Business Travel iQ
New and future travellers demand more complexities and flexibility when it comes to travel booking and yet put simplicity and convenience at the centre of priorities.
These paradoxes were at the heart of discussions that took place at Business Travel iQ's Managing the Future Business Traveller conference in London in June.
Profiling the future business traveller
While sharing wider population trends that could affect travel policies, Ipsos MORI's CEO Ben Page described a world where there will not only be more younger travellers but also a larger older workforce.
At times there are differences in how these age groups react towards changes in society or technology, but Ben pointed out that once the eldest have passed away the view of the younger majority will become the norm.
This means that in the future the view of the millennials will be at the forefront; what Ben described as liberal with a small 'l'. Stereotypes will not be accepted and employees will expect autonomy, balance, variety and a purpose from their job.
This bunch are connected, but also distracted.
This was embodied by serial entrepreneur Carl Pihl who had not even heard of travel management before attending the conference. With little money in their pockets his fellow employees and start-up peers are driven more by finding the cheapest deal no matter where that is. Carl explained it's important to have the right company culture and that's what determines its travel policy — even one that is completely open. Carl also offers full flexibility when it comes to holidays and his colleagues don't even need to tell him when they are going away. There is a trust that the job will get done in time and as a result the passionate workers will stick around for the good of the business.
Later in the day young travellers Kim Ou and Morganne Graves both expressed a desire for a job which allows both some freedom in when they work and the ability to travel.
However, before you start to panic that there will be no controls, former Nokia and Microsoft travel manager Nina Ruokonen reported that millennials working in large businesses generally booked within policy and did not overspend.
The iQ view The new workforce wants more purpose from their job and with that comes a heightened level of care about the company for which they work. If these employees invest and put their time and effort into a company then they will expect to be shown the same back.
Predictions that will impact these travellers
- Workplace More remote working, greater productivity
- Technology More powerful computers, unpredictable technology
- Air Better security, scheduling and connectivity; blind auctions for upgrades and more ways to become environmentally-friendly
- Ground transport Speed and end-to-end will be important to this sector's future, as will a need for transparency
- Suppliers Disintermediation and shortened supply chains