Business Travelers

[Chap]

Question for the SCDUCKS nation:

How many of you regularly traveled to meet with clients/prospects prior to March 2020, and for those of you still in that line of work, what’s life like now as far as your day to day role? March 4th marked the anniversary of the last time I flew to meet with a client. I had to reread that sentence after typing it. Would your company let you travel (I’m talking about flying or driving to see a client/prospect and entertaining/dinner/etc.). I’ve been approved to travel but most of the companies we call on aren’t approving outsiders yet, and in most cases, the teams I would meet with aren’t all back together yet. Chances are everyone won’t be coming back in the office full time from here on out, anyway, given how “well” WFH has gone. That’s another debate for another time. I’ve been thinking about ways to be creative and not put my prospective clients in a tough spot. Let’s hear it.

[jwterry3]

Usually in 3-4 towns per week...half flying and half driving too.

Shut down overnight last April.....started back up in January...about 50% back to normal schedule. Been tuff

[JABIII]

I have a client that just retired from running a large Latin American airline. He is 100% convinced that business travel as we knew it is already history. Time to get creative for sure...

[BullJakeGrappler]

All car-
prior to March 15 2020 3-5k miles per month
since March 15 2020 500-1500 per month
Since Jan 2021 2-3k this month looking like 3-4k

[murraywader]

We are doing virtual onsite meetings where we cater lunch and do a normal routine. We will be back to normal routine visits as soon as things loosen up.

[Chap]

Great input. Thank you. Let’s keep this thread going.

[Tugted312]

I’ve flown & drove all over from Texas to Maine since this shit started. Our office had rules about getting groceries, supplies etc for the boat & it’s been relaxed now. Biggest thing is coming in when do an online screening then get temp checks before getting onboard.

[reeltight]

50% air travel prior to March 2020.

I've flown 3 times since then...ugh.

To you point, it's not that I can't, but customers are not exactly welcoming outsiders with open arms. It's hard to justify flight travel on a single meeting. I use to fly to a location with one or two meetings set and pick up another 2 to 3 meetings while in the area. Can't fly on the speculation that I'll get those extra meetings these days. My company is approving flights that are justifiable though.

[Chap]

It’s frustrating to think about not being wanted onsite with a client. I used to get chastised for not coming around enough by my longtime clients. Some of them can’t even go back to their own offices to work now.

[trkykilr]

My clients are community banks and consumer finance companies, primarily in SC, but also GA and NC. An average day for me prior to Covid was to have 2-3 meetings set per day, then pop in 2-3 more as time allowed during the day. My business is built on service and face to face interaction.

Since last March, I probably haven’t had 75 in person meetings, total. I feel like some clients are wondering where I’ve been, and some aren’t really open to visitors. I definitely don’t show up without an appointment now, and some aren’t open to appointments at all. It’s frustrating because when you visit with someone face to face, you identify problems before they’re problems, and uncover opportunities through conversation.

Even the ones that are more carefree would change their tune when I brought Covid from Bank A and infected Bank B.

I do think things are getting better, as one group is having their first in-person conference next week.

[Meathook]

Our travel is project based so not consistent. In March 20 I was working with Abbott Nutrition on a new baby formula line. They didn’t stop so we didn’t stop... until May 20 when another company had an outbreak. Stopped until August and then back full speed traveling 3 out of 4 weeks. I’m not traveling now due to my stroke but I have someone on site every week still.

We have some customers still not allowing visitors though. One is a prune packing plant in South America...sorry for you old guys if you can’t find prunes! ��

[Islandguy85]

Company shut down my travel by car in SC/GA as well as any other work related meetings by air this time last year. Been communicating from home via email, virtual calls, phone calls both internally and externally. About 4 months ago or so we got the green light on local travel if an appointment was set and with multiple managers approval.
Most of my clients are not allowing their clients in the building and don’t particularly want me in either when they feel it isn’t necessary. Have had a few face to face appointments but the travel policy shuts down the prospecting/dropping in on other clients while in the area which is tough.
I have been having quite a few lunches delivered or catered and will accompany with Microsoft teams calls when applicable. What kills me there is varying or limited tech on my clients end. Nothing like talking to your computer screen for 30 minutes when the audience has no mic enabled or no camera. Hell for all I know there is no one listening!
I don’t think we will ever go back to normal like it was before. Maybe more of a hybrid model. I always found internal travel meetings to be a waste of time and money and prefer them virtually. Working from home has made me far more efficient in taking care of existing clients needs when they arise since I am sitting at a desk ready to handle them versus being behind the wheel 4-6hrs a day. Since I am not traveling or doing overnights it allows my budget to go further to provide meals to clients which they seem to appreciate in these more stressful times as they have adapted to a different work flow.

Edited: internally in operations I feel like the production and employment issues are just catching up with us. Supply manufacturing shortages, shipping delays, people who would rather collect unemployment coupled with a temporary hiring freeze during initial outbreak although the business is ultimately growing etc.

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[Fish]

I have a client that just retired from running a large Latin American airline. He is 100% convinced that business travel as we knew it is already history. Time to get creative for sure...

Executives at Kodak were 100% convinced that film was the future while they sat on digital patents. There is nothing like being there, in person.

[ShortMagFan]

I’ve got 4 flights in the next week

[YoungBuckTX]

I manage infrastructure projects for our new offices opening across the country. Since last March, zero have opened. I have 8 slated for this summer. Our C level executives have been predicting June/July for employees returning to office. It looks like that will be true.

[hunterjw]

Executives at Kodak were 100% convinced that film was the future while they sat on digital patents. There is nothing like being there, in person.

Agree with you 100 percent. I do think some fields will go virtual though. I can only speak for my field but I don’t see people delivering 10-60 percent insurance increases virtually..

To answer original poster I’ve been traveling via car since July for meetings (this is in Florida though where things are a little different) Everywhere has a different vibe but the businesses that never shut down take meetings because nothing really changed for them. Interesting to see the shift as originally up in S.C. pretty much no one had masks on in April/May but now when I’m up there it is much more tense than Florida..

[Simple Man]

I finally decided I'd flown enough to get my TSA PreCheck number in February of last year. Haven't used it yet.
Our industry was decimated in the spring of last year as we were looking at reductions in revenue of 90% in April and May. Almost every order we had on the books for those months cancelled. June started the change in tide and we are up about 40% for a rolling 12mos. That said, our national independent reps are traveling some in smaller geographical areas and still working face to face while our factory reps (there are only a couple) have only been on site for in person training a few times. More business is getting conducted over the phone and through Zoom meetings. It sucks but the business has shown no ill-effects. I've got 2 trips scheduled for the balance of 2021 that will require air travel. That's after flying an average of 15-20 trips a year.
We've informally surveyed our customers to see what competitors are doing and it seems like they are traveling more than we are so my fear is that this isn't sustainable - just from a relationship perspective. Our ownership doesn't see the need for as much face to face interaction as I think we should have, as they have seen a considerable reduction in cost of travel that has gone straight to the bottom line. When I talk with our customers over the phone, people are as friendly as ever, but I have to wonder if our competitors aren't building stronger relationships right before our eyes. Time will tell, but so far, we're busier than ever.

[Highstrung]

I had a few companies not send salesmen out, mostly all wine dealers, typically they're a little more sensitive group of people. A few other liquor guys decided they weren't coming close for the first few months, basically because we were ground zero. Other stores restricted salesmen, I was open to all. I never skipped a beat with anything. I deal with 15 to 20ish salespeople in a week. I didn't harp if they didn't want to come, less people bugging me to be honest. I don't need coddling. I mean I get along with 95% of them anyways, so after the first month it was pretty cool to get back to normal, buying likker and talking shit over breakfast in the back room.

[Two Barrels]

Chap, your situation and mine seem to mirror one another.

Before Covid, I was flying 3 weeks a month. It has been a year since I was on an airplane. My company lifted travel restrictions last July. I can freely travel now. The rules we have are to follow those of the customer and the local jurisdiction. My largest customers remain shuttered to outside visitors. There is not a compelling reason to drive up travel expenses when they are not allowed to meet in person because of their corporate restrictions. The industry I work in is relationship driven and I am wired for in person business. It has been a challenge for sure. There are signs things could open up a little more for them this summer. I do have a good old fashioned national sales meeting on the calendar for September. We’ll see if that actually happens.

[Geetch]

I work for a software company and we stopped all travel in March, sent everyone home and used some of the travel budget so employees could set up a home office. Sales works from home, we deliver services remotely, reduced office space from three floors to one, etc. We haven't missed a beat. ARR is up 23% year over year.

I never liked in person sales anyway, I'm not convinced it is needed in the software industry. Sales people want too much of my time and it's easier to get rid of them when they are not sitting in your office. In person sales meetings always run over and I got other things to do.