A Modern Business Traveler’s Plea to the Corporate Travel World

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Hey, corporate travel world. I may not understand everything you do, but I know you’re there. I see your logo on my itineraries, I hear your name from my favorite travel agent, and I know that my company says I have to book my business travel with you.

I’m what you would probably call a ‘modern business traveler.’ I never hit the road without at least my smartphone and tablet in tow, and I live and die with my Wi-Fi signal. I thrive on constant and instant connectivity, and I’m not opposed to sharing where I’m going, what I’m doing, even what I’m eating, on social media. Technology fuels just about every aspect of my life on the road.

It’s all pretty magical really. A few taps on my smartphone and there’s a driver on his way to my exact location. Another and I can check in for my flight and flash my digital boarding pass at the airport security agent. A few more and I can find the nearest location of my favorite coffee shop and pay for my drink without even touching my wallet. Amazing.

I can do a lot of things on my own, and I like that. I’ve got the world in the palm of my hand!

Well, maybe not the whole world. I still have two more stops to make on this business trip, and with connecting flights and closely scheduled meetings, there’s little room for error. Too bad no one mentioned that to Mother Nature, who is currently brewing a massive storm system across the area.

How can I rearrange my flights, hotels, and cars to make it all work? Siri just isn’t getting it.
This is when I really need you, corporate travel people. I need you to swoop in and be just as available as my magical technology – and even more accommodating.

I remember what you told me during our training – that you’re all about high-touch customer service when I need it and the best technology when I don’t – so I tap a button in my favorite travel app (thanks for streaming all my itineraries straight in there, by the way) and I’m instantly connected with Debbie. She knows me by name, she has all the details of my trip, and she knows just what I should do.

She updates all of my bookings in what seems like an instant, even changing my hotels (but still making sure they’re part of my favorite chain!) so I’m closer to my meetings since I’ll be tighter on time now. She was even better than my app.

This is just what I need. Give me the tools and then let me do my own thing, but also be at my beck and call, and really know how to take care of me, when I run into something that my smartphone can’t talk me through. Is that really so much to ask?

I’ll let you in on a little secret – my company’s corporate travel people are Ultramar, and they don’t think it is. They gave me a place where I can book my trips online and came to the office to show me how to use it. They’ve got all my information there in one place, so I never have to worry about pulling out a credit card or remembering my frequent flyer numbers. They even remind me when I have unused non-refundable tickets I can use!

And those agents that I can call too – they’re great. They always remember me and know how to fix my problems. They bring me down from my ‘too many days on the road this month’ panic attacks, which my spouse and my assistant very much appreciate.

Ultramar knows what’s up – they get me and they get my company. Our Travel Manager says this is really important, and that our program was custom-tailored just for us. I don’t know exactly what that means, but it sounds nice.

Fellow road warriors take note – you want your company to work with corporate travel people like Ultramar.

Now, back to my Twitter feed.

This content is created collaboratively in partnership with our sponsor, Ultramar.