How do traveler tracking and geolocation tools work?

ALFONSO GARRIDO, INTERNATIONAL SOS Commercial Director for Corporate Market

 

 

Tracking tools integrate data from the bookings of flights, and from contact of all travelers, and allow to know the travel intentions with anticipation to adequately prepare the trips. The data recorded should include not only flight details, but also work mobile phone, e-mail, car reservations, hotels and other data of interest, such as expatriate addresses, in order to be able to act with the utmost diligence in the event of an emergency.

The geolocation tools have as a source of information mobile devices capable of sending the position coordinates to a central station. In addition to the privacy aspects, it must be taken into account that in security emergencies and natural disasters, non-satellite mobile communications are the first to fail. Therefore these tools must be complementary to the monitoring tools and must be integrated with the former.

The monitoring tools must have the capability to import data from different sources. One such source is the PNR (Passenger Name Record) that travel agencies send to central reservation systems (GDS: Amadeus, Sabre, Galileo, etc…). The PNR data contains all the details of flights, cars, hotels and traveler's contact details (email, mobile phone, etc…).

The system must be compatible, but not dependent on specific travel agencies, nor on specific GDS. This autonomy facilitates agency changes and allows risks to be managed as the company expands internationally. The integration of new offices and acquired companies must be simple, as they will be able to book with other agencies or other GDSs.

In the case of travelers who book their flights without a travel agency, the tool must allow the manual entry of the travel information. In order to fulfill this duty of training, information and assistance, the company must know, at all times, where its employees will be traveling on their business trips.

This tracking strategy, based on booking information, allows the company to know the traveler's destination and automatically send him/her a preview of the country before the trip. Likewise, it also allows you to automatically receive alerts that occur during your trip.

This destination country report that is sent by email includes: safety and health recommendations, active alerts, cultural tips, driving recommendations, customs and immigration aspects, embassies, etc. Also included are the particular recommendations of each company for that destination, and a consent link so that there is a record that the traveler has read the report. It should preferably be sent in the native language of the traveler to avoid non-compliance with the recommendations due to language barriers. The tool must be especially careful with the language, in order to inform the traveler without alarming him/her.

The monitoring software must have information, analysis and recommendations from experts international health and safety risks. The key to the success of the tool lies in these specialists, since it is of little use to know where our travelers are if the analysis and recommendations before the trip or in case of emergency are not the best.

In addition, it is necessary to assist the employee in all his needs, including aspects not covered by insurance, and cannot be left to chance or delegated to the embassies. It is the company's obligation to assist the traveler, whether he has been robbed in Dubaacute;i and needs cash and to file a complaint; or if he is caught up in riots in Ukraine and requires a security evacuation; or in the case where insurance won't solve your medical emergency in the Haiti earthquake, because you're not covered and if you are covered, you don't have the capacity to send medical equipment on the ground.

As a conclusion, it is absolutely essential to manage an emergency the full integration of the geolocation with the tracking tool, and of these tools with the security and medical experts who provide information about the emergency;These tools provide information and risk analysis and 24-hour assistance with on-site resources for any unforeseen event, including on-site deployment of security, medical and logistical teams within a few hours.