Chapter 10
Making Travel Arrangements
Burton/Shelton, Procedures for
the Automated Office, 6e, C10
Making Travel Arrangements
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Planning the Trip
Arranging the Travel
Following Through
International Travel Tips
Planning—Who’s
Responsible?
• What are company policies and
procedures?
– Who’s responsible for making travel
arrangements?
– Do designated office professional handle
travel arrangements for all managers?
– Is a travel agency involved?
– What class is used when flying?
Who is responsible for making
travel arrangements? (continued)
• What are company policies and
procedures? (continued)
– Are private cars or rental cars used?
– Can any airline be used?
– How are payments made for reservations?
– Are cash advances given?
– How are managers reimbursed for additional
expenses?
Planning—Internet Travel Services
• Obtain abundance of information about
travel service company
– Flight schedules, pricing, phone numbers,
travel tips, etc.
• Ticket is paid for with a credit card number
– Ticket voucher is faxed, picked up at travel
agent or airport, or printed from Web site
Planning—Travel Agencies
• Provide services for making travel
arrangements easier
– Prepare travel itinerary, secure tickets, make hotel
reservations, arrange for rental car, etc.
• Receive commission from airlines, hotels,
and other organizations whose services they
sell – not your organization
• Approved by International Air Transportation
Association (IATA)
Trip Information Needed
Know details before you contact a travel
agent or a carrier:
• Destination
• Non-stop or intermediate
stops
• Departure and return dates
• Preferred travel time
• Method of travel
– Air, car, rail
• Type of service – business or
economy class
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Seat preference
Hotel preference/location
Is ground transportation
needed:
– At destination
– Shuttle service
– Rental Car
• Make and/or size
Arranging—Air Travel
• Become well informed about air travel
services
– Sources of air travel information
– Types of flights
– Classes of service
– Flight reservations
– Advantages of making online reservations
– Timetables
– Ground transportation
Air Travel—Sources of Air
Travel Information
• Obtained via:
– Local travel agent
– Airline
– Internet
• Consult North American and
International editions of Official Airline
Guide (OAG) for valuable information
– Also available on Internet
Air Travel—Types of Flights
• Nonstop – direct from point of departure to
destination
• Direct – regardless of the number of stops,
the passenger remains on the same plane
• Connecting – a flight that connects with
another flight (can be any airline)
• Commuter – short direct flights between two
neighboring cities
Air Travel—Classes of Service
• Type of service passengers receive
aboard the plane
– Where they sit
– Food and beverage served
• Basic classes of service
– Business Class – includes expeditious checkin and boarding, plus more seating space
– Economy Class – less space and limited meal
service
Air Travel—Flight Reservations
• Handled over phone, Internet, or at
locations in malls and hotels.
– Have all trip information ready prior to
contact
– Book reservations using credit card
– Receive fax or e-mail itinerary and
confirmation from airline carrier
Air Travel—Advantages of
Making Online Reservations
• Easy access to information
• Ability to print information for different
times for comparison – getting best
schedule for manager
• Quickly change if manager has change
of plans
• Do not have to go through travel agency
every time change must be made
Air Travel—Timetables
• No two airline timetables are identical
– Airline timetables are different from rail
timetables
• All carriers publish electronic and paper
timetables and update them often
• Air travel uses a 24-hour clock
Air Travel—Ground Transportation
• Airports are typically located twenty or
more miles from cities
– Shuttle bus, limousine, taxi, car rental, and
air taxi are types of available services
• Compare cost and how much time each
saves when making connection:
– Is it needed to connect airports/heliport?
– Is it needed to/from airport to hotel?
Car Rental Services
• Arrange for vehicle ahead of time
– Know city, date and time, size of car, where to
be picked up, who will pick it up, where to be
left, length of time needed, and method of
payment
• Upon arriving, traveler can pick up car at
airport rental agency near airport
– Indicate reservation and present proper ID.
Hotel Reservations
• Use toll-free number for making
reservations
• Ways to save money:
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Use Internet to search for best rates
Book right kind of room (business traveler)
Concierge levels (free breakfast, etc.)
Avoid hotel chains
Get guaranteed reservation and get confirmation
number. Use credit card for late arrivals.
Passports
• Travel document granting permission to
leave your own country and travel in
certain specified foreign countries
• U.S. citizen must carry abroad
– Not needed for short visits between Canada,
Mexico, and some countries in Caribbean
where U.S. birth certificate may be accepted
• Applied for and valid for ten years
Visas
• A stamped permit to travel within given
country for specified length of time
• Used with passport
• Obtain before going abroad
– Not given with passport
– Obtained from embassy or consulate of each
country, or consult travel agency
– Allow ample time to receive, since one is
needed from each country
Immunization Requirements
• Vaccinations may be required as condition
of entry to any country
• World Health Organization (WHO) sends
communication to local health departments
advising them of required and
recommended immunization for travelers
• Obtain a Certificate of Vaccination that
must be stamped by office administering
vaccinations
Security
• Avoid countries that are unfriendly to Americans
• Expect to be thoroughly examined before
boarding a flight
– Have computer batteries charged, should they need to
be turned on
– Do not wrap gifts
– Have passports and immunization cards on their
person, since government officials can request these at
any time
Following Through—Prior to Trip
(continued)
• Check tickets – compare with itinerary
• Get money for Trip
– Reply on credit cards, but carry some cash in
small bills for tips, etc. Use traveler’s checks.
• Understanding Per Diems
– Company’s expense allowance per day
Following Through—Prior to Trip
(continued)
• Preparing itinerary
– Travel dates and times, flight information,
dates, time and purpose of people traveler will
see, name of hotel for each overnight stay, car
rental information, software or documents
needed
– Make copies for traveler, supervisor, family
members, and you
Following Through—Prior to Trip
(continued)
• Assembling materials for trip
– Compile complete list of items manager will
need
• If taking notebook computer, include fully charged
spare power pack, diskettes, CD
– Place papers for each appointment in
separate envelopes or folders
– Makes two copies of list
• One for manager and one for you
Following Through—Getting Special
Instructions
• What do you do in manager’s absence?
– Mail – if forwarded, need location
– Meetings manager cannot attend – are
materials sent?
– Activate e-mail automatic message reply or
forward to someone else?
– Follow through on important correspondence
and phone calls?
Printing Business Cards
• Print new business cards prior to trips
abroad
– Include usual information in English on one
side
– On reverse side, print information in foreign
language
• Foreign business contacts will view this as
courteous gesture
During Your Manager’s Absence
• Work at same normal pace
• Manager will use e-mail and phone to keep
up with information and work
– Keep notebook of important mail and phone calls
• Communicate with person left in charge and
assist as necessary
• Keep both manager, and your calendars free
on first day back
– Update him or her of new appointments, etc.
After Your Manager Returns
• Brief manager on what has happened during
his or her absence
– Report most significant first – attention on items
requiring immediate attention
– Place on manager’s desk:
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Mail that arrived during absence
Summary of appointments
List of phone calls
List of visitors
– Return items taken on trip to proper place or dispose
of duplicate materials
After Your Manager Returns—Travel
Expense Voucher
• Know company’s policy of allowable
expenses
• Complete form showing reportable
expenses based upon receipts obtained.
Show:
– Date, location, type of item, and cost
• Must be approved by senior employee
International Travel Tips
• Tips for Success
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Learn about the country
Know “do’s” and “taboos”
Know time of day that is best for meetings?
Be open-minded to their customs, manners, gestures,
etc.
– Listen carefully
– Be careful of body language
– Do they want to know about you before jumping into
business mode?