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Story URL: http://www.silicon.com/cxoextra/0,3800005416,39161661,00.htm

Air scares and security measures deter biz travellers
Some meetings just aren't worth the hassle...

By Will Sturgeon

Published: Monday 21 August 2006

The current problems besieging UK air travellers and airports are forcing companies to consider alternative options to business travel - such as a greater use of videoconferencing and online meeting and collaboration tools in order to keep staff in the country.

A poll of silicon.com readers in the wake of mass confusion at UK airports last week has revealed a third of respondents say they will now undertake less business travel.

And certainly companies are aware of the need to consider alternatives to travel especially in the current climate of uncertainty.

Speaking of solutions such as videoconferencing and online meeting tools, Phil Young, head of IT operations at Amtrak Express Parcels, said: "It is becoming increasingly more time-consuming to travel via air for meetings. The technology is available and cheap so I will be adding this to my radar."

However, a word of caution was sounded by Gavin Whatrup, group IT director at Creston. Although he expressed strong support for a greater use of technology to limit the amount of travel, he said there are instances where it is unavoidable.

Whatrup said: "The fear of looking out of control deters most people from using technology to collaborate more efficiently. Client-facing meetings can be stressful enough without worrying whether the microphone is working."

And silicon.com's poll found 12 per cent of business travellers will still be given no choice about having to travel.

However, Whatrup added: "Internally there needs to be an executive mandate to utilise the tech more. Put the onus on the IT department to implement a bulletproof solution, whilst at the same time educating the business to use the tools available."

He said as well as employee satisfaction, exploring alternatives to travel can also assist companies in meeting their corporate and social responsibility goals, such as becoming carbon neutral across the enterprise.

Last week silicon.com's CIO Jury revealed that many businesses are looking to limit the amount of business travel their staff undertake as international travel becomes more problematic.