NBTA 2008 International Convention and Exposition

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911Concierge.com Partners with e-Travel Technologies

July 27th, 2008, Warrenton, VA. 911Concierge.com today announced a partnership with e-Travel Technologies as a distributor of their travel risk management services.

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When business trips get dangerous
Despite new legislation on corporate responsibility, many firms show a worrying disregard for their business travelers.

(George Esiri/Reuters)

Times Online July 16, 2008

Rachael Jolley

Have you ever felt like your employer thinks once you get on a plane you are no longer his responsibility? If so, you are not alone.

New legislation was introduced this year and many of the UK's FTSE-100 companies have reviewed their security policies. Yet even in the biggest companies, travellers can still feel their security or welfare is not of the highest concern when they are away from the office.

Amelia Koulis, who works for a multi-national company headquartered in the US, and covers Europe, the Middle East and Africa, felt her security worries about her recent trip to Lagos were just ignored. “The thing is my bosses work in an air-conditioned office in Middle America and have no idea what it is like to travel in Africa.”

When Amelia was sent out to Nigeria for a meeting, she drew attention to the dangerous reputation of Lagos, and asked for a review of her personal security during her trip. This was deemed not necessary, despite the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) warnings of high risks of kidnapping in Lagos and Nigeria generally. Current FCO advice warns “There is a general threat from terrorism in Nigeria. Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers. ” It also warns of an increase in muggings, car-jackings and armed robberies in Lagos.

Despite these easily available warnings, and others available from security firms, Amelia, a senior manager in her 30s, was offered little reassurance from her own company and was forced to fall back on the help of friends from other companies.

She says: “I contacted two friends ahead of my trip who I know have offices and have travelled there. One was in the oil business and the other in the drinks industry. Both offered and contacted their local people on my behalf.

“I was not hugely impressed that the 'corporate security' information gathered by my company was not more broadly shared across the organisation or policy strictly mandated or implemented.”

Her friends were extremely concerned about the attitude of that her multi-national company was taking. She says: “As a woman travelling on my own, I should have had a clearer indication that I would be met, who I would meet and that I would be transported to the hotel.”

She was even offered advice by a fellow passenger: “When I finally cleared the chaotic immigration line and customs. I was told to resist any efforts to pull you out of the main queue and into a side room, as this is often an attempt to get money.” Once through immigration she was met by a colleague in a low-key, battered car, which she later realised was a useful measure to deflect attention.

Other women travelling on their own to riskier cities, often find arrival in a strange airport very stressful, particularly when they feel they have not been well enough briefed.

Caroline McMurdo, a consultant, remembers arriving in Moscow airport, being mobbed by potential drivers, to discover her promised named driver was nowhere to be found and not answering his phone. “So despite everything I had read saying this was a risky thing to do, I was forced to turn to a taxi to take me into my city centre hotel. Luckily everything turned out OK.”

Another woman traveller recalls that a few years ago when she was visiting Russia, she was not told that women drinking in bars, particularly up-market hotel bars, were often prostitutes so wondered why she was encountering odd looks from other drinkers, until she was briefed by a local colleague.

But these situations should not arise if your company is taking thorough precautions. Mark Avery, head of travel at PricewaterhouseCoopers, says, “We review the risk status of countries on a daily basis, categorising them as low, medium, high or extreme. Travellers to countries in the medium category or above, are given a briefing pack on the risks, mitigation plans such as meeting them at the airport with code words), and approval levels they need to authorise their travel.”

And while a lack of security knowledge can be far the greatest risk, not being briefed on cultural gaps can also leave you floundering.

Anne Lowmore, who taught English in China, found the annual Chinese New Year celebrations more revealing than expected. “I was invited to a friend's house, and we had a lovely traditional meal, and then it turned out her brother owned a spa, so we all trooped off there. At the end of the night, to my surprise, all the women expected to have a big communal shower so we were all clean for the New Year.”

And Anna said she found herself taking more risks than she would do at home. For instance, when she decided to go off to visit the Great Wall of China. “These guys came along, said they were from the bus, and bundled me into their van. It turned out they weren't the bus, it was just some guys making a quick buck. However they did take me to the Wall and it all ended up fine.”

Caroline Strachan, chairman of the Institute of Travel Management (ITM) – a trade body whose membership includes travel managers from FTSE-100 companies – and a travel manager herself, advises getting a good country guide and reading it all in advance to avoid a cultural faux pas.” But everyone can find themselves suddenly wrong-footed even when they consider themselves well informed about their destination. Strachan once found herself in a meeting in Japan when one of the people around the table nodded off. She was a little put out, until someone mentioned it was perfectly acceptable according to local custom.

Overall many companies could do more to prepare their staff for foreign trips. Paul Tilstone, executive director of the ITM, says many managers receive little guidance on how to put together a security policy. He suggests there should be specific training for particular locations, but admits that not that many companies undertake that level of training.

The recent introduction of the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act this year has raised awareness with some companies about increasing their levels of protection and prepardedness. For instance, some companies have recently stopped allowing staff to pick up a rental car after a long flight, and now allow travellers to take an extra night on the trip to get some sleep – because of worries about “duty of care”. According to ITM around 65% of companies are reviewing their policies on cars and taxis to take into consideration safety and security.