Wow factor

This week, through the power of streaming, I watched part of the PhoCusWright Innovation Summit.  Seeing those presentations gives me hope for a brighter tomorrow for this crazy industry.  During the presentations, had I been keeping track using tick marks, I would have had a table full of tick marks when words like personalization, collaboration, global, choice, speed and options were said. 

Will some of these tools have a negative impact on Corporate Travel and the way we manage it today?  Probably.  Does that mean we stick our heads in the sand and pretend we don't see it?  I hope not.  Personalization, choice and options are words that travelers love and make travel managers uncomfortable. 

If you didn't get to see any of the good work that came out of there, take look and see what's out there.  See how its changing.  See what travelers are asking for.  See what the future looks like!

http://snipurl.com/287jk32

Most of all, keep going! 

What's for dinner?

Everyone who reads this, knows I am a wife and a mom.  This question is one that runs through my mind daily.  I, however, know my family.  I know what food will be met with rave reviews and what dishes will invoke the inevitable, "Can I just have a bowl of cereal instead?" question.

This question is the one that makes people planning meetings and events crazy.  Again, I KNOW what my family wants and likes.  Planning an event, especially an event involving food for 20, 30, 400, 1000 people...strangers...can be daunting.  Some things to take into consideration include dietary habits (I only eat protein or am a vegan, etc.), dietary allergies (Gluten free, nut free, etc) , religious dietary needs (Kosher, meatless Fridays, etc.) and we haven't even opened the door to talk about people who simply don't like things like fish, steak, salad etc. Then, let's say your event goes on for 2 days, 3 days...how do you meet everyone's needs and not let them feel like they are being starved. 

In my house, if you don't like what is made, you either go hungry or eat enough to get you through to snack time!  (Honestly, I am not a villain, I just think kids should try different things!)  At an event, that means that people who don't like what's being served either go without, or go elsewhere.  Going elsewhere means they will probably be late for the next meeting.  It means not only has their first meal been paid for, but now, their second one needs to be paid for as well.  It means that anything that was said or presented during the meal was not absorbed by them.

If you are thinking this blog post is going to show you a magical way to solve these issues, it won't because if I had that, I wouldn't be sitting here writing this, I would be enjoying my island home with a cocktail in my hand.  I simply want to inspire people to remember that when you are asked the question, "What's for dinner?" you be thankful for a meeting planner who has helped you answer that questions in the past!

Keep going! 

That time of year...

If you know someone who hasn't been getting their required 6 hours of sleep...
If you know someone whose voice is hoarse or cracked because of long hours of calls...
If you know someone whose reaction to everything is, "You gotta be kidding me?"...
If you know someone who swears this year will be different than last...
If you know someone who waits to get their eyes checked until this is over...
If you know someone who has had to see their hair colorist twice in 6 weeks....
If you know someone who still sees a glimmer of hope....

Then you know someone going through the painstaking process of hotel negotiations.  This archaic, painful and necessary process is in full swing this time of year.  Corporations and hotels are sending files, documents, prayers and wishes back and forth in hopes to come up with a middle ground. Corporations hoping to meet travelers needs, keep travelers safe all the while saving the company money on their travel spend.  Hotels hoping to find favor with the corporation, but still make a profit. 

Will this vicious cycle ever end?  Probably not.  Can it change, evolve, morph and become easier?  Yes.  Will the end result still be the same?  Probably. 

Tax free days??

As we sit in day two of the government shut down, I wonder about some things:
1 - If they aren't working, does this mean we have a tax break until they get back into the swing?  I certainly think that during these times we should be able to take advantage of the savings because the taxes are going to pay for anything.  Can we, as companies, ask for the federal taxes back that we paid on airline tickets, hotels, car rentals back?  (Look for an upcoming post on taxes and fees in travel!)
2 - Does this mean that for two days (and counting) I can work tax free?  How will my tax forms look at the end of the year?  Unchanged, I am sure, but would be nice to get credit for the days I worked when they aren't working!
3 - What about those not working?  Does the US government pay unemployment?  Wait...that is probably another government entity not working...how odd is that??

Anyway, I will get back to work, because its my job and wish that others would do the same because that is what we elected them to do. 

Team USA

This week, I was fortunate to watch Oracle Team USA come back from an insurmountable deficit to come back and win the 34^th Americas Cup race.  It was a few things:

• Inspiring!  With their backs to the wall, they came out and stood their ground.  They worked together to defy the odds and showed that teamwork, making the needed changes and a positive attitudes can make a difference.  Could your team come back from those odds with their backs in the corner?   
•  Amazing!  Just think, ONE loss stood between them and the Cup leaving the states.   They were getting beat and handily…and they didn’t give up. 
• Concerning…  People are coming out of the word work to call Larry Ellison, founder of Oracle and financial backer for Oracle Team USA, every name in the book.  Really??  So, he’s successful?  So, he hates to lose?  So, his boat and his crew are expensive?  He has worked hard for everything and I am proud to work for someone who works hard and hates to lose because I do to!   
• Heart warming!  A young school boy was on the pier that day and when someone asked him why he wasn’t in school, he said, “My dad told me that I would never see anything like this ever again and so he told me I didn’t have to go to school today!”  His dad was right, a win, a comeback win like that is hard to come by.  Sometimes the best learning doesn’t happen in a classroom! 
• Thought provoking.  When Oracle Team USA decided to remove John Kostecki and replace him with Olympian Ben Ainsley as head tactician, it made people think!  Was Kostecki the wrong man?  NO!  But did the change make a difference?  YES!  Kostecki is an amazing sailor, but Ainsley knew the bay better.  How many times has a change in the team, changed the game? 

I am a diehard Oracle Team USA fan and I am also a fan of the underdog.  I am proud to wear the gear and proud to say that I personally know members of the team and their families.  They are an amazing group of athletes and if I learned anything this last week, it was never say die!!  

Life is too short....

to drink bad wine. 

This past weekend, I spent an amazing long weekend with 13 fabulous women.  We went to wine country to celebrate a dear friend's 40th birthday!  When I left on my journey, I wrote this in my travel journal for my kids.

1 - I hope you have friends that are like family to you. 
2 - I hope you have friends who share your love of family, faith, friendship and fun. 
3 - I hope you are never afraid to make a new friend because they are different than you.  It's differences in our friends that make us appreciate each other!
4 - I hope you marry your best friend and know that that friendship is the most important in your journey of life together.
5 - I hope that you and I can be friends.  Trust, I have to be your Mom first.  I have to nag you to clean your room, do your homework and make good decisions because I am your Mom first.  But I want you to know that I love being your friend. 

Please know, you can never have too many friends.  You can never laugh too much.  Never care too much.  Never love to much! 

Friends don't make things better, they make us better! 

Keep going! 

Hoosiers

Anyone who reads this or knows me, knows I am a sports fan.  I played sports in college, still play today and love to coach.  One of my favorite all-time movies is Hoosiers.  Come on, you remember, Gene Hackman, Barbara Hershey, Dennis Hopper and others you would recognize if you saw them.  Its about a coach who was getting his second chance and he was coaching in Indiana...Hickory, to be exact.  A town that lives and breathes basketball and doesn't like a new coach with new ideas! 

There are days I feel like:
Coach Norman Dale - Getting my second shot at life and trying to make things work out this time..both on and off the court. I have new ideas.  I do things my own way at times, but in the end, its for the good of the team. 
Ollie - The kid that never really wanted to play, he was just a body for practice, but when it came down to crunch time, he pulled through with two granny free-throws to win the game.  I won't be the star in every event, but when the chips are down, I fight for good to prevail. 
Shooter - A washed up basketball star, dad of one of the players, who needs a helping hand and someone to believe in him.  I have been in the industry for a long time but I know when to look for and accept help. 
Jimmy Chitwood - The quiet and shy star of the team, who when it was time for that last second shot said, "I'll make it!"  Trust, I am neither quiet, nor shy, but I have confidence in doing the right thing and taking the team (industry) to a winning season. 

So, if you haven't seen the movie, rent it, netflix it, hulu it!  If you have seen it, go back and watch again.  It's a classic.  So much of what is happening in our world today could benefit from having a Coach Norman Dale, an Ollie, a Shooter or a Jimmy Chitwood involved. 

One last line from the movie...Dentyne!  (It makes sense when you watch it!)

Keep going! 

Moving ahead....

Its been a week since GBTA convention came to an end.  As I mentioned in a previous blog, no matter how the vote came in, things would change.  Even if, by the vote, nothing was to change, change was going to happen. 


In the next few weeks, I will embark on my first official Board of Directors meetings.  This isn't a campaign slogan for me, I really do want to be your voice.  Tell me what works, tell me what doesn't.  Trust, I have my own opinions on both, but want to be able to articulate what your feelings.  Know that you can always contact me at rita.visser@oracle.com with comments or questions.

Looking forward to hearing from you and keep going!!!

Timing

As many know, I am getting ready to run for the board of directors for GBTA.  Last night during a family walk, my daughter asked for my phone and asked for the date and time of my election speech.  I told her and she handed me back my phone.  I will admit, I had to wait for 32 seconds, but I thought this was an interesting photo that I captured just after she set up the countdown clock! Don't know what it means, but I guess only time will tell!  Keep going! 

Pessimist?

In a recent article, I was called a pessimist of open booking.  Let me set the record straight.  I am not pessimistic about open bookings.  I believe that for some programs it works and for others, it doesn’t.  For a program like ours, its not needed.  We have good compliance and rates that are tough to beat in the open marketplace.  I have talked to many people looking at open bookings and I have never told any of them it wouldn’t work.  I simply gave them the reasons why we are not currently engaging in the process.  

There are things I AM pessimistic about; Vikings winning the Superbowl (please prove me wrong...just once!), that I will become a fan of humidity and that I will become a world class water skier.  Outside of those, I live a pretty optimistic life! 

Freedom

Robert Frost said, “Freedom lies in being bold.”  When I read that, I think of the freedom won for us in 1776 and thereby, the freedom that allows me to write this blog.   It also makes me think about how freedom has lead to change. 

With freedom come choices.   With choices come rewards or consequences.  At the GBTA convention this year, direct members will be using their freedom to cast a vote that will forever change the association.  Even if the vote is that nothing changes, change will happen.  No matter how this thing ends, people will be unhappy.  I COULD tell you how to vote, because I know how I am voting, but I won’t.  I don’t play political games and I won’t be told how to vote (Anyone who knows me, know that I am who I am and I won’t change for anybody!) nor will I tell you how to vote.  I will just ask you to use your freedom and vote.  Make sure you know all sides of the issue and vote for what you believe is the right thing for the industry.  Don’t let other make your decision for you.  Be bold and keep going! 

Seriously people...

I travel about once or twice a month, and when I see this spectacle, it drives me crazy each time.  Two weeks ago, while checking into a hotel in Chicago, there stood someone demanding that people knew who he was!  He wanted an upgraded room, he wanted an amenity in his room and he wanted someone from the hotel to acknowledge who he was....  Seriously!?!

This week, I find myself in India and during the trip, my fellow employees and I visited an orphanage.  You want to talk about people who should scream, LOOK AT ME?!  It's them!  Poorest of the poor.  Happy to receive any small gift or token.  They don't demand things of the world, they simply live in it.  Think of the things they would demand if given the chance;  clean water, a roof that didn't leak, steady supply of food, someone to love them....

My message this week, live with what you are given.  Make the most of your blessings.  Sometimes we don't need everything in the world to make us happy, we just need the world.  As I think of my new friends at the orphanage, I think of how much I have and how blessed I am...my guess, they feel the same way and that's cool! 

Travel leadership 2020

As I attend graduation after graduation this time of year, I wonder what these young adults will become.  Where will college lead them?  What interests me is that no one looks at my role in Corporate Travel and aspires to that...I never did!  I never dreamed of being in travel until that whisper in my ear about Rosenbluth changed my mind.

Think about it, the days of "travel schools" are gone and the people coming into our roles are coming from procurement or business analysts.  Do I think we need to change who is coming into these roles?  No.  Do I think we need to help them in their new roles?  Yes! 

Remember when you first learned of a fare basis code or looked at an occupancy report for a hotel.  It wasn't anything instictive, it was something learned, then understood, then it became second nature. 

Our evolving role, as Corporate Travel professionals is to mentor those following us.  Maybe they don't even know they are following us.  Maybe they see travel as quick stop to something else, I did...and now, I am a lifer, that is, unless I win the lottery!  

Be a mentor, be a teacher, help someone to see that technology will be a part of a future and it can be an exciting industry to be a part of. 

Thanks and keep going!   

Memorial Day

As the daughter of a former Marine, this weekend isn't just the start of summer, it's more than that.  This weekend, we will take time out to talk about my Dad and all the soldiers who have fought, or are still fighting for our freedom because our kids need to know why this day is important. 

At the graveside Memorial Day service this weekend, I will undoubtely see a number of older American Legion members, remove their hats and raise their hands to their forehead to salute the flag.  They are saluting my Dad and all fallen soldiers and because of them, I am free to write this blog and thankful! 

Happy Memorial Day weekend!  Be safe and keep going. 

Visser

Why did I choose the title, "Where are we going??"

We don't always know where we are going and we don't always know how we are going to get there, but at least asking the question means we WANT to know. 

Where is our industry going?  Where is our association going?  Where is the technology taking us?  All valid questions and I hope, through this blog, to be able to share with you some of the paths we could take together!  Thanks for watching and I hope you follow this.