Last Updated on: May 13, 2024 at 7:15 am
Our Multitasking Managers series presents you with the stories of dedicated leaders who despite travel management being a secondary role, bring exceptional care and commitment to the job
Here’s a shocking number, only 11% of the companies we surveyed have a dedicated travel department. The rest? They’re tasked to juggle their core tasks along with taking on the complexity of travel management for their company. Enter Nayeli Sanchez, the Event Manager at Speakers Institute. In today’s business world, where agility and efficiency are paramount, multitasking managers are the linchpins that hold operations together.
Her story sheds light on the hurdles of managing travel arrangements amidst her broad array of responsibilities. Through her experience, we glean insights into not just the challenges but also the innovative solutions that have streamlined complex processes.
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The success of Speakers Institute is inextricably linked to the impact of its events, making Nayeli’s role as the event manager not just important, but vital to the company’s thriving existence. As Speakers Institute has grown into a multimillion-dollar entity that annually reaches over 100 million people worldwide, it is the quality and execution of its events that have elevated the company to its award-winning status. Nayeli, at the heart of this success, orchestrates events that resonate deeply with attendees, fostering growth, empowerment, and learning.
Speakers Institute’s commitment to delivering exceptional education in wellbeing, leadership, and storytelling is brought to life through its events. These gatherings are the primary touchpoint for the community, where the institute’s values and teachings are experienced firsthand. Nayeli’s meticulous planning and execution ensure these events are not just meetings but transformative experiences. Her ability to blend logistical precision with a deep understanding of the institute’s mission transforms each event into a powerful conduit for change.
From the head office in Sydney, Nayeli collaborates closely with the world’s best trainers, facilitators, coaches, and mentors, curating content that matches the institute’s high standards. Her role goes beyond traditional event management; she is a guardian of the institute’s legacy and a key player in its future growth.
For the past four years, Nayeli has adeptly juggled her event management core responsibilities with the task of coordinating travel for the company. During this period, the company has experienced growth, leading to an uptick in the volume of travel. Currently, the company averages seven trips per month—a manageable number, yet challenging for Nayeli to handle amidst her other responsibilities.
Initially, Nayeli’s approach was manual and personal, using messaging apps for coordination. “It was all about screenshots and approvals. Functional, but far from efficient,” she recalls. This method, while direct, was fraught with potential for error and inefficiency, leading her to seek a better way.
Recognizing the inefficiency of the existing travel management process and its impact on her ability to focus on core event management tasks, Nayeli and the company decided that automating the travel arrangement process was a necessary step. This decision was driven by the need to optimize Nayeli’s workload and allow her to dedicate more time to her primary role, thereby enhancing her efficiency and the overall effectiveness of event management and coordination within the company.
The decision to automate the travel management process was a no-brainer. It wasn’t about replacing the personal touch she brought to each task; it was about enhancing her ability to focus on what truly mattered. Embracing automation meant Nayeli could redirect her energy and creativity back to where it shone brightest: in the magic of event management.
The introduction of TruTrip, a comprehensive travel management platform, was a game-changer for Nayeli. “TruTrip does save a lot of time; it’s a lot more organized. I value its ability to track and provide transaction reports, significantly enhancing our financial visibility,” Nayeli reflects on the impact of automation.
However, integrating TruTrip had its challenges. Nayeli had to navigate the preferences of various travellers, including high-level executives. “Some people are more user-friendly and happy to use TruTrip, while others, like CEOs, I prefer not to bug,” she explains. This delineation showcases the need for a flexible approach, blending automated solutions with tailored, direct interventions.
Now, with a more streamlined approach to managing travel, Nayeli looks forward to what lies ahead. She’s excited to dive back into the creative pool, brainstorming and bringing to life the kind of events that make everyone’s job a little more exciting. For Nayeli, automation isn’t just a tool; it’s her ticket back to focusing on her passion, knowing that the logistical details are in good hands.
Be a part of a community: Juggling responsibilities as a manager can be quite isolating, luckily, in the digital age, seeking a community is easy! We suggest joining groups of business leaders and busy managers to be able to bounce things off of each other and offer support. One of our favourite ones is this: Multitasking Travel Managers.
Know which tasks to delegate: Strike the balance between an independent and collaborative work environment within your team. This would take a load of pressure off you as a manager, gone are the days of traditional corporate ways of working, hello to a healthy one where no one’s stretched too thin. Evaluate which tasks are better off passed on someone else from your team that’d make the whole operations more efficient.
Explore how you, too, can streamline your travel management process and bring even more dedication to your role.
Click here to learn tips and tricks for enhancing your approach. Book a demo or sign up for a free trial with TruTrip today. Let’s make every journey smoother together!
TruTrip streamlines booking, management, and reporting for hassle-free business trips.