How are you getting buy in from your field team to travel again?

David Hartley
David Hartley Founding Member | Scholar ✭✭

Overnight stays and air travel are normal things for Field Service, but with the new normal how do we make our technicians comfortable with hitting the road again?

Best Answers

  • Alexander Ziegler
    Alexander Ziegler Founding Member | Expert ✭✭✭
    Answer ✓

    This is a very interesting question. Speaking from a European point of view, where in some countries the pandemic started earlier and we are in some countries now on our way to very low new cases: Some people are starting to fly on vacation inside Europe. There are some smaller conferences and events relaunching. Thinking about your question my impression is, that there are 4 things that need to come together to get buy in to travel: 1) the company need in general show strong health management and a good plan for your own offices. This gives confidence on employers side. 2) The destination need to be seriously safe, and also show the same rigour in health rules. 3) The employee must see that there is a need for the trip. 4) keep the flights as short as possible.

    As mentioned in my introduction: I can see this behavious looking to tourists in Europe and also to smaller events starting again. Short travel seems to be key. Nobody wants to be too long in a plane at the moment. Strict rules around health also seem to play a role, and the reputation of the destination.

  • StevenForth
    StevenForth Founding Partner | Expert ✭✭✭
    Answer ✓

    I suspect that the only way to do this is with clear protocols that are rigorously adhered to. I would suggest that the protocols be designed by a trusted third party. This third party would need to have expertise in epidemiology, public health and risk management. I don't know who this would be but there must be organizations that provide this service.

    There are likely to be additional costs incurred in travelling and working safely, so the company will need to cover these as well.

Answers

  • David Perrault
    David Perrault Founding Analyst | Expert ✭✭✭

    Right now, most Enterprise customers still have a WFH policy, so requests for face-to-face meetings are very few.

  • Benjamin Bloom
    Benjamin Bloom Founding Member | Scholar ✭✭

    We've set a global policy for no in-person events or business travel through the end of the year. In addition, employees have the option to work remotely through June 2021. Any required and critical customer travel, such as for a technical integration that is unable to be done remotely, is evaluated on a case-by-case basis by HR and the managing director and is done only if the employees are able to accept the request based on local guidance and their own personal comfort with doing so.