It’s official, we’re addicted to our digital gadgets. If we’re not checking them before we go to bed then we’re taking them on holiday with us to check what’s happening in the office. So how can business travellers, and travel providers, use this to their advantage?
Remember the days when you were out of the office and you really were? No way of checking your work email or keeping up to date on office gossip. A break felt like a break. When travelling by air or by plane we were incommunicado. Now we can check in wherever we are – even planes could become mobile friendly zones within the next year.
Business travellers are addicted to their digital devices, as a means of staying in touch. In a recent survey 27% of travellers check their work phone before they go to bed. For 48% they check their email before they leave for the office. 86% take a work mobile on holiday and 40% bring their work laptop with them on a break. So much for getting away from it all.
There doesn’t feel like there can be any benefits from this. How can we enjoy ourselves, take a well-earned rest and recuperation if we can’t switch off from our business communications?
Social media is another minefield. An ill-judged tweet could land a travelling businessman in hot water. Without a clear social media policy, and ensuring every member of staff is educated in toing the line, firms run the risk of finding it difficult to manage social media accounts on the road.
Yet for business travellers there’s no doubt there are benefits to be had from technology and social media. Social media can provide a wealth of information for travellers, helping them stay connected with the latest news and developments in their sector, as well as reflecting the work the company is doing on the road.
Practically, business travellers can use social networking sites to view the accommodation they’re staying at or to find out what’s nearby. Clarendon serviced apartments has released a mobile app that allows travellers to view local restaurants and shows on nearby to help customers get the best of a work life balance while they are staying in one of our properties.
Smartphones and tablets make it easier for business travellers to book accommodation on the go as well as planning their time effectively. It has been reported that 40% of travellers plan their trips via smartphones while almost a third of business travellers will book their accommodation via smartphone. For travel providers it is therefore vital that their website and all digital communications are designed and optimised for mobile download and use, making the customer interface easy to use and navigate.
As well as Clarendon’s app there are plenty of other travel focused apps making a business trip easier. Commuter apps, restaurant reviews, or guides to the area; they all help a business traveller getting to know a new city.
While checking emails and keeping up to date with the office is a bad idea when we’re on holiday it’s important when a business traveller is out of the office. They need to keep in touch with their employer, let them know how they are progressing and keep them up to date on any developments. Travel is a vital part of commerce but the work still needs to be done. Added amenities in Clarendon accommodation includes Wi-Fi making it easier to touch base with the office for free.
At Clarendon Serviced Apartments we embrace mobile and social media technology. We’re active on social media sites like Google + and we are getting great feedback from customers who use our new mobile app. We believe social media can be an influential tool for business travellers in deciding where to stay; therefore we adopt a policy of honesty and post customer reviews taken from the third party site Feefo (customer feedback form is sent from Feefo on behalf of Clarendon after a guests stay) to assist people with their accommodation choices.
Why not visit our Facebook, Twitter and Google+ page today and let us know what you think. We are always keen to get customer feedback and improve service levels.