When I first started interviewing for Admin Asst positions, I didn’t put travel arrangements on my resume. I mean, any idiot can make travel arrangements, can’t they? But then on every interview, I was asked about my ability to handle travel arrangements. I finally figured out that there is an art to keeping the boss happy when he’s traveling. This will be the first of 3 posts on making travel arrangements to keep any boss happy. In this post, I’ll talk about the general information you need when making travel arrangements.
- First, find out the boss’s preferences. Does she prefer window or aisle? Meal preferences or restrictions? Front of the plane or back? I had one boss who preferred the escape aisle since it generally provided more leg room. These little details are important in keeping your boss comfortable on the flight.
- Next is airline preferences. Be sure to get any frequent flier numbers as well as his airline preferences. Find out the status of her frequent flier accounts and when/if she is eligible for upgrades. Set yourself a reminder to call in the minute he is eligible so you can be sure to grab that upgrade. Time of day is important. Does she prefer to fly in with plenty of time to spare, or does she prefer to arrive at the last minute. This may vary from trip to trip, so always be sure to ask.
- Let’s not forget hotel preferences. This includes not just which chain but also little things like, does the hotel have a gym (and what hours it’s open), do they have king beds (preferred by the very tall bosses), do they have a mini-bar, is there wi-fi available (or other broadband), is there a restaurant in the hotel, etc.
Find out if he has a preferred travel agent. If you work for a big corporation, chances are you’ll either have an in-house travel agency or have ones that are preferred. For a smaller company or non-profit, that may not be the case. And, of course, if money is an issue, you’ll probably want to make the arrangements yourself, since most travel agents charge for services these days. Making the arrangements yourself is the subject of another post.
For you old hands, this information probably seems pretty basic, but for those new to their administrative assistant position who are making these arrangements for the first time, these tips will hopefully provide a starting place to impress the boss. Feel free to chime in with any information I may have forgotten. If you’re the boss, let us know what you like to have when you travel. Next post: The Itinerary.