Last month, we discussed Travel Risk Management and Duty of Care responsibilities of companies that require employees to travel. Simply stated, organizations have a moral and legal obligation to provide safe working conditions for their employees, including taking steps to minimize and manage risks while employees are traveling for the company. Third-party Travel Risk Management service providers specialize in delivering this type of service to organizations.

Travel Risk Management Services

Travel Risk Management doesn’t only come into play in war zones, or in the event of natural disaster. Accidents happen; people get sick; passports get stolen. Duty of care consists of providing a safety net for all kinds of potential hazards, beginning with being aware of potential risks and educating the employee before travel even commences. To extend that safety net during travel, it’s essential that the organization know where their employees are at all times. It’s not enough to know that the flight they were booked on landed on time – The company needs to know if they are checking into a local hotel or taking the train somewhere else. By knowing where each employee is, the organization is in the best position to aid the traveler if necessary. Aid might be necessary in the form of travel assistance (flight disruptions, transportation strikes, weather disasters, document replacement), medical assistance (illness, injury, repatriation), or security assistance (political uprising, terrorist activities, evacuation).

Some Travel Risk Management platforms that Covington Travel supports are SafeToGo, iJet and International SOS. Our reservation systems integrate seamlessly with these platforms to provide comprehensive travel data for a member organization’s reservations. Travel Maestro tip: Consolidating all travel bookings with one source allows a company to more easily harness their travel risk management. Specific features and costs of these services vary individually, but based on the product and configuration purchased, they may include:

• Pre-trip Travel Intelligence – “Know Before You Go” resources for hundreds of countries and cities globally
• Itinerary Delivery – Flight, hotel, car and appointment calendar integration, check-in links, weather, route maps, one-tap email and phone to travel agent, hotel, etc.
• Passenger Tracking – Corporate travelers’ map locations marked on a company branded website, displayable for current or future dates with ready access to traveler’s contact information.
• Automated Risk Monitoring – Real time travel alerts emailed for airline disruptions, security threats or weather phenomenon
• Reports & Group Management – Arrival and departure manifests, flight monitoring of individuals and groups
• Global Response Network – Travel, medical and security firms providing on-the-ground assistance to those in need.

Organizational risk management needs differ, based on company travel patterns, numbers of travelers and destinations. Travel Risk Management providers offer a customizable menu of services to meet those needs. Covington’s Business Travel Services team will be happy to help you compare offerings to determine which Travel Risk Management service is right for your company.