Transporting meeting attendees in a chartered bus is an affordable option for meetings planned locally, as well as for transporting people from the airport or train station to the host hotel, or from the hotel to the convention center or meeting location. Contrary to the misguided assumptions that charter buses are a less than ideal option due to misgivings about bus travel in general, charter buses offer comfortable, clean transportation that can be absolutely luxurious.

To avoid complications and ensure a successful chartering experience, here are seven questions that should be considered before reserving a bus:

1. How many people do you need to transport?
2. Do any of the travelers have special needs that will need to be met?
3. What level of luxury do you desire?
4. Is the trip overnight? If so, you may need to make a hotel reservation for the driver.
5. How long is the trip? You may need more than one driver, depending on the number of hours that need to be driven each day.
6. Is your client more concerned about the cost or level of luxury provided?
7. Do you need a video-equipped bus? This can allow attendees to watch training videos, videos about the destination, movies or any other materials provided by you or your client.

The answer: You have to know who your end user is–for writers it’s the reader and for planners it’s your traveler, not the CEO who requests the trip.

Although this is easier said than done in some cases, it is a critical step to successful incentive planning. Although many planners just cover this by offering choices, there may be a time when you can’t do that for any number of reasons. Here are some ways to get to know your travelers.

The best way to understand those for whom you will be planning this trip is just to ask. Today it seems people don’t like to do this. The world in general gets more like a jungle every day, where survival of the fittest sometimes means just looking like you’re the fittest. Is it any wonder people are not willing to ask questions when not knowing is sometimes viewed as a sign of weakness? Read the rest of this entry »