Rearview Mirror Moment

This time of year, you hear about many lists.  Could be the top news stories, the most popular names, the craziest sports moments, you name it.  So, with that in mind, I am going to look back on the top 10 things in travel for 2014 in my mind. 

1 – Not one but two missing airplanes.  (I didn’t say it would be all good things.)  Seriously?!  We live in a world where I can track my kids on their phones and yet we can’t find two huge planes with many people and goods on board?  Let’s hope 2015 is the year of Next Gen!

2 – Money, money, money.  2014 will go down as a profitable year for many suppliers in the industry, including airlines.  That’s awesome news for them and for everyone who travels.  Having suppliers who are fighting to keep their heads above water isn’t a good place for anyone. 

3 – Growth or not?  Last year at this time, people were looking at the growth in China as a sign of their financial prosperity and times to come.  Then, the growth slowed.  Does this mean China is less important to travel and the industry?  No.  It does mean that even the most robust economies can suffer setbacks.  Let’s remember that China is still in a growth pattern, just slower than in the last 3 years. 

4 – Fuel prices.  With fuel prices on the decline, it’s a nice break on the pocketbook for consumer as well as airlines, car companies, ground services and even hotels!  However, for countries dependent on monies from oil and gas, it could prove to be a challenging 2015. 

5 – Travel is up.  Corporate travel, personal travel and meetings and events travel is up in most measured metrics.  Transactions, spend, room nights, cost per mile, etc. 

6 – Merger mania is alive and well in travel.  The list includes airlines, agencies, ground services, technology companies or hotels, but rest assured, the industry is no stranger to merger mania and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. 

7 – Disruptors abound.  Apps and services like AirBNB, Uber, Lyft and Hoteltonight are finding their way onto people’s phones and tablets and therefore, into programs. 

8 – 2014 will go down as the year of the customer.  Airlines, hotels, car companies and agencies are all focusing on getting closer to their customer and wanting to meet their needs better than the other guy.  Measurements around customer satisfaction are held in higher regard by all suppliers, which wasn’t always the case in the past.  They have learned that taking care of the customer is important and yields success.  (Refer back to number 2.)

9 – Not a news flash, but technology is king for the road warrior.  Travelers used to pick up the phone to check things like flight status and gate info, but now, it’s all in the palm of their hands.  Some hotels are allowing travelers to check in, select rooms and even check out on their apps.  It’s about the customer experience (refer to number 8) but let me tell you, suppliers who neglect to have people to be the oasis in the day, will suffer.  Apps and tools can only take you so far, when things go wrong, really wrong, people need to talk to someone and until some major advancement in technology occur, that won’t change. 

10 – Risk management is on the minds of everyone in the business.  Whether its helping an employee replace a lost or stolen passport, or helping a group of employees in the middle of hostile government situation, risk and traveler safety needs are challenging and changing all the time.    

Gift of Time

Two weekends ago, I got my Christmas present. 

As some know, I was high school and college athlete and my parents were my biggest fans.  They traveled by car (actually, our old green van...man, if that thing could talk!) all over the region and even the country to watch me play sports.  Being the youngest of seven, my kids are also the youngest grandchildren on my side.  My Dad passed away before my kids were old enough to be in sports and my mom, while pretty healthy, hasn't been able to see the kids in their sporting events.  Two weekends ago, that changed. 

My mom spent the weekend with us and in a flurry of friends stopping to see her, gyms, bleachers and whistles, mom was able to enjoy watching my kids play basketball.  She watched some close games, some wins and some losses.  She yelled at the refs, she cheered on the kids and their teammates, she laughed at their antics and loved every minute of it. 

When people talk about the gift of time, THIS was a true gift of time.  She didn't come bearing gifts wrapped in paper with a bow, she gave us all something much more valuable, her time, her love of sports and her love for all of us. 

So, that weekend, I got the gift I have been dreaming about for years.  I hope this year, all of you share the gift of time with someone you love and know that time can't be wrapped in a bow, but more appropriately, wrapped in a hug.  Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and here's to an amazing 2015! 

What's On My Mind?

Well, if you look at the calendar, you can guess that there are a few things going on at my house including readying for finals at school, Christmas in our home and a new year rounding the corner.  That's nothing new...but what is going on in my head as it relates to our industry?

Interline bags - Now, some might look at this and say, "It's not a huge deal."  To some, I say you might be right, but this IS impactful to travelers.  Think about the guy who flies from Portland to Denver on Frontier to connect to a United flight to London.  Have the airlines considered their minimum connect time in order for him to reclaim his luggage in DEN, get to the next counter, recheck his bag, get back through security and MAKE his connection to London? Probably not...

Changes made by carriers in their frequent flyer programs - Many on "my" side of the industry have taken the approach that points programs are not their concern or issue.  However, the changes have made it something we need to be aware of and watching.  For instance, we are already trending habits of our travelers who know that the more they pay for their ticket, the more miles they will accrue.  We have seen anticipatory changes in advance purchase and one-ways travel bookings on the rise and have had to make steps to address those changes.

Disruptors -  Services like Uber and AirBnB were not created to make the lives of corporate travel managers challenging.  They were created to fulfill a need or answer a consumer question.  While I do not condone either of these services, I think they have created a service model that travelers expect in their booking opportunity.  OBT's that are not innovative or user friendly will favor in the eyes of the traveler and therefore the travel manager. 

Fuel, fuel, fuel - While I am enjoying the break at the pump, I am not seeing that break in the marketplace.  I get it that the airlines and car service companies are still making up for $120/barrel hikes, but I did some tests and found that the "surcharges" (no one calls them fuel surcharges anymore because that is too transparent) range from 10%-33% of the cost of an international ticket!  And that was only a few markets I tested....it could certainly be higher than that but when I saw 33, I had to stop before my head popped off! 

So, while I would love my head to be filled with vision of sugarplums, that's not how my head works.  Next week, however, I promise a message of joy and peace to take us out of 2014 and look into 2015 with anticipation! 

 

Then There Were Two

In an effort to make the boarding process more effective, airlines have been focusing on the "two carry-on items" rule.  They are also enforcing the size of the carry on bags and for all this, I applaud them!  As a business traveler, it drives me crazy to see someone trying to get on a plane with a bag one of children could fit in and calling it a carry on!  So, here is my effort to help the airlines out:

1 - Two items, is two items.  I don't care if you stuff fourteen small bags into two appropriate sized bag, but two is all you get!  The other day, I walked on a plane following a woman with two bags and when she left, she had four.  I had to make sure she didn't steal one of mine, but whatever...she made it work and she was the one that looked like a pack mule leaving the plane, but she knew and followed the rules!  

2 - One item is intended to go in the space above your head, the other, in the seat in front of you.  Everyone who reads my blog knows that I am fan of bulkhead, so there are times I have to put two items up, but the trained flight attendant has planned for that.  Anyone NOT in exit row should follow the rules and have one bag in each location. If they don't fit that way, they are not appropriately sized. 

3 - Companies like Airbus and Boeing are making overhead storage more effective and I love that.  However, that doesn't mean a bag large enough for my child is going to fit.  Yesterday, I watched as a man tried to get a bag into an overhead bin and no matter how he tried, he couldn't.  Then, he tried to move my bag so he could put it in sideways.  I considered it until I realized he intended to move my bag (appropriately sized by the way) four rows back.  That would have made de-planing loads of fun! 

4 - This leads to my last comment, someone has to stop the person sitting in row 34, from placing their bag in the bin at row 12.  You all have seen the person toss their bag in the first opening and keep walking to their seat twenty rows back.  Dude, take you bag with you because the person in row 12, has to have a place for theirs as well. 

As corporate travelers getting into a busy season of people who don't travel all that often, let's remember to be forgiving, be patient and be kind.  AND, when you see an airline agent trying to get someone to follow the rules, stick up for them!  Tell them how much you appreciate their consistency and their ability to protect the coveted space available to all passengers.  This is not a glorious time of year for anyone who works at the airport.  There are emotions, families, dreams of the perfect holidays, etc.  So, be there for the gate agent, for the flight crew and show your support with a simple smile and thank you.  In the end, we will all keep going! 

What's Wrong With Being Happy?

This summer, during the inaugural WINiT event, I was sitting with over 300 women and men and was asked the question, "Who wants to be a CEO?"  Looking around the room, less than 20 hands were raised.  I was surprised by the small number, but then it got me thinking.

There are people who want to escalate their careers, but not be CEO's, that makes sense and we all get that.  What we don't often think about is the people who are simply happy.  

They are the people who simply want to be the best person for the job they HAVE!  They want to be able to face off another person for that role and show they are still the best person for the job.  They don't aspire to climb the ladder and take on their boss for their next roll.  They want to continue to grow and learn, but acknowledge that can be done in their current role.  Now, some might think of that as "limiting" or "settling" but let's think about it, they are happy and who doesn't want people to be happy! 

I have worked with, lead and mentored people like this in the past and I applaud their honesty, their work effort and their heart.  They have found their place in the world and while not wanting to become stagnant, they also are happy with their achievements and where they are in life.

Outside of world peace, end to terminal illnesses and ending war, being happy is right up on there on everyone's wish list for the world.  Let's applaud the people who are happy and still growing.  In my quest for all the above, I keep going! 

Fortune Cookie Wisdom

This past weekend, after a morning of volleyball, I took my daughter to her favorite Asian restaurant for lunch.  When the meal was over, we partook in the obligatory fortune cookie regimen.  Mine, this week, read, "Being a good sport is far better than being good at a sport." 

We have seen the parents who are living their lives vicariously through their kids.  They want their children to be stronger, faster and better than the next kid.  They clap when someone on the other team gets hurt and they smile proudly when they retell the story of their child hurting another in the field of competition. 

As many know, I was an athlete in high school and college.  My parents were my number one fans!  They drove all over the country to watch my teams play.  They cheered me and my teammates on in good games and in bad.  They worried about everyone in the gym and if someone was hurt, even the opponent, they were concerned.  We won many of our games, but when we didn't, I didn't get to feel sorry for myself, or walk off the court disrespectfully, or blame the refs, or blame my teammates, or blame the coach, or...well, I think you get where I am going.  My parents taught me to be a good sport! 

So, if my kids aren't the best player on their teams, I am okay with that.  My hope for them is that they set an example for their teammates in working hard, giving 100% and genuinely caring about the team!  I also know they are kids and sometimes, they really do want to play and really do want to win...so, in a lesson from my parents, I will remind them that winning isn't about the score on the scoreboard or the amount of playing time tracked, its about the person you become by winning some and losing some! 

Cheering from the sidelines, I keep going! 

Innovating at the Speed of Light.

These days, things are moving at the speed of light.  The minute something makes sense or you finally understand it, its replacement is a month old!  Has that changed how we learn, work or even how we create and innovate?  Absolutely! 

When Thomas Edison created the light bulb, his idea was to create a product that could light a single room without a flame or fire.  Sure, he was always thinking about other things, that's what brilliant people do, but his focus was on the light bulb.  He was deliberate, focused and calculated, all good attributes.  

Today, we think differently.  I recently read a report that shows the average person has 35-48 thoughts per minute!  Not per hour, per minute! That means in the time it takes you to read this blog, your mind may have wandered in 30 different directions, or more.   Are we still deliberate, focused and calculated?  Sure we are, but we are just doing all those things more quickly and certainly with more resources than ever before! 

When the light bulb was created, people were simply darn happy that it existed.  Today, the minute something is created, founded or dreamed, there is someone else trying to change it to make it faster, better, smaller, bigger...you name it. 

Have we lost the ability to ponder because decisions and changes are made so quickly?  I don't think so, but life and the world is speeding up and we have to prepare ourselves and our children for that!  The next time you turn on a light, think about how many years that was in the making, then think about all the advancements in the last 10 days and remember the speed of light hasn't changed, but everything else has!  Keep going!