ADMINISTRATION

REVISION – BLOCK 8

TRAVEL

WHO NEEDS TO TRAVEL ON BUSINESS?

The Managing Director - to visit other branches of the firm

The Sales Representatives - to get new customers abroad

Department Managers - to meet colleagues in other branches

All employees - to attend training courses

- conferences

- exhibitions

- meetings

- social functions

MAKING ARRANGEMENTS FOR TRAVEL

As Admin Assistant you may be asked to make all arrangements

Keep a separate folder for every trip you organise containing:

details of the trip – dates, destination, number travelling,

a note of all the travel and accommodation details

dates and times of appointments/meetings

all the necessary reports and papers for meetings, speeches, etc

travel tickets and accommodation vouchers

written confirmation of bookings made

MAKING TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS

Procedures:

1 Travel Request Form - this is completed by the person(s) travellingto tell you what their requirements are. It tells you the destination, the method of traveland the dates and times of meetings.

2 Research - you will use various sources of information to find out which flights or trains will be appropriate such as timetables and the internet, and what accommodation is available. If travel is abroad, are visas, insurance and injections needed?

3 Travel/ Accommodation Booking Forms

- completed before booking through a travel agent or directly on line. Written confirmation of all bookings made must be obtained before the travel date.

MAKING TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS

Continued:

4 Prepare the Itinerary - this is a detailed travel plan with the name of the person travelling, listingflight/train times, numbers, departure andarrival times, hotel names and addressesand the times and places of all meetings.

5 Arrange Foreign Currency - foreign travel means cash/currency should be arranged prior to travel.

6 Documentation - tickets, insurance forms (eg E111), visas, passport, vaccination certificate, reports, speeches and accommodation vouchers are placed in a folder to be taken on the trip. Also driving licence and credit cards would be carried by the traveller.

TRAVEL CHOICES

The method of travel chosen will depend on:

• the personal preference of those making the trip

• the budget made available by the firm

• the convenience of departure points

• the number of people making the trip

• the firm’s policy and procedures

• the balance of advantages and disadvantages of all the options

• the time available for the trip

Now answer the following questions in sentences on paper.

1 Name 3 types of employee who might need to travel on business.

2 Give a different reason why each of them has to travel.

3 Whose job in the firm might it be to make travel arrangements?

4 How can you avoid mixing up arrangements for different trips?

5 What is the purpose of a travel request form?

6 Name 2 sources of information for train times.

7 Name 2 possible requirements when travelling abroad.

8 What is an itinerary?

9 Name 3 pieces of information an itinerary must contain.

10 List 3 things which determines what method of travel is used.

Now check your answers with the solution and note your score.