Wondering how to make travel arrangements for your boss? You’re in the right place. To book and manage executive trips can be stressful. For your boss, their time away might be jam-packed with meetings, while trying to keep up with colleagues in different time zones, and dealing with jet lag. It can be a serious headache for administrative assistants like yourself trying to coordinate travel while handling a heap of other responsibilities.
Thankfully, solutions are available to help simplify executive travel, alleviate the admin, and remove many past pain points. Booking tools can streamline everything: from picking great accommodation and booking flights to automating your travel expenses and reclaiming VAT.
Here we’re sharing eight easy steps for making travel arrangements for executives a breeze.
How to make travel arrangements as a secretary in eight steps
By following these eight steps, you’ll free up time that you can then focus on the personal touches. Ready to impress your boss and elevate their business trip to the skies and beyond? Here are our top tips for how to make travel arrangements as a secretary. Let’s dive in.
1. Communicate to create a successful travel experience
A positive travel experience depends on a few key factors:
Clarity: maintain up-to-date details of all travel plans
Support: ability to reach out for help at any point, particularly for changes
Time management: quickly taking care of administrative tasks while on their business trip
Personalization: getting the travel experience that suits their needs
Bleisure: a sprinkle of leisure activies outside of business hours for the traveler to unwind and make the most of their trip
For each trip, identify the non-negotiable priorities and (for longer trips) one or two personal things that will make the stay more enjoyable for your boss. Remember, everyone is at their best when balanced, fully rested, and able to focus on the job at hand—not worry about their upcoming flight!
Feedback is also important: after the trip, try to have a quick conversation with your boss about how the trip went and what you can do differently next time. If you want to formalize this process, you can put together a pulse survey and have it in their inbox upon return. Build upon each experience, its feedback, and continuously improve.
2. Find a travel management tool to arrange travel and accommodation
Harnessing first class technology can help businesses streamline the corporate travel management process. Rather than scrolling through several websites to find the best prices, office managers can use a travel management tool to find suitable options quickly.
How to book transport for your boss
When selecting transportation, keep in mind the details that will make the trip more comfortable for your boss. Do they prefer an aisle or window seat? Do they have airlines or rental car companies where they accrue loyalty points or can get access to lounges?
After noting these preferences, by using a travel management tool like Perk, you can book flights, trains, car hire and accommodation your boss will love, in just a few clicks.
Get exclusive rates on hotels with Perk
Perk makes managing business travel a lot simpler for executive assistants, travel managers and admins. One of the many benefits of booking business travel on our platform is that we're able to negotiate some of the most competitive corporate hotel rates for our customers around the world. In fact, you can choose from over 26,000 special hotel rates when you book with us. Saving the company money will definitely get you in your boss' good books!
Boasting a vast travel inventory, Perk allows companies to input and automate corporate travel policies (and their approvals) in minutes. After establishing these parameters, business travelers or executive assistants can search through options safe in the knowledge they are compliant and in-budget.Plus, whether it's securing an aisle seat for a flight or a room away from the hustle and bustle of the ground floor, Perk's optional concierge services can ensure executives' preferences are met every time.
How to book accommodation for your boss
When choosing accommodation, consider the amenities your boss might appreciate. Good Wi-Fi is a given, but they might want a decent-sized desk, on-site coworking space, or private meeting rooms. They might want to have gym facilities or 24/7 room service.
Another important consideration is the location. Take a look at your boss's schedule and pinpoint an area that makes the most sense for their itinerary.
A travel management tool should provide a wide range of accommodation options, from well-known chains to boutique options—Perk users will have the best of both worlds.
Once you’ve coordinated travel arrangements, vet your choices to double-check if they are suitable for your boss. Use Hotel Wi-Fi Test to make sure connection speeds are up to scratch. It’s also a good idea to scan reviews for elements you know will matter to your boss—the good and the bad!
Perk users can benefit from seeing where other colleagues have stayed, making it easier than ever to get the inside scoop from trusted teammates.
Finally, when selecting a travel management tool, confirm that the system has an easy-to-use travel app so that your boss can access their itinerary and other services on the move.
3. Have a point person for itinerary changes in the eleventh hour
Making travel arrangements for executives involves expecting the unexpected: like any trip, business travel can spring suprises, whether an unfavourable weather forecast or a last-minute cancellation,
but corporate travelers often face additional challenges out of their control that require immediate changes to their schedule.
Comprehensive, 24/7 support is a must, particularly for busy executives who don’t have the time to sort out new travel arrangements. At Perk, your boss can reach our team of human customer support agents in a target response time of 15 seconds, 24/7, 365 days a year.
4. Help prepare your executive's cell phone
When asking yourself how to make travel arrangements as a secretary, it’s useful to walk through every aspect of your boss’ trip to pick up on the small details that are often overlooked: prepping your executive’s mobile phone is an important one. Phones can be used for so much more than communication——they're great tools for eliminating the daily hassles of navigating a new area, language, and currency!
Recommend a currency converter app and a translation app (Google Translate still holds the title as best translation app) to help your boss navigate international travel. This should be top of mind when you’re considering how to make international travel arrangements for your boss. Many of these apps also have offline features, which is a travel essential.
With Perk, corporate travelers can book travel arrangements, get updates to their itinerary, access maps offline, andreceive 24/7 support all within themobile app.
5. Keep track of your traveler’s preferences
Preferences change with time and circumstance. Your exec might prefer proximity to the client or local office for short trips but want to be near walkable restaurants and the city landmarks to enjoy their free time on longer trips. They might even prefer traveling with ground transportation like trains or car rentals over flights.
Never assume you'll remember, even with the most diligent and careful planning. Keep a running list on an easy-to-edit file, or use Perk to safeguard this info for every traveler you’re booking for.
Here are some important categories to note:
Frequent flyer programs in use
Transportation and seating preferences (window, aisle, forward-facing)
In-flight meal preferences (especially any allergies!)
Contact details of important people they would like to have a copy of their itinerary
With Perk, you can add a special request to each booking that our concierge service will take care of: like a late checkout or extra legroom. Some preferences might hold true for every trip. Others might be more specific.
Maintaining this list of priorities and preferences will eliminate repetitive conversations and save everyone time in the long run.
6. Simplify travel expenses reporting
Expense reporting can feel like a significant time snatcher. Tracking money takes longer than spending it.
Help your boss get expense reporting done in a flash bydownloading a receipt-scanning or management app like Pleo. It may be worth adding these to your company tech stack too. If your exec handles expense reporting on their own, you can pre-fill some of the trip details so that they can complete the task faster.
Nothing beats automation: Perk integrates with various third-party expense management apps, including Expensify and BILL Spend & Expense (previously Divvy), so that trip costs are stored safely, and travel spend reports are rapid.
7. Prepare an in-depth travel itinerary for your boss
With a travel management solution like Perk, the details of each trip can be found in one place (with just one login!). However, for those times when your boss isn’t using a travel management platform, it's important that the information is accessible offline.
While screenshots are a quick and easy method of ensuring your boss has access offline, you can go the extra mile to prepare a travel itinerary that includes elements specific to their particular business trip in a way that’s easier on the eye.
Here are some top tips for creating a clear itinerary:
Break down each day and walk through activities
Note booking confirmation numbers and contact numbers for car rentals
For flights, include airline phone numbers, the terminal's address, confirmation numbers, flight numbers, seat reservations, and any membership numbers for loyalty programs
Specify platforms for train journeys where possible
If you have any pre-booked car services, include these details and the contact numbers for the driver and the company
Include the address of their specific hotel and the contact details for the front desk in case there are multiple hotels with the same name
Note check-in and check-out times for hotel stays: very important!
Add your boss' meetings to this itinerary, noting the attendees and objectives of each
To go the extra mile: include LinkedIn photos of meeting attendees to ensure a warm greeting
Highlight any periods where your boss has free time
After you have completed the itinerary, save it as a PDF and email it to your boss
8. Go the extra mile
The best part of automating and outsourcing aspects your corporate travel management is being able to focus on the extra details your boss will appreciate. This attention to detail will set you apart from other administrators and really impact your boss’ trip.
Here are some examples of little extras that you can prepare in advance for your boss:
Luggage tags
Business cards
Talking topics and contact details of the local host (client or office manager)
Healthy, travel-friendly snacks
Restaurant recommendations based on their preferences s - you can even use a concierge service like Perk to secure reservations
Tips for how to spend any downtime. Be sure to highlight options that require tickets and book these in advance
Travel adapters and surge protectors
Take a second to figure out the little things that will make a big difference for your exec, and keep a running list for future business trips.
The ultimate executive travel arrangements checklist
Having a checklist that you can refer to before your trip helps you prepare for both the expected and the unexpected. Anticipating your boss's needs ahead of time will make the journey more successful and save you both time.
To get you started, we've recapped the tips above into a handy checklist you can refer to when planning your boss's next trip, and the next, and the next!
Establish the key markers for success
Ask your boss what needs to happen to make this business trip a success
Make arrangements in line with their priorities
Ask for feedback on their return to improve future plans
Find a travel management tool
Select a travel management solution that has a mobile app so execs can keep track of their itineraries and receive updates on the road
Use automation features to help choose accommodation and transportation within corporate travel policies
Cross-check options against your boss's personal preferences
Use Hotel Wi-Fi Test to check connection speeds
Check reviews (even better if you can hear from colleagues)
Suggest your boss downloads the following apps (or similar)
Perk: to access itineraries and receive updates on the go
A currency converter app, such as XE currency converter
A translation app, such as Google Translator
Any hotel apps relevant to their stay
Recommend your exec takes advantage of apps’ offline features when needed
Keep track of your executive's preferences and necessities
Any frequent traveler programs in use
Transport seating preferences
In-flight meal preferences
Any hotel preferences or loyalty programs
Allergies, intolerances, and food preferences
Late checkout needs
Extra legroom preferences
Transportation preferences (trains, car rentals, flights, etc)
Contact details to send itinerary to designated loved ones
Prepare all documentation
Check passport is in date
Double-check any travel visas
Print car/travel insurance information
Prepare and print an in-depth itinerary: including meetings and other planned activities
Prepare the "little" extras to go the extra mile
Backup luggage tags
Extra business cards
Talking topics and contact details of local hosts
Preferred snacks for the road
Restaurant recommendations they’ll love
Travel tips for any free time
Downtime activities: massages, gym passes, spas, etc.
Keep all travel details in one place offline
Create a PDF document for each trip
Ensure your boss has printed copies of their in-depth itinerary
Consider a travel app to keep this all in one place for you
Prepare for expense reporting
Speed up reimbursements by downloading a receipt management app such as Yokoy or Spendesk
Keep a digital copy of your travel expense policy handy—or use a travel management app to do it for you!
Keep any paper-based receipts as a backup. Providing a physical receipt wallet is a good reminder for your exec to do this
Making travel arrangements for executives as simple as possible
There you have it, eight steps to keep in mind when booking travel for executives. These trips don’t need to be stressful, but they do need to be smooth. Make them memorable for all the right reasons and give your boss the experience they deserve.
If you’ve now figured out you’ll be more effective with a travel management app underwing, then book your Perk demo today, and let’s see where we can take you—or your boss, in this case!
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