Momo
9th Oct 2002, 18:40
How to save money in corporate travel while really annoying employees who have been used to something different:
1) Require use of EasyJet, Ryanair, Southwest, etc. on routes they serve, even if it requires an extra night in a hotel (which will normally not cost as much as the fare difference). Even if it costs more in some isolated cases. Some companies already do this, though I only know of one near here.
2) Require employees to use FF miles exclusively for corporate travel, and as soon as they have accumulated enough for one trip. (The German government does this.) When employees claim that they have both private and company travel on the same card, require them to manually separate it, or better still, require them to have two cards, making it less likely that they will get higher level cards with lounge access, making them want to choose a different airline.
3) Require the use of the cheapest airport buses and trains where the destination is downtown. Specifically prevent use of the Heathrow express (which does not save time anyway unless your destination is near Paddington.)
4) Require rail travel for London-Paris or Brussels if cheaper than air, and domestically in the UK, Germany and France. Don't let anyone fly from Brussels to Paris which would be idiotic in any case. (I know, I have been an idiot.)
5) At this point, hotels will be costing more than air travel, so insist on two-star maximum, matching the air travel class, and an amount of money for a meal that will cover double the cost of a Big Mac meal. Eventual hotel fidelity points must be used for corporate stays.
6) Nirvana has been reached. Any remaining travelling employees can now safely be removed, as they probably have not been able to find another job somewhere else for some good reason.
Now, points 1-5 would actually be pretty hassle-free for a startup company with young people who have never been used to anything else.
If you seriously want to reduce travel expense without employee hassle, many airlines will give IT fares (Inclusive Tour) and negotiated D (Business) fares to large companies who ask nicely. Require employees to use those companies, and to avoid those that refuse to play the game. Employees will understand that the airline is being unreasonable.
Based on experience, whatever country you are based in, the largest domestic carrier is likely to refuse the deal. BA and Lufthansa do not like this game for UK and Germany-based employees, but are quite willing to do it for people in other countries. I have done Geneva-Frankfurt-Houston in Business Class several times with Lufthansa, paying 35% of what my German colleagues, doing Munich-Frankfurt-Houston paid for the seat next to mine. Same for BA to Houston via London. BA does not want to play the game for our US-based people either.
1) Require use of EasyJet, Ryanair, Southwest, etc. on routes they serve, even if it requires an extra night in a hotel (which will normally not cost as much as the fare difference). Even if it costs more in some isolated cases. Some companies already do this, though I only know of one near here.
2) Require employees to use FF miles exclusively for corporate travel, and as soon as they have accumulated enough for one trip. (The German government does this.) When employees claim that they have both private and company travel on the same card, require them to manually separate it, or better still, require them to have two cards, making it less likely that they will get higher level cards with lounge access, making them want to choose a different airline.
3) Require the use of the cheapest airport buses and trains where the destination is downtown. Specifically prevent use of the Heathrow express (which does not save time anyway unless your destination is near Paddington.)
4) Require rail travel for London-Paris or Brussels if cheaper than air, and domestically in the UK, Germany and France. Don't let anyone fly from Brussels to Paris which would be idiotic in any case. (I know, I have been an idiot.)
5) At this point, hotels will be costing more than air travel, so insist on two-star maximum, matching the air travel class, and an amount of money for a meal that will cover double the cost of a Big Mac meal. Eventual hotel fidelity points must be used for corporate stays.
6) Nirvana has been reached. Any remaining travelling employees can now safely be removed, as they probably have not been able to find another job somewhere else for some good reason.
Now, points 1-5 would actually be pretty hassle-free for a startup company with young people who have never been used to anything else.
If you seriously want to reduce travel expense without employee hassle, many airlines will give IT fares (Inclusive Tour) and negotiated D (Business) fares to large companies who ask nicely. Require employees to use those companies, and to avoid those that refuse to play the game. Employees will understand that the airline is being unreasonable.
Based on experience, whatever country you are based in, the largest domestic carrier is likely to refuse the deal. BA and Lufthansa do not like this game for UK and Germany-based employees, but are quite willing to do it for people in other countries. I have done Geneva-Frankfurt-Houston in Business Class several times with Lufthansa, paying 35% of what my German colleagues, doing Munich-Frankfurt-Houston paid for the seat next to mine. Same for BA to Houston via London. BA does not want to play the game for our US-based people either.