The Lemon Fool

I'm due to travel to London. But due to the corporate travel policy and restrictions I can't. The rules are

1. You must book the cheapest possible means of travel, be that drive, train or plane.
2. You may not travel first class under any circumstances.
3. You must book on the corporate website, any externally booked items will not be refunded.

So, onto the corporate booking system. It shows the cheapest method is train for £100 (give or take) first class and £160 second class. The system won't let me book the second class ticket as it's not the cheapest (see rule 1). Neither will it let me book the first class ticket (see rule 2). The Mandarin I spoke to told me to book standard class (see rule 1) and couldn't believe that first class was cheaper. My manager cannot override this nor can she overrule and allow me to book off system.

So I'm due in London Monday afternoon and I cannot get there. Client's going to be pleased.

What happened to common sense?

Wait a day and first class will go up then you can book standard. (Oh, you need to confirm today and you can't access corporate system at weekend?) - Catch-22

chas49 wrote:Wait a day and first class will go up then you can book standard. (Oh, you need to confirm today and you can't access corporate system at weekend?) - Catch-22

Yep, I'm hosed. And buggered if I'm doing this chasing at the weekend on my time.

Get the first class ticket, but travel standard-class on it. THat way you get the cheapeat ticket, but don't actually travel first class. All boxes ticked.

I've actually done that. Right back in my first job as a young grad, employer's policy was that all professional staff got first class travel booked by the company. But standard class was actually more pleasant on the journey to visit the main Clients for my work: the seats were just the same, and the company was much more pleasant.

UncleEbenezer wrote:Get the first class ticket, but travel standard-class on it.

Unfortunately, it sounds like the travel system won't allow that!

Email the travel contact, cc your manager and HR, and ask for a resolution by xx o'clock, stating that without a solution you will need to inform the client that the meeting will have to be postponed.

Do explain that it is the system blocking you, and not a complaint, you just want a solution!

Let us know how it works out

VRD

vrdiver wrote:

UncleEbenezer wrote:Get the first class ticket, but travel standard-class on it.

Unfortunately, it sounds like the travel system won't allow that!

Email the travel contact, cc your manager and HR, and ask for a resolution by xx o'clock, stating that without a solution you will need to inform the client that the meeting will have to be postponed.

Do explain that it is the system blocking you, and not a complaint, you just want a solution!

Let us know how it works out

VRD

Oh, I have. And I've taken screen grabs of everything so I can prove my point at a later time. Not that I don't expect them to take my word or anything . . . . .

We have a solution! Travel down on Sunday, stay in a hotel over night (with associated meals etc.)

So, train on Sunday, hotels, meals comes to over £300. But at least it satisfies the system . . . . never mind the inconvenience to me personally of course.

I shall continue my pointless fight to get the system changed.

wheypat wrote:I shall continue my pointless fight to get the system changed.

I would have thought that rule 2 is superfluous and, in your case, obstructive.

If you need to go somewhere, and take the cheapest means, then a travel policy can't really ask for more.

Scott.

"a personal commitment means I am unable to travel on Sunday..."

Why should you have your weekend disrupted for what is a system issue? Management should override the block, or if not possible in the time available, pre-authorise your non-system travel. If they can't do that, then why should you sacrifice your Sunday?

swill453 wrote:I would have thought that rule 2 is superfluous and, in your case, obstructive.

If you need to go somewhere, and take the cheapest means, then a travel policy can't really ask for more.

Scott.

I suspect that somewhere in the bowels of the system there is a complaint from a customer over having to pay for 1st class travel, or 1st class travel was abused and a management policy was badly drafted to stop future abuse.

VRD

wheypat wrote:We have a solution! Travel down on Sunday, stay in a hotel over night (with associated meals etc.)

So, train on Sunday, hotels, meals comes to over £300. But at least it satisfies the system . . . . never mind the inconvenience to me personally of course.

I shall continue my pointless fight to get the system changed.

Can you make a virtue of that? Travel on the Sunday morning and take a day out? Or is it not that kind of destination?

Fully agree with your frustration at the policy and your valiant efforts to change it. I expect most of us could tell tales of having come up against daft travel policies at one time or another.

wheypat wrote:So, onto the corporate booking system. It shows the cheapest method is train for £100 (give or take) first class and £160 second class.

Does your system allow you to specify that you choose the train time or even not at all after you've booked the ticket? By the pricing, the first class ticket could be an "Advance" which is only valid on one train as specified at the time of booking, whilst the second class is mostly or wholly unrestricted as to which train it is valid on.

Ach, we had something similar where we had to book through a travel portal or something, even for short notice train journeys.
We just ignored it, and got the cheapest tickets. They gave up in the end.

TBH, this is your line manager's problem.

Screengrabs, email of problems, then pop into his office/desk to face to face the issue then its his problem. You've done everything that you have been asked to do.

didds

Well I'm sat at home (I work from home), have no travel booked and the EVP (EMEA) and VP HR (EMEA) are calling me later to discuss what happened. I have pointed out to them in an email the the travel policy (written by them and signed by them both clearly states)

"There will be no exceptions or exemptions from this policy for any reason"

Then into bold

"If you book travel outside of the corporate site you will NOT be reimbursed under ANY circumstances"

Could be a fun 20 minutes

I gather the system was introduced as more senior people who are allowed to travel business class used to abuse the system hence the check on cheapest seats and junior people also used to abuse it hence the check on class of travel.

wheypat wrote:Well I'm sat at home (I work from home), have no travel booked and the EVP (EMEA) and VP HR (EMEA) are calling me later to discuss what happened. I have pointed out to them in an email the the travel policy (written by them and signed by them both clearly states)

"There will be no exceptions or exemptions from this policy for any reason"

Then into bold

"If you book travel outside of the corporate site you will NOT be reimbursed under ANY circumstances"

Could be a fun 20 minutes

I gather the system was introduced as more senior people who are allowed to travel business class used to abuse the system hence the check on cheapest seats and junior people also used to abuse it hence the check on class of travel.

Just remember to clearly state you escalated the issue and were told "rules is rules".
Keep us posted!

So, I was all geed up for a fight and what happens?

The EVP apologised and thanked me for bringing it to his attention. The system will be rectified to prevent this from happening again but in the mean time I have a personal dispensation (which is going to be backed up via email) that should this happen again I can book off system and will be allowed to claim for it.

Oh, and would I mind making up some crap excuse for the customer and re-arrange?

You can't even get angry these days . . . . .

Some people are just too damn reasonable..

wheypat wrote:So, I was all geed up for a fight and what happens?

The EVP apologised and thanked me for bringing it to his attention. The system will be rectified to prevent this from happening again but in the mean time I have a personal dispensation (which is going to be backed up via email) that should this happen again I can book off system and will be allowed to claim for it.

Oh, and would I mind making up some crap excuse for the customer and re-arrange?

You can't even get angry these days . . . . .

And did you get a "thank you for giving me another stick to beat HR with..."?

Thank god everyone isn't so damn reasonable...what would we do for fun here?

John