Business Travel and Accommodation Arrangements at Mercuryholidays

This report analyzes the business administration practices of Mercuryholidays, a travel firm established in the UK. It covers budgetary and policy constraints, financial arrangements, and procedures for visas and foreign currency exchange. The report identifies various suppliers for travel and accommodation, recommending arrangements that meet requirements and detailing the processes for confirming travel needs, agreeing on arrangements, and managing documentation. It emphasizes adherence to organizational policies and ethical considerations. The report discusses the importance of sufficient funds, reliable suppliers, and skilled staff for effective travel management. Key aspects include the firm's financial arrangements, visa procedures, currency exchange, and supplier selection to ensure customer satisfaction and efficient operations. The report provides a comprehensive overview of travel and accommodation arrangements, reflecting a practical approach to business administration within the travel industry.

Business administration

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Explain any budgetary or policy constraints relating to business travel or accommodation 1
1.2 Describe financial arrangements relating to business travel or accommodation.............1
1.3 Explain how to make arrangements for visas and related foreign travel documentation.2
1.4 Describe the procedures for obtaining or exchanging foreign currency..........................2
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................3
2.1 Identify different suppliers that are capable of delivering the services required within
budget.....................................................................................................................................3
2.2 Recommend travel or accommodation arrangements that best meet the requirements. . .3
2.3 Recommend suppliers of travel or accommodation that best meet the requirements......4
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................5
3.1 Confirm the requirements for travel or accommodation..................................................5
3.2 Agree arrangements that specify any limitations, prohibitions or responsibilities and which
meet the requirements.............................................................................................................6
3.3 Prepare and issue itinerary/schedule documentation that reflect agreed arrangements
accurately................................................................................................................................6
3.4 Obtain travel or accommodation documentation within the required timescale..............7
3.5 Confirm the acceptability of payments to be made within the limits of their own authority
................................................................................................................................................7
3.6 Keep up-to-date records of travel or accommodation arrangements and agreed
commitments..........................................................................................................................8
3.7 Adhere to organisational policies and procedures, legal and ethical requirements when
making business travel or accommodation arrangements for others......................................8
CONCLUSION ...............................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
Business administration refers to the process of controlling and monitoring the
organisational process and functions. It includes performance and management of operations,
resources, employees and decision making for directing them towards the shared organisational
goals and objectives. It assist the firms in determining whether they are achieving their
objectives or not. By monitoring, Managers can gather important information regarding the
working and performance of the different organisational functions and operations. The taken
organisation in this report is Mercuryholidays which is a travel firm established in year 1980 at
Kent, UK. This report will provide the explanation of budgetary or policy constraints along with
the financial arrangements which are associated with travel businesses. Further, visa and foreign
exchange currency procedures will also be discussed along with the identification of different
suppliers. This report also provide the recommendations associated with travel arrangements and
suppliers that suitably meet the requirements. In the end, necessary arrangements and
organisational policies will be covered in this report.
TASK 1
1.1 Explain any budgetary or policy constraints relating to business travel or accommodation
Budgetary constraints are the barriers which occurs due to the insufficient funds of the
firm in executing the work and activities. Mercuryholidays is a travel and accommodation
organisation whose main problem is the less amount of money. This issue is arising as the firm is
not able to utilise the funds in a proper manner. Also due to the unplanned expenses that
suddenly occur in the company, firm is facing issues in effectively dealing with the money
problems. This insufficiency of funds also impact the efficiency of the firm and the business
operations are not able to execute properly (Steurer, 2012).
Currently Mercuryholidays is developing and implementing plans for their customers in
which the travelling packages are offered to the customers based on their needs and demands.
Another barrier is of accommodation services. The accommodation services are provided based
on the income of customers. When the firm face problems in providing suitabel deal to them then
it impact the budget policy due to the changes required.
1.2 Describe financial arrangements relating to business travel or accommodation
Financial arrangements needs to be made properly in an organisation for the travelling
and accommodation of their customers. When travelling or any other reason, individuals and
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business needs prepare their financial arrangements for their comfortable stay and travelling.
These financial arrangement are discussed below:
 The firm can use the credit card for the occurred expenses, The managers can provide the
expenses limit for the card to the holders.
 The firm can ask for receipts of expenses from the travellers for providing these occurred
expenses to the them.
 The firm can use the travel account for the purpose of business. The expenses are paid
from this account and company again refills the account after paying for the expenses.
 The firm can also use its reserved money for utilising them in such situations for
overcoming the situation effectively.
1.3 Explain how to make arrangements for visas and related foreign travel documentation
Companies such as Mercuryholidays are very active in handling international customers,
so they also needs to acquired visa for employees or customers of that specific country. The firm
needs to ensure that they have sufficient amount of resources such as funds and time. Another
thing which is necessary is the arrangement of several other documents required for visa. The
documents and funds varies with the place to be travelled. After conforming the required
documents, organisation needs to go local embassy for arranging the documents. The major
requirement is the passport and papers associated with ID proof, criminal record certificate etc.
When these documents are issued by the embassy then firm can apply for Visa after collecting
the necessary documents (Skärvad, 2017). The Mercuryholidays needs to ensure that their work
should remain ethical and proper for getting the visa and other documents in an easy way.
1.4 Describe the procedures for obtaining or exchanging foreign currency
When exchanging the foreign currency, organisations needs to adhere a systematic
process for exchanging the money in a proper manner. The Mercuryholidays needs to follow
several steps of the process when exchanging the currency as discussed below: Analysis of exchange rates: The first thing Mercuryholidays needs to do in exchanging
the foreign currency is to analyse the current exchange rates of the currency which needs
to be exchanged in order to take proper decision regarding the exchange. The firm needs
to ensure that no broker is involved in the exchange process and if any broker is included
then no fraud must takes place otherwise it can lead to loss of the firm.
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 Find a good place to exchange: After analysing the exchange rates, the Mercuryholidays
needs to find a good place for exchanging the money. The currency can be exchanged
from banks, post office, travel agent etc. From all these places, suitable place can be
chosen by the firm for easily and conveniently exchanging their money.
Both the above described steps are required to be followed by the business entities which
are willing to exchange their currency while travelling somewhere. Both of the above discussed
steps must be followed in proper order by the Mercuryholidays and their customers for smoothly
converting their money during the travelling.
TASK 2
2.1 Identify different suppliers that are capable of delivering the services required within budget
The Mercuryholidays is a travel firm which helps the travellers by providing them travel
packages to various destinations in which transportation and accommodation expenses are
included. The firm needs to determine the best and suitable suppliers of travel services who can
provides the proper facilities to the customers of the firm. The firm should determine the
suppliers who can provides the travel services to their customers based on the price set by the
management of the firm. These suppliers can manufacturers, vendors, retailers, mediators,
owners of hotels or resorts, travel agents etc. which can help the Mercuryholidays in executing
their operations and activities in proper manner for ensuring the customer satisfaction.
These all are helpful for the firm in providing proper and desired services to their
customers. The customers often book their accommodation place before arriving in the country
for ensuring their comfort level after reaching to the destination (McCreery, 2015).
Mercuryholidays needs to maintain good relations with these suppliers for buying their services
in suitable prices. When the relations with these suppliers stay healthy, then they can provide the
better services to the customers of firm which will also improve the sales and profit of the firm.
2.2 Recommend travel or accommodation arrangements that best meet the requirements
Mercuryholidays is a travel firm and they needs to ensure that they are providing their
services according to the requirements and demands of their customers. They need to made
suitable arrangements for their customers for the comfortable and convenient stay of the
consumers. When the desires of the customers are met in a proper manner, then firm can execute
their operations in an efficient manner. The arrangements which needs to be maintained by the
firm are discussed below:
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 Firm needs to ensure the customers that their bookings are confirmed or not.
 The firm need to ensure that the customers are picked by the cab or rental services from
the airport and drop to their accommodated hotel.
 The firm also needs to made arrangements for food and accommodation of their
customers.
 The firm can provide their email id or website to the customers for referring new
customers towards the services of firm.
 Bookings cancellation arrangements also must be made by the firm in case the customers
wants to cancel their bookings.
It can be recommended to the Mercuryholidays to follow these above discussed
arrangements for satisfying their customers through the provided services. For any business firm,
it is mandatory to utilise their resources in an effective manner for operating the business
effectively and efficiently.
2.3 Recommend suppliers of travel or accommodation that best meet the requirements
There are multiple number of suppliers who can provide their travel services to the
Mercuryholidays for their smooth functioning. It is necessary fro the firm to determine the
suitable suppliers who can fulfil the demands of the firm and its customers. The customers when
travelling to a different location needs transportation and accommodation facilities for getting the
comfort and relax. For meeting these requirements of customers, Mercuryholidays can contact
the Cab and car rental services which can provides the transportation facilities to the customers
of the firm (Rice2014). The firm also needs to stay in touch with various hotels for providing the
accommodation and food services to the customers of firm.
Through these independent hotels and cab services, firm can provide the desirable
services to their customers which will ensure the customer satisfaction. When the
Mercuryholidays will provide effective services along with the comfort then brand image and
sales of the firm will improve in the market which will improve the profitability and productivity
of the firm. The customers get the services they wants to get when the firm stays in touch with
the hotels and cab owners. If company fails to retain these suppliers of transport and
accommodation services, then the requirements of the customers may not met which will impact
the firm and its customer base.
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TASK 3
3.1 Confirm the requirements for travel or accommodation
There are a large number of organisations present in travel and hospitality sector. The
requirements for travel and accommodation also very huge in scale. The taken firm
Mercuryholidays needs to analyse these requirements and then must arrange the enough
resources for fulfilling the requirements. Some of these requirements are discussed below:
Sufficient funds: The Mercuryholidays must have the sufficient amount of funds for
executing their business activities. When the firm don't have the required funds, then it can effect
the business and employees efficiency which can also impact the business operations. For
example: The customers pay their payment in instalments and the firm needs to pay the amount
of bookings associated with accommodation and transportation. When such condition arises in
the firm, then the firm must have the sufficient amount of money for paying for bookings. If the
firm doesn't have the money, then its operations can fail and customers can feel dissatisfied
towards the brand and its services.
Sufficient suppliers: Suppliers plays a essential part in the success of travel firms. Also
the chosen firm Mercuryholidays needs to have their own services providers or suppliers which
can provide their services to the customers of the firm. When a firm has good suppliers, then the
firm can satisfy their customers by fulfilling their needs and requirements (Loebnitz,2015).
Skilled and experienced staff members: Mercuryholidays should hire talented and
skilled staff members in their firm who can provides the effective services to the customers of
firm. These skilled and talented workers can improve the growth and success in the market. The
company is providing travel packages to their customers based on their needs and requirements
so the firm needs to interact with their customers in their local language. This interaction can
takes place of the employees are aware of local language of the clients. Talented employees can
effectively communicate with such customers.
The Mercuryholidays needs to follow these above discussed requirements for providing
their services in the market in an effective manner. By following these requirements, the firm can
provide the proper and desired services to the customers which will enhance their satisfaction
and loyalty level towards the firm.
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3.2 Agree arrangements that specify any limitations, prohibitions or responsibilities and which
meet the requirements
There are several arrangements which must be made by the firm Mercuryholidays for
their customers. But there are also several limitations of these arrangements which can restrict
the firm in smoothly operating its operations. The main limitation is associated with the booking
of hotel. The limitation in hotel booking is that the customers needs to bring their ID card for
check-in. If the customers doesn't have the ID card then the managers doesn't allow the
customers to check-in.
Other issues is that the minors cannot book the room in hotel until followed by a
guardian. Also unmarried couples are not allowed in some hotels due to this, people who goes in
group cannot stay together as the hotel won't allow them. These customers then complains the
issue to the travel agency or firm. Many people books the room in advance for tackling the
problems of late bookings. The firm Mercuryholidays needs to consider such limitations before
providing package to their customers. This consideration is helpful in dealing with such issues in
a proper manner.
3.3 Prepare and issue itinerary/schedule documentation that reflect agreed arrangements
accurately
Itinerary is the document which provides the plan of the destinations to be visited. The
Mercuryholidays is providing travel packages to their customers. When the bookings of the
customer gets confirmed, then the firm needs to prepare a schedule or Itinerary for the organised
tour. Detailed information of their schedule or plan is given in the Itinerary document. When
implementing the Itinerary, managers of the firm needs to analyse the whole package of the
customers (Laudon, 2016). This document includes the information of the places to be visited,
arrangements of hotels, transportation etc. An example is provided below for a client having 1
day tour.
Activities Time
Break fast 08:00:00
Big Ben + Coca-cola London Eye 09:00:00
Buckingham palace + Tower of London 01:00:00
Lunch 02:30:00
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Hyde park+ British Museum 03:30:00
This itinerary is provided to all customers of the firm for conveying them the information
regarding their trip. This Itinerary is mainly sent by mail or hard copy is provide to them during
the landing in the country. This document is very beneficial for the travellers as it helps in
determining whether the schedule is according to the place for which they had paid.
3.4 Obtain travel or accommodation documentation within the required timescale
It is necessary for the firms like Mercuryholidays to ensure that the customers has the
required documents before purchasing the packages. This responsibility is of travel agents who
interacted with the customers. When the customers does not have the papers, then they can face
issues in packages and in travelling. When providing international tours, the firm needs to check
for ID card, passport, visa, travel insurance etc. The firm needs to make sure that customers are
carrying the required documents (Gokmen,2012).
When the customers does not have the documents, then the government officials may not
allow them to visit their country. The employees needs documents for travelling without any
interference from the government and other people. When such documents are lost, then
customers needs to complain regarding the lost item to the police. For instance, when there is a
tour of 5 days from 8 February 2019 to 13 February 2019 and several people wants to go on the
tour and applied for it. Then the firm and its employees needs to ensure that the customers are
carrying the required documents. If not then management needs to convey the guidelines and
time limit for arranging these documents. If such documents are not provided to the company
then the people may not go on the tour.
3.5 Confirm the acceptability of payments to be made within the limits of their own authority
Mercuryholidays is a travel company who is providing their services in UK and many
more countries. The customer of the firm are from various locations and it is not possible for the
firm to take payment as cash from these customers. To get the payment from these customers,
Mercuryholidays are providing various options to their customers such as online payment, bank
transfer etc. The customers can choose any method for paying their money. These options re
provided by the firm in order to ease the payment process for the international customers. The
money received by the firm is within the limits of their authority. The firm provides the
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customers a specific online code through which the customers can pay for their expenses and
bookings regarding the accommodation and transport services.
3.6 Keep up-to-date records of travel or accommodation arrangements and agreed commitments
Maintaining every record of the customers and arrangements is necessary for the firm for
ensuring the enhanced satisfaction of customers. For organisations like Mercuryholidays, they
also needs to monitor such records. It will assist the firm to analyse that their services are
meeting their expectations or not. Through this record maintenance, management of the firm can
attract huge number of customers as they have the updated knowledge regarding the plans of the
firm (Carpenter,2012).
When the firm maintain the record of their commitments then it is helpful in providing
the proper information to the customers who desires to buy the travel package. For the taken firm
Mercury holidays, it is very essential to maintain their records for the satisfaction of their
customers and for providing them suitabel package based on the requirements of the firm.
3.7 Adhere to organisational policies and procedures, legal and ethical requirements when
making business travel or accommodation arrangements for others
It is very important for The Mercury holidays to follow all of the policies, procedures,
legal requirements so that the operations can be performed by the firm in effective manner.
According to new legislation of UK, Travel company have to examine all the documents of the
customers who are travelling from a nation to another by using their services. If the documents
of the customers are not valid in nature then legal authorities can take strict actions against them.
Ethical requirements are essential for the firm because it provide supports to the manager for
offering appropriate prices on all packages so that customers can easily afford it. If all the
procedures will not followed by the firm then it will very hard for them to operate their business
in UK.
CONCLUSION
It has been concluded from the above report that business administration is very
important process because it provide analysis of the performance level to the top authorities so
that they can take appropriate decisions for improving the performance. It is also very essential
to tracking all the operations so that organisational goals can be achieved within given time
period. Managers of firm have responsibility to provide motivation to their employees so that the
given task can be completed in the given time period. It also helps in determining the resources
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so that the firm can allocate the resources which are essential for performing the business
operations.
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