Defining Crisis Management:
Crisis situations are determined through unforeseeable events that are not associated with the normal risk of business travel, generating detrimental impacts on company operations. Eluding in various forms, ranging from what could be considered minor crises, such as road traffic incidents, to life-altering crises, such as a global pandemic, or as we know to be the effects of COVID-19. Actioning a comprehensive travel management programme mitigates the threat a crisis can impose on the security and safety of a business traveller, whilst protecting the outcome of the business trip itself.
Business travel can be unpredictable and ever-changing, which is why, as a proactive travel manager, it is essential to have a responsive crisis contingency plan in preparation for all eventualities. Failure to do so can result in profit losses and negative exposure regarding duty of care to your employees.
Building a Crisis Contingency Plan:
Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither will the infrastructure for a crisis management programme. Careful considerations, strategic assessments and evaluation of all hypothetical avenues create the foundations for a detailed system which responds quickly and swiftly to a crisis.
1. Be Knowledgeable
First and foremost, as a travel manager, it is of the utmost importance that you recognise that you are responsible for the safety and security of your business travellers. Researching what potential risks are associated with a destination will enable you to proactively arrange secure pick-up and drop-off points, accommodation and trustworthy suppliers for transport purposes.
Furthermore, certain destinations are more prone to natural disasters and criminal activity, highlighting the greater risks associated with them. Educating your business traveller on the destination and cultural differences provides peace of mind, while supplying points of contacts for emergencies and instructions to reach hospital resources ensures that if a crisis were to happen, your traveller is prepared.
2. Know your Traveller
It goes without saying that the travel management team behind the scenes should be aware of all relevant travel details for each business trip, including any personal data that may be considered a risk under crisis circumstances. Acquiring knowledge of your traveller on both a personal and professional level encourages the development of holistic travel policies, strengthening each cornerstone of your crisis contingency plan.
It would be in the best interest of both the traveller and the crisis management team to create tailored healthcare questionnaires with the content determined by the destination, for example ensuring vaccinations are up to date if mandatory or the potential side effects of any prescribed medicines. Applying this personal approach to the framework of your crisis contingency plan implements strategies to overcome any internal risks regarding the passenger.
Resourcing a basic travel itinerary in relation to the travellers’ flight number, emergency contacts, passport and health insurance documents is also an essential contribution to a successful crisis management plan as these details ensure quick actioned responses to what would be the next step in a crisis scenario.
3. Train your Team
Preparing for a crisis and experiencing a crisis are two very different scenarios, which is why the investment of training exercises and resources should be made readily available for your team to learn how to adjust and act accordingly to a crisis.
Employees should be subjected to online crisis courses aiming to enhance their knowledge of how to proactively manage uncomfortable situations and encourage initiative thinking. Practice drills should also be directed to coincide with following the correct procedures under pressure.
In turn, with time comes experience, and until your team has dealt with a crisis firsthand, it is your responsibility to assist in solidifying their basic knowledge and skills, which simultaneously contribute to the fundamental development of your travel management operations.
4. Invest in Technology
Integrating technological innovations enriches all the components supporting a steadfast travel management scheme, facilitating communication and allowing critical information sharing. Technology unites a team by forming a collective gathering of information to create an accurate picture of the crisis at hand and ensures efficient decision-making through objectivity.
Right at your fingertips, digital technology opens direct doors to the traveller experiencing the crisis from the management teams, despite physically being thousands of miles away. Opening all communicable contact lines for 24/7 support allows travel management teams to continue to closely monitor a crisis and update all involved with timely, accurate developments that satisfy expectations.
5. Post-Crisis Evaluation
Completing the craft of a successful foolproof crisis contingency plan is determined only after overcoming a crisis by assessing these actions in practice. Consider the timeliness and transitions of operations, revising any policies that did not quite act accordingly or were deemed inefficient.
Soliciting feedback from all employees involved is vital, as they are your most valuable asset in resourcing improvements, when considering the quality of training received, the effectiveness of the operations management and the satisfaction of support provided thereafter.
Subsequently, as a proactive travel manager, retaining this feedback and revising any policies that fall short of expectations not only enhances your crisis management plan but also demonstrates transparent dedication to your employees so that they will always remain at the forefront of all decision-making.
CMAC’s Role in Crisis Contingency
With almost two decades of experience and expertise in this field, we are no strangers to crisis management. At CMAC, we work directly with travel managers in partnership with TMCs to ensure reliable travel solutions inclusive of crisis situations.
Harnessing our dedication to any crisis around the clock and our objective technological advancements utilised via our online portal, CMAC is instantly connected to any unforeseen event across the globe, facilitated through real-time monitoring amongst our robust network of transport and accommodation solutions.
Striving for the quickest response time and providing a gratified support system, we aim to excel and nothing less!
For further discussions regarding how we can assist your valued team, please reach out to ours at hello@cmacgroup.com