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About the last thing business travelers think to plan for is coverage by their health maintenance organization (HMO) should they require emergency medical care on the road. Yet experts warn this is just as essential as remembering to pack your toothbrush.
While your HMO prescribes how to obtain health care at home, when traveling, "you don't know much about the reputation of hospitals," says Dr. Gregory Henry, president of the American College of Emergency Physicians in Dallas. "To some extent, you're at the mercy of what's available as to where you're going to get health care."
But take heart: There are ways to ensure proper health coverage when away. For starters, call your HMO to see if you have a preferred provider in the area where you're traveling, says Henry. Also, ask your HMO about the steps required for emergency care while traveling; your insurer may waive copays or certain provisions.
Should you happen to need medical care, don't forget to bring your HMO card to the hospital (a colleague or family member should also be notified where you keep the information beforehand). Once there, Henry recommends asking a colleague, family member or friend to notify your HMO. Your first priority is to receive proper medical care, not work out the fine details with your insurer. It's also a good idea to get a copy of the medical chart and any bills in case you need the documentation later when working out the bill.
No-Show Blues
You may already have unwittingly discovered the latest trend inthe travel industry: penalty fees. Lately, a number of hotels haveinstituted early checkout charges for guests who cut their visitsshort. And some restaurants are testing fees for no-shows, too.
Why the onslaught of penalty fees? "When a room goes unusedbecause someone decides to switch hotels or leave early, hotelslose money," explains Robert Nozar, editor of Hotel &Motel Management magazine.
Likewise, when tables sit empty because of no-shows,restaurants--particularly the pricier establishments--shouldersizable revenue losses, says Wendy Webster of the NationalRestaurant Association.
Some businesses are choosing to recover a portion of theirlosses by levying penalty fees. For example, the Wyndham AnatoleHotel in Dallas recently instigated a $50 fee for guests checkingout early. The Loews hotel chain is testing penalty fees for earlycheckout at three of its properties. And American Express justcompleted a six-month pilot program in which 30 restaurants wereallowed to charge a no-show penalty for patrons using theirAmerican Express cards to hold reservations. (The fees, rangingfrom $10 to $25, were determined by restaurant owners.)
Despite their surge in popularity, though, some industryinsiders insist penalty fees won't become commonplace. But inthe end, there's only one sure way to avoid the fines: Travelresponsibly.
Power Source
In a small company, entrepreneurs often adopt the role of chieftechnologist. Many reason it's just another hat they have towear. Or is it? Increasingly, small businesses in numerousindustries--from manufacturing and communications to insurance andretail--are outsourcing their computer needs.
Because much of information technology simply isn't a coreoperation for most companies, outsourcing can be an attractivealternative. It takes the burden of handling certain technologyfunctions off personnel, allowing them to focus on otherresponsibilities.
Outsourcing relationships vary widely. Companies can outsourcespecific tasks, portions of information technology needs, or alltheir computer services.
"The pace of technology changes is overwhelming,"explains Allie Young, senior analyst with Dataquest, a researchfirm in Westborough, Massachusetts. "To be competitive,companies must [upgrade their] technology, but they don't havethe expertise in-house, so it's easier for them to turn to anexpert."
But outsourcing can do more than relieve the burden on you andyour staff. Many experts see value in partnering with largercompanies that possess a track record. "The small companiesthat realize they need something today and want to grow in thefuture can bring in the leverage of a large company to help expandand grow [their] services," says Kathy Dodsworth-Rugani ofIntegrated Systems Solutions Corp. (ISSC), an IBM subsidiary inSomers, New York, that began offering its computer expertise tomedium-sized and small businesses last December.
Internet site construction and management, computer training andnew application development are just some of the duties smallcompanies can relinquish to outsiders. ISSC, for example, providesremote operational support for company servers, help-desk supportfor employee questions, consulting expertise, and help withtransferring between different operating systems, among otherthings. "Outsourcing these kinds of functions is particularlygood for companies that can't get access to skills or find thetalent pool [in their area] is diminishing," saysDodsworth-Rugani.
On the downside, while some entrepreneurs believe outsourcingcan cut costs, experts say that's a myth. "It'sunlikely you'll see a cost savings," admitsDodsworth-Rugani. "What you will see is an improvement inservice, better use of technology, and a potential to do somethingdifferent in the marketplace."
And, in the long run, that can boost your bottom line. Nowonder, then, that industry insiders urge even the smallest ofcompanies to consider outsourcing their information technology.Says Young, "This trend is absolutely growing for smallbusiness."
Basic Training
In a rush to put new software applications to use? Don'tsign your employees up for expensive software training courses justyet. A recent study found that users often find other trainingmethods more effective.
In fact, allowing users time to experiment and "play"with new software programs on their own is the most useful trainingmethod, according to a 1995 survey conducted by Candice G. Harp, atraining and development consultant in Atlanta. Consistency withina program, asking co-workers for assistance, and reading theprogram's on-screen prompts and messages while working with thesoftware were also cited as highly beneficial by respondents.
Among those training strategies deemed least useful? Attending aformal training seminar on the software package, watching lecturesand demonstrations on videotape, following computer-based trainingcourses, and calling the in-house help desk with a question.
Contact Sources
Dataquest, 9 Technology Dr., Westborough, MA 01581, (508)871-5555;
Candice Harp, c/o Absolute Advantage, Research Group,5305 Silver Creek Dr., Atlanta, GA 30247, (770) 921-9421;
Integrated Systems Solutions Corp., (800) USE-ISSC,
The Adolphus Hotel, 1321 Commerce St., Dallas, TX 75202,(800) 221-9083, (214) 742-8200;
American Airlines, (800) AACCESS, http://www.americanair.com
American Express, (800) 4-OPTIMA;
China Airlines, (800) 227-5118;
Delta Air Lines, (800) 323-2323;
The Diplomat, 1503 Woodacre Dr., McLean, VA 22101,(800) 237-1631;
Hotel & Motel Management, 7500 Old Oak Blvd.,Cleveland, OH 44130, (216) 891-2797;
Hotel Inter-Continental New York, (800) 327-0200, (212)755-5900;
Loews Hotels, (800) 23-LOEWS;
Runzheimer International, (414) 767-2200;
United Airlines, (800) 241-6522;
Wyndham Anatole Hotel, 2201 Stemmons Fwy., Dallas, TX75207, (214) 748-1200.
