Travel Risk Management Protocols on the Rise

A recent GBTA Foundation study released earlier this week showed an overwhelming majority (83 percent) of organizations that have travel risk management programs, have risk management protocols in place as part of their travel programs to ensure the safety and well-being of their business travelers. GBTA only expects this number to go up. Of those who reported not having travel risk management (TRM) protocols in place – 60 percent plan to adopt these within the next two years.

The high adoption rates of TRM protocols shows businesses are committed to keeping their road warriors out of harm’s way. It is also exciting to see technological advances such as apps and texting abilities changing the face of TRM programs by allowing organizations to better track and communicate with their employees. This lets the traveler focus on doing business rather than worrying about potential risks or mishaps.

The study, Keeping Travelers Safe Through Travel Risk Management (TRM), was sponsored by Concur Technologies and surveyed more than 250 travel managers, security officers and human resource personnel to gain a better understanding of how many organizations have TRM protocols in place as well as what features these programs include.

What does a typical TRM program consist of?
TRM protocols commonly include a variety of features. Seven of the eight features below are included in at least two out of five domestic protocols and at least half of international protocols.

How quickly can organizations locate all impacted employees when an incident occurs?
When it comes to locating travelers impacted by an emergency or a disruption, one-third (30 percent) of respondents say they can locate all impacted travelers in real-time when the need arises. Two out of five (20 percent) say they can locate travelers in 15-30 minutes and one-third (31 percent) say it takes more than 30 minutes. The estimated median time is 23 minutes, however, two out of five (20 percent) do not know how long it would take.

TRM protocols make a big difference when it comes to locating travelers. Organizations both domestically and internationally that have TRM protocols in place generally locate all impacted employees much more quickly than those that do not.

Technology
Given that a majority of business travelers have a smartphone, it is not surprising SMS messages are used in order to communicate about an emergency. This type of channel ranks higher than mobile apps most likely due to its immediacy. Even though SMS messages rank higher than mobile apps though, the latter can be used in tandem as each have a unique use. While SMS can push a notification instantly and cannot be turned off like an app notification, it can carry a message to alert travelers to check the mobile app for further information. Organizations can take advantage of the high adoption rate of smartphone use by offering mobile apps that are useful to their business travelers.

Having a sound TRM program in place helps ensure an organization can fulfill its legal duty of care obligations and also ensures employee safety and security – a win for all involved.