Maria Fuller Executive assistant to CEO, Teleperformance UK
I PROVIDE EXECUTIVE-ASSISTANT SUPPORT to two board members, including our UK chief executive officer. Both travel extensively and I co-ordinate all their travel requirements. We have 19 sites across the UK, and frequently it’s about getting the exec from A to B to C to A within 48 hours. Accommodation is handpicked and this can be time-consuming, but with experience it becomes easier to manage. If I minimise travel time and disruption, I’ve maximised my executive’s time – and that’s got to be good for business. When I joined Teleperformance, we did not have preferred hotel suppliers across the UK estate. I drew up a shortlist of three hotels per site, contacted each one and asked them for their best room rate and package. I negotiated added benefits for our travellers, such as free wifi and discounts on food. The rate is negotiated annually. We do have a TMC but we have also introduced an in-house
travel booker. Before, travellers were using our TMC for all their requirements. But now they have an internal resource they can use, which has decreased the amount of traffic to our TMC and reduced booking fees. Prioritisation is key to my job, followed by organisational skills and the ability to remain calm and level-headed. Having many deadlines imposed, which are all important and all urgent, is one of my biggest challenges. However, looking after business travellers is also about forethought.
Terri Stubbings Director, My Virtual PA International
THE PROBLEMS AND LOGISTICS OF THE JOB as a virtual PA are exactly the same as in a company office in many respects, but without the office politics. Everything can be done online, so I need access to diaries for appointments and to make sure that travel is in alignment with requirements. And I have access to some of my clients’ inboxes to keep them updated when travelling. With occasional face-to-face meetings and attendance at board/
committee meetings, Skype and mobiles, not being in a company office isn’t a problem for ongoing communication. The advantages are work-life balance, flexibility, variety of clients and no commute. I work for a major corporate institution, a large blue chip company and a limited number of entrepreneurs, and I book air, hotel, meetings, cabs and rail. I have to be exceptionally organised, as I’m juggling a variety of requirements every day for clients with differing deadlines/priorities. At times, the days are long and sometimes I am needed at the weekend, so flexibility is paramount. The 24/7 accessibility is a challenge, as is finding the discipline to
avoid interruptions and non-work related distractions.One aspect of making it manageable is to prioritise and have an understand- ing of my clients’ needs and pressures, which is why I not only communicate with them regularly but also find thorough initial meetings and occasional catch-up meetings invaluable.
98 BBT MAY/JUNE 2015
Gail Parkinson PA to directors, Pennine Telecom
I WORK FOR FOUR DIRECTORS, two of whom travel overseas – but all four travel around the UK. If conferences, meetings or incentive trips involve several staff on one trip – for example, our field sales team – then I also book travel arrangements for them. I book all modes of transport: air, trains, hotels, meetings and executive cars. I have arranged a business account with Premier Inn, where our sales and engineering team stay. I tend to book major hotel chains, such as Hilton, on a requirement basis. Most of the travel arrangements that I make are booked directly with the supplier and online.
I concluded our relationship with Statesman Travel more than
two years ago. I only used them for specific Emirates flights to Hong Kong and, although I still regularly book travel to China and the Far East via Emirates, I make the reservations myself. It was advantageous to have Statesman to hold tickets and get directors on closed flights, but now they are Gold travel partners with Emirates and I get more notice of the need to travel, I felt it was quicker and easier to manage the bookings myself. Good organisational skills, patience and understanding, and attention to detail are key to a successful trip – and a good sense of humour. What makes the demands of the job manage- able for me is that I can escape at lunchtime to go and see my dog. I feel it is important to get away from my desk and the office environment.
Theresa Mabbutt
PA to two board directors of the CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development)
I WAS BOOKING TRAVEL FOR THE ENTIRE INTERNATIONAL TEAM; that changed recently, but it will still be for up to 50 people. I book everything from private hire taxis to business class to Australia. We have a new TMC that we have to use. We are using a new self-booking tool, but information they claim is on their website is not always there. This is frustrating, as I haven’t got time to keep ringing them and they don’t want to hear my voice all the time. When I know a hotel is coming on-stream, I meet the business
development manager; I let them know that CIPD is a fairly big buyer, and build up a relationship with them. A venue finder supplies all our conference and meeting needs.
However, when I want something specific that they cannot supply, I book it myself and because we need all management information in one place, I send the venue finder the invoice. Through the relationships we have developed, venues give us an exceptional day rate because we are not paying a commission. I have developed a lot of skills over the 50 years I have been
working: patience, tenacity, determination, humility, sense of humour and grace. The challenges are people who expect things to be done immediately when I have to prioritise, and getting used to a new TMC and the way they are working.
BUYINGBUSINESSTRAVEL.COM
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128