travel buyers this throws up a host of problems. But what it really boils down to is managing expectations like those mentioned previously. Knowing your travellers is crucial, so use them to make sure you plan and strategise accordingly, or face the danger of them ignoring you. If they expect or need free Wi-Fi then negotiate it into your rates or fares. If you spot that some of your travellers always travel between London and Paris every six weeks then send them an alert to book in as far in advance as possible so the fare is cheaper. Follow their Twitter accounts so you can spot any on-the-go challenges that can be addressed either at the time or considered in future policies.
There will never be one straight policy that fits all, and you cannot assume the same about travellers either. The young ones might be the early adopters but we already know that some of the websites or tools they were using three years ago are now completely immersed into everyday life. If your travellers are used to choice outside of the workplace, are you going to be able to tell them otherwise?