Top 5 FREE Travel Apps for the Business Traveler

1) Google Maps. The single most useful travel app is available on every smartphone, and, in fact, on any Web phone. Google Maps tells you where you are, where anything else is, and how to get between those two spots.

2) Yelp. The king of the user-review sites – especially for restaurants in major American cities – and their mobile app is an excellent way to search for places to eat. The Yelp app is available for BlackBerry and iPhone, but other phone owners can just go to m.yelp.com with their browsers.

3) WeatherBug. There are lots of mobile weather apps, and some are better on some platforms than on others. WeatherBug delivers a solid experience across a range of operating systems including Android, BlackBerry, iPhone, Windows Mobile and Nokia.

4) Kayak. There are many travel-booking apps, but Kayak is my pick for the simplest, smoothest, easiest, quickest and most complete. The app lets you search for flights, hotels, and car rentals using Kayak’s reliable meta-search engine, which captures the fares both from travel agencies and from vendors’ own sites.

5) SitOrSquat.  SitOrSquat is a crowd-sourced bathroom locator that can take you a step beyond the old mainstay of hotel lobbies in most US cities. The app is available for BlackBerry and iPhone. Well, this one isn’t a necessity, but it is amusing!

FUSION Performance Marketing is the expert in group business travel. Learn more about FUSION’s Solutions.

How to Avoid the Hassle at Customs

A new program offered by the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) called Global Entry allows expedited clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travelers upon arrival in the United States.  No processing lines, no paperwork, expedited entry benefits in other countries and reduced wait times; could you ask for a better deal?

Global Entry is available to all US citizens, lawful permanent residents, Dutch citizens and Mexican nationals.  Travelers must be pre-approved for the program.  All applicants undergo a background check and interview before being enrolled.   As an approved Global Entry member, your membership will be valid for five years with no additional fees.

Currently at 20 major US airports, Global Entry kiosks are available where participants present machine-readable US passport or permanent resident card, place fingertips on scanner for verification and make customs declaration.  Travelers then receive a transaction receipt and are directed to baggage claim and the exit.

Members still declare all goods at the Global Entry electronic kiosk and still pay regular duty fees on items brought into the country, but there is no need to complete the paper form before arrival.

This is a great opportunity to proactively plan for your next meeting and incentive travel programs, especially if international travel is a regular occurrence within your company.  For your attendees this means less hassle coming back into the US.

Since Global Entry members are pre-screened, you arrive, check-in with Global Entry and you are on your way!

It’s easy to apply:

1. Apply Online:  Simply fill out the online application and pay a $100 application fee.
2. Schedule Interview:  Once this is reviewed, you will receive a message to schedule an interview at a Global Entry Enrollment Center.
3. Interview Determines Eligibility:  US CBP officer will ask you questions, take your photo and scan your fingerprints.
4. Provide Identification:  bring valid passport and one other form of I.D.  (driver’s license or ID card).  If you are a lawful permanent resident, you must present your permanent resident card.

Find out more about the CBP Global Entry program here.

Contact FUSION to learn more about how to make your next travel incentive program execute flawlessly.

12 Things to Consider Before Deciding on F&B for Your Reception

At FUSION Performance Marketing, we believe that food and beverage are nearly as important to an event as the purpose of the event itself.  And as the event planner, you will select each item for your group.  Overall, the choice of food and the manner in which it is presented can say a great deal about your professionalism and attention to detail.  Here are several factors to keep in mind for your reception to make cost-effective choices:  

1. Your audience – the more accustomed they are to hors d’oeuvres, the fewer they will consume. 
2. Purpose of your event – consumption at a welcome reception is usually lower because it is the first time people have seen each other in a while. 
3. Time of the event – receptions at 5 or 6p.m. are not assumed to take place of dinner, but 7 or 8p.m. is expected to be dinner.
4. Location of the event – receptions held off-site drop attendance.
5. Passed butter-style service –waiters wearing white gloves conveys an upscale atmosphere, in reality, it’s the least expensive way to serve them.  Guests eat much less when passed butter-style than when a guest can help themselves to a buffet.
6. Buffet setup – how accessible the food is affects guest consumption.
7. Plate size – bread and butter plates make it more difficult to pile on food.  Salad plates are the most commonly used for receptions
8. Variety of food – most people like to sample a little of everything, so large quantities of fewer kinds of hors d’oeuvres will help feed more guests and make it less likely to run out of food.
9.  Distractions – consumption is less when music, entertainment and dancing distract attendees.
10. Tables and chairs – tables and chairs encourage people to sit and eat, chairs for 25-30% of guests is enough for a comfortable reception.
11. What kind to order – start with a variety for all tastes – vegetarian, protein, carbs.
12. Liquor consumption – cocktail receptions rack up high liquor prices for meeting.  The average per person liquor consumption will increase if:

• The event is on the final night of the meeting
• The event is scheduled between 6p.m. and 7:30p.m.
• The event is outdoors in a warm climate
• The event is held during major sports event where large video screens are used
• Dry, salty snacks are the only type offered
• The group is predominantly male

Cash vs. Non-Cash Incentives

As a performance improvement company, it is important to see the value of non-cash awards, whether it is a sales program, employee recognition program or contractor rewards.  Non-cash awards get greater results for the same funds invested.

Here are 7 reasons why non-cash beats cash incentives every time:

1)     Trophy Value – non-cash awards are tangible and work as a lasting reminder of good performance being rewarded, while cash is short-lived and goes towards everyday expenses.

2)     Recognition – non-cash awards can be discussed with friends, neighbors and relatives, i.e. how they were earned and goals accomplished.  Cash is a taboo topic to discuss in our culture.

3)     Guilt – non-cash awards only allow redemption from pre-selected items, participants order items to be enjoyed as there is no other option.  Cash is evaluated by what can be done with it, i.e. savings, college funds, etc.

4)     Family Involvement – non-cash involves the family by allowing spouses and children to shop in the book of awards and help the participant set goals.  Cash programs are seldom mentioned in the home.

5)     Promotability – non-cash awards engage emotions, participants imagine themselves earning and enjoying the awards.  Emotions drive behaviors which produce results!  Once the amount of cash is mentioned, communications of award opportunities is finished.

6)     Flexibility – non-cash awards can be changed, added or deleted with little reaction within the organization; once cash awards have been placed, any changes are viewed as altering basic compensation and will be met with resistance.

7)     Final Award Cost – non-cash awards have an element of non-redemption.  Award points are issued, but not all participants redeem the entire amount (anywhere from 6-20% of issuance).  There is no non-redemption with cash.

Overall, the single-most important reason to for non-cash awards in any incentive program is the higher Return On Investment! 

Learn more about FUSION’s Incentive Awards capabilities in the FUSION Solutions.  

Business Travel: Loyalty Pays... And Pays... And Pays

As a travel incentive company, there is one concept that every employee and traveler alike should know, that is the value of loyalty.  If we could offer one piece of advice to any frequent traveler, it would be to accumulate as many miles and achieve as high a status as possible with ONE airline.  Loyalty pays and airlines reward this loyalty with their elite-level membership programs. 

The top perks of the various elite-level programs: 

·      Complimentary upgrades – the point at which the upgrade will be confirmed varies, but top-level elites generally clear 100 hours before the flight departs, mid-level elites 48 hours in advance and entry-level elites can confirm within 24 hours of flight departure.

·      Dedicated Check-in, Security lines & Customer Service Desks – when you’re running late, you’re at a major airport or there are flight delays, the extra, dedicated services that are offered to elites is sometimes the difference between making a flight and spending another night on the road. 

·      Free Checked Baggage – at $30+ per checked bag on most airlines, this represents a huge savings for those that travel regularly.  Plus with your elite status, your bag is usually tagged as Priority and is the first off the plane.

·      Bonus Miles – are generally award as a percentage of the flown miles and are tiered to give the top-elites an even larger bonus.  Often times airlines offer double mile promotions to aide travelers in keeping their elite status. watch the miles rack up once you hit elite status. 

·      Preferred Boarding & Seating – this may be the most important now that everyone tries to carry-on their luggage.  With preferred boarding, your virtually guaranteed to find overhead space plus you’ll enjoy stretching out in the exit row in case your upgrade doesn’t clear. 

Now that we’ve convinced you that having Elite status is the ONLY way to fly, you’re probably asking how do I get there?  You can try to earn the status one flight at a time or if you have a large amount of travel scheduled for a short period of time inquire about an “Elite Challenge”.   

Many airlines offer an elite-level challenge that will allow you to quickly qualify for elite level status – all you need to do is call the frequent flyer customer service number and request to participate.  There is usually a charge to participate and it won’t be easy, but you’ll see immediate benefits upon completion.

Happy Travels from FUSION!