Safer travel starts here
Are you ready to get down to business? Your road warriors and jetsetters need to know you've got their back. The landscape of business travel has changed. Pent-up travel demand coupled with post-pandemic staffing shortages have led to flight cancelations, overbooked planes, queues, and other inevitable wobbles.
To keep your travellers feeling confident (and safe), they need support and assistance – anytime, anywhere. So they're less stressed, more productive, and less likely to jump ship. We can help with that.
How can you keep your travellers safe? Prep them on safety procedures before, during, and after travel – and equip them with a travel management tool that takes it from there.
Your travellers need to know what’s what.
While they pack their bags
- Brief your travellers: Let them know you're prepared for any travel hitch by taking them through what plans (and backup plans) you've in place to get them from A to B without a hitch.
- Cover the basics: Make sure your employees are up to speed when it comes to your travel policy, health and safety policy, and the risk assessment for their trip.
- Update contacts: Make sure your travellers' profiles are up to date, including next of kin information. Provide them with details for 24/7 support and the emergency contact numbers for your travel insurance provider.
- Teach them the tech: Run them through your travel management technology, and make sure they have the Melon Mobile app: it’s the perfect way to stay in the know while on the move.
- Trip-specific details: Make sure they know about all the health and fitness aspects of their travels and visa and vaccination advice.
- Standard procedures: Inform them of any standard procedures they need to follow, like sending a text message or email when they arrive at their destination.
On the road
- 24/7 support: If things don't go as planned, your travellers need to know who they can turn to for support. Make sure they have a way to get help via chat, email, or phone – whichever is most convenient for them.
- Traveller tracking: Provide traveller tracking technology to locate at-risk travellers.
- Updates and alerts: Implement crisis response plans to contact, locate, and inform your traveller in an emergency.
Safe at home
- Follow up: It's a good idea to survey your travellers after their trip. Make sure they understood the safety procedures and ask them for feedback.
Start here
A good travel management company (TMC) makes duty of care simple. With decades of experience, we'll help you analyse risks and develop a plan for your travellers – before, during, and after travel.
While you pack your bags
- Control bookings: Identify high-risk bookings or out-of-policy bookings.
- Set up travel alerts: Keep you and your travellers informed of potential disruptions.
- Maintain traveller profiles: Always have the information you need at your fingertips, including the most up-to-date emergency contact information for your travellers.
On the road
- 24/7 support: Support your travellers in emergencies. Melon provides 24/7 access to travel experts anywhere, on any device.
- Traveller tracking technology: Melon's traveller tracking technology means you always know where your travellers are.
- Updates and alerts: If something does go wrong, Melon can notify your travellers immediately. Get automatic updates and alerts for delays, cancelations, and travel disruptions.
- Peace of mind: Delays, en route COVID positive tests, lost luggage. We've got you covered with the answers you need. In every hotel we work with, to help you on the ground.
Safe at home
Regular reporting: Spot out-of-policy bookings and risky destinations so you can tighten up your travel policy compliance.
When it comes to traveller safety, keep three things in mind:
- Plan ahead
- Train your staff
- Communicate updates to your employees and key stakeholders.
With businesses left and right re-forecasting budgets as business travel picks up, there's a lot of pressure to get the budget right. Resources are being cut, and traveller safety needs have increased, making it an overwhelming task. Melon can help with that too.
Frequently asked questions
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How can companies ensure employee safety during business travel?
Companies can ensure employee safety by implementing a robust travel risk management plan, providing pre-trip briefings, offering 24/7 support, using traveller tracking technology, and sharing emergency contact information for every trip.
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What is duty of care in corporate travel?
Duty of care refers to a company’s legal and ethical responsibility to protect employees while they travel for work. This includes risk assessments, health and safety guidance, real-time alerts, and support in emergencies.
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What pre-trip preparations should employees complete?
Employees should review company travel policies, health and safety guidelines, risk assessments, visa and vaccination requirements, and update emergency contacts. Training on travel management apps and communication protocols is also essential.
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What kind of support should be available during business trips?
Employees should have access to 24/7 support via chat, phone, or email. Support may include assistance with flight disruptions, lost luggage, medical emergencies, or navigating high-risk destinations.
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How can travel policies reduce risk during business trips?
Clear travel policies define approved booking channels, highlight high-risk destinations, and provide guidance on health, safety, and compliance, reducing exposure to travel-related risks.