'Unmanaged road warriors' getting new attention from titans of travel

An interesting thing is happening in the world of business travel.

True, the independent traveler has been out there for a long time, but they have been largely ignored by major vendors of travel.

Now, thanks to a few surveys that have calculated the economic impact of this nebulous group of entrepreneurial men and women, many of the former big-company executives who now travel on their own nickel or for a small company, the Big Guys are turning their spotlight on them in a big way.

Independent business travelers have gained a label, too. They are known as "unmanaged road warriors," which in essence means a frequent business traveler who is not heavily influenced by tightly-tuned corporate travel policies. These peripatetic gunslingers typically book online, using either their favorite airline Web site or one of the major online travel agencies, or they work in a loosely structured fashion with a traditional travel agency.

Just how big is this seemingly ragtag bunch of road-weary renegades? According to Diane Clarkson, a business analyst at Jupiter Research, the unmanaged road warrior accounts for travel expenditures of about $28 billion a year, and represents more than one third of all business travelers. No wonder The Big Guys are eager to get their attention.

Bottom line, if you're an independent small business traveler, they want you. What you want is to get there and back with a minimum of inconvenience, stay at a decent hotel in a safe location, drive a dependable rental car and charge it all on a credit card that offers a few rewards like miles or points or free nights.

So how can you take advantage of this new-found visibility and tap into the riches being tossed your way?

Use travel agents

First, don't overlook the benefits of using a traditional brick-and-mortar travel company to scout out best values. Good business travel agents are surprisingly tuned-in to the needs of the trail-blazing independent business traveler, and the services they offer will make you feel like you have your very own travel assistant.

Though traditional agencies are sometimes viewed as costing more because they charge fees (so do other travel service providers), the services they provide, like instant searches of vast airline, hotel and rental car databases -- including the Internet -- can streamline your entire travel experience.

And then there's the human touch when you need it. A good corporate travel agent will be there to help when your flights are canceled, your hotel is oversold, and you arrive at the rental car counter to discover that the only vehicle left in the lot is a purple minivan with car seats.

Internet booking sites

Internet booking sites want you too, and they're investing millions in getting across that message. Well-known travel Web sites are now offering services geared to the small business traveler. Orbitz, for example, recently launched a "Tools for the Road Warrior" section on its Web site aimed squarely at the traveler who is doing his or her own thing. You can learn more at www.roadwarrior.orbitz.com.

Travelocity offers up a lengthy list of business services for travelers at www.travelocitybusiness.com, and Expedia at www.expediacorporate.com tosses in bonuses like making sure your frequent flyer number is added to your air reservation record and e-mailing your itinerary to business associates or family if you want them to.

Airlines offering perks

Airlines are also starting to recognize the clout of the small business traveler. Most of them offer perks programs that reward small-to-midsize businesses for their loyalty without taking away the individual traveler's frequent flyer benefits.

It's worth it to look into airline business perks programs for upgrade certificates, airport club passes and memberships, and free airline tickets. You'll find business perks program details on major airlines' Web sites.

Look for United Airlines Perks Plus, American Airlines Business ExtrAA, Northwest BizPerks, Delta SkyBonus, AirTran's a2B program, and more.

Typically, you and any employees who register for these programs will also have to be members of the airline's frequent flyer program; member sign-up is easily accomplished online.

Hotels and car rentals

Hotels are eager to capture a piece of the burgeoning small business market, too. The Intercontinental Hotel Group (Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza, Staybridge Suites, Candlewood Suites and the newly-launched Hotel Indigo), for example, is in hot pursuit of the independent business traveler through their Priority Club Rewards program. Stay with them often enough and the bonus offers will pop into your e-mail box daily.

Do rental car companies love the small business traveler? Absolutely! Enterprise, Budget, Avis, and Hertz are actively seeking out your car rental dollars, and like airlines and hotels, the more business you give them, the more bonuses they'll give back.

Naturally, the credit card companies have also jumped on the bandwagon, serving up credit cards that recognize the importance of small business. At the Credit-Land Web site, you'll find an in-depth look at various credit card options, including those that reward you with airline miles, hotel room nights and even merchandise for your small business.

If there is a message for you, the intrepid small business traveler, amidst all this flurry of products and promotions, it is this:

Just because you're The Little Guy (or Gal) stuffed into that Lilliputian coach class seat while the Armani-suit-wearing leather-briefcase-carrying Fortune 500 titan of industry lounges in first class comfort sipping a tot of after-dinner VSOP cognac doesn't mean you don't count.

The Big Guys have officially recognized your importance, and, yes, they want you!

Betty Stark is a Madison travel industry consultant and business travel writer with 25 years' experience.