BUSINESS TRAVEL… SMART OR STUPID?

Step 3: Identify all non-travel options that were considered and why. Is travel the superior tactic in terms of the anticipated ROI?

Step 4: Once the decision to travel is made, is everyone involved clear on what needs to be accomplished and how the results will be made known? The very act of calibrating on the optimal outcome of the investment helps drive its fulfillment because it takes the focus off the being there and puts it more on driving to a particular outcome. Be sure that the traveler or meeting participant has a high “get it” factor on the objectives of the trip so the focus is on the result and not on showing up.


Remember, the key is to reward people for getting the work done. Because we are still in the first few months post-September 11, we are in danger of either identifying how much we do or don’t travel as a business goal or of ignoring the upside of the tragedies --- which is to re-evaluate how we achieve critical business results in the most cost-effective way possible.


The ROI of business travel was a valid and long overdue question to get on the table. Leaders must know how --- and teach how --- to do the business analysis as it relates to business travel. After all, travel is inevitable… smart travel is not. That’s what we need to ensure.

Back