We hear so much about technology’s ability to do extraordinary things, it’s important to remember that success ultimately comes down to people.
Mobility plays a key role in enabling people to build and sustain strong business relationships while balancing the demands of work and life. In turn, these connections help to drive organisations forward.
Whether your journey is to build customer relationships or deliver a great service, mobility is central to enabling people to succeed. It’s also an important factor in attracting and retaining great people, which is why a great driver experience is crucial.
Developing excellent relationships with customers is the key to creating rewarding partnerships that deliver long-term success for both parties. It’s much more difficult to achieve if those relationships remain in a virtual space. Real relationships, built on trust and understanding, need real-world contact. Mobility matters because it facilitates the journeys that enable people to connect face to face, to build those all-important relationships. If it’s easy to access the right vehicle, or whatever form of transport best suits that journey, you’re more likely to make the trip and nurture that connection.
Similarly, within your own organisation, your people are your greatest asset: a happy workforce creates stability, enabling you to deliver a great service to your customers, which leads to growth. The right ground transportation policy, with flexible and adaptable mobility choices makes life better and easier for employees by providing easy access to the right vehicle at the right time for the right journey.
The effects that a travel programme has on employee recruitment and retention are often overlooked. According to the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), 79% of North American business travellers, 83% of European business travellers and 81% across the Asia-Pacific region indicated that their business travel experience impacts their overall job satisfaction.
The events of the last few years mean we’re all far more aware of the value of face-to-face interaction and how it builds relationships. Video calls are no substitute for nurturing connections but if it’s difficult to get somewhere, Teams is the default choice. And if it’s not Teams, it’s grey fleet with all the associated risks and emissions that it brings.
Grey fleet is still the default option for nearly half (48%) of UK employees, but research by Enterprise revealed that 61% of UK workers who drive their own car for business travel in the UK would consider switching jobs to get better alternatives to using their own car for business trips. Of these business travellers, 17% would very much consider moving jobs and 44% would consider making the switch. This compares to just 21% who would probably not consider moving and only 13% who would definitely not.
As well as making you a more attractive employer, a travel policy that puts choice in the hands of the employee, enabling them to create the journey that best suits their business and personal needs, is more likely to be adhered to which can lead to reduced costs, risks and emissions.
The impact of mobility on people and their ability to succeed both professionally and personally through a well-designed travel policy, shouldn’t be underestimated.
Andy Bland is head of business rental development UK and Ireland for Enterprise Mobility
