Travel Security Handbook (eBook)

Sven Leidel (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2016 | 1. Auflage
328 Seiten
Books on Demand (Verlag)
978-3-7392-9967-9 (ISBN)

Infos

This book provides clarity. The author deals with all major issues around travel security on business and leisure trips in a professionally sound and practical way: What is travel security? What do companies and employers need to be aware of? What risks are business and leisure travelers exposed to? How can they protect themselves? Global Travel Security? A European Perspective and Approach. Using different case examples and practically-oriented recommendations, this book conveys fundamental aspects of professional corporate security organization and creates a solid foundation for security-conscious behavior when traveling - not only in high-risk countries. That's why this guide is suitable for both aspiring security decision-makers and for security-conscious travelers. It should be part of every business and leisure traveler's standard repertoire. Recommendations and best practice from practitioners - for the day-to-day business! Maintain a Low Profile and be a Hard Target!

Textauszug

3 Corporate Travel Security

Anyone traveling on business is not solely responsible for his or her own safety. For business trips, as opposed to private travel, the employer also carries a great share of the responsibility. This is why every company should carefully deal with the topic of travel security in order to meet the necessary requirements. However, one look at the corporate landscape quickly shows that the reality is often different.

Definition

Travel Security is the sum of all measures taken to ensure the security of a private or business trip.

While travel security is anchored in the management structure of most large companies, it is small and medium-sized businesses in particular that are only poorly positioned when it comes to the security of traveling employees. Often one will even encounter lack of understanding when the demand for solid security structures is voiced. You will hear talk of unnecessary investment and economic nonsense. “We’ve never needed that before – what could happen?” Naturally, business aspects must be taken into consideration when implementing security structures. However, safety officers have a hard time when it comes to demonstrating the cost-effectiveness of a measure and defending its benefits. Because security is difficult to measure. It doesn’t earn a profit – its primary purpose is to prevent damage. Especially small businesses with a relatively low volume of travel quickly prove to be resistant to advice and can hardly be convinced of the urgency of security measures.

The consequence: Many business travelers feel inadequately prepared by their employers and always set off on their trips with an uneasy feeling. That feeling of unease is not unfounded, because business trips are becoming more and more dangerous and risk is increasing steadily. Recent cases bear witness to the consequences that lapses in security can have – for both the travelers and the responsible company. Only very few people are aware of how complex the issue of travel security actually is. However, a holistic understanding of the issue is fundamental to the ability to take into account all aspects of travel security and to understand the function and operation of this department within a company.

3.1 What is Travel Security?

Travel security has many facets. Different terms must be differentiated. Further on, concrete definitions of these terms will be presented. However, what’s fundamental is the general definition of a business trip.

Definition

A business trip (or business travel) refers to occupational travel outside of an employee’s regular workplace.

In this guide, we will usually be referring to (business) travelers per se. This includes business travelers specifically as well as employees posted abroad in general.

The measures taken in the context of travel security are numerous and difficult to comprehend at first glance. Ideally, they can be divided into three stages or phases:

• Before the Trip:

  There are two measures to be taken before a business trip: Organizational planning of the trip and employee preparation. Appropriate travel arrangements increase security throughout the trip and enable adequate company actions and reactions as needed or in a crisis. Employees who travel should have their awareness sharpened in order to specifically avoid dangerous situations. This is achieved by giving them comprehensive information about the dangers and risks of the upcoming trip.

• During the Trip:

  In this phase, the primary focus is on operational measures which can have a positive influence on the course of the trip. Security measures such as the appropriate choice of accommodation and means of transport or the use of personal protection can make an important contribution to the security of a trip.

• In Critical/Crisis Situations:

  If extraordinary measures are necessary to ensure the continued safety of travelers because a crisis or an unexpected incident has occurred, these are classified under the third and last group. These include evacuations as well as other unscheduled itinerary changes.

3.1.1 Organizational Planning

All trip details must be meticulously planned in advance: What is the destination? How long will the trip take? What is the purpose of the trip? These are all questions that won’t be dealt with here, as they do not primarily belong to the field of travel security. Instead, we want to address important organizational aspects which play an important role in the security of the business traveler. Because certain measures are elementary components of a reliable travel security system. You should be familiar with the following instruments in particular.

3.1.1.1 Information Services & Databases

Obtaining information about a particular destination can be often tedious and time consuming. Therefore, many companies put together important data in specific country databases. Here, any information and important reports useful for the traveler can be retrieved selectively. For example, you can find up-to-date security advice, warnings or pertinent current events there. With a few mouseclicks, you will also find specific information such as regional public holidays or the contact details of local authorities, the nearest embassy or the nearest hospital. Practical advice on crime prevention, selection of means of transport or other recommendations for conduct also contributes to travelers’ security. Country-specific insider information about crime or the political situation can be very helpful.

Therefore, many companies with professional databases have ensured that the exchange of information can take place more efficiently and sustainably. However, establishing such a country database is very cost – and time-intensive. After all, all data must be gathered in real time, customized and above all constantly updated – impossible for a small company with limited resources. Fully registering every country in the world, collecting all relevant information and keeping it up-to-date requires capacities that only few can manage economically. Keeping such a pool of information up-to-date is a particularly common problem. Because outdated information can have serious consequences for the traveler. If, for example, an important contact is required in an emergency but is not available, it can quickly become problematic. An out-of-date country database is thus practically worthless for the traveler. Ad-hoc reports must also be transmitted quickly and reliably in order to inform the traveler in a timely manner about current events on the ground. However, even large companies with their own country databases cannot always reliably deliver such service. The flood of information is simply too big for normal users to manage.

Therefore, external service providers are often called upon at this point: Information services can already be bought on the market at manageable rates. The data these services provide is usually well-researched and always up-to-date. In principle, such solutions are suitable for any internationally active company, including small and medium-sized businesses. The information provided can be adapted individually to the requirements of the company and thus ensure that company-specific data such as internal contacts or travel advice are included.

The mobility of this source of information represents a distinct advantage here, because such platforms are usually provided on the intranet and can thus be used flexibly. Anyone who has internet access can quickly retrieve information before or during the trip. In addition, it prevents the traveler from being swamped with information prior to departure – which often enough only results in the really important facts and figures getting lost in the heat of the moment.

Practical Tip

Qualified country databases can help your employees to access relevant information about a destination and receive important travel advice. Databases enable you to provide flexible access to relevant data and get targeted information to your business travelers.

Establishing a corporate country database is a good step towards preparing employees for a business trip and making important information readily available. However, this database alone is not sufficient.

3.1.1.2 24 h – Reachability

Information alone does not protect against unforeseen incidents. That’s why it is important to consistently ensure that the traveler is always in contact with the company and to provide the necessary infrastructure. In the event of an extraordinary occurrence, message chains must be reliable and above all, fast. Prior to the trip, mutual reachability in case of need should be ensured. In many cases, the most reliable assistance comes from home, since you cannot always rely on the support of local contacts or authorities. Therefore, wellpositioned companies have clear reporting structures that ensure that relevant information can be reliably exchanged. To achieve this, large corporations maintain special databases in which business travelers must register prior to beginning their trip. Here, general information about the trip as well as personal contact information is entered so that it can be accessed quickly and reliably in the case of an emergency.

If such a system doesn’t exist within your company, it is all the...

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 14.1.2016
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Sachbuch/Ratgeber
• ISBN-10: 3-7392-9967-3 / 3739299673
• ISBN-13: 978-3-7392-9967-9 / 9783739299679