It may be holiday season, but maybe the only holiday you’re getting this year is an overseas meeting. Schools are out for summer but the office doesn’t stop, and maybe your skills are needed elsewhere.
Business travel is not the same as travelling for leisure. You may still board a train or a plane but the experience is totally different. For example, you may spend most of your day travelling for a short client meeting, which makes for an unpleasant and dreaded journey. You may have a night or two in an expensive hotel but no time to enjoy the facilities – travelling for business has its up sides and down sides.
We’ve put together some vital tips for frequent business travellers to make the process less painful.
Eat and sleep
Before you embark on your business journey, ensure you’ve had enough sleep the night before and have been eating properly. This will put you in the best position for the trip, and make it much more bearable. Don’t rely on airplane meals, always eat beforehand, and try and avoid alcohol so you’re alert when you arrive (even if you can include it on the expenses bill!)
Get insured
Whether you’re responsibly for arranging your own insurance or your company is, you need to double check with the relevant person that you have valid business travel insurance cover. If your luggage is lost or you don’t show up to a meeting due to a delayed or cancelled journey, it’s you personally that is going to look unprofessional – even if it’s not your fault.
Internet access
In this day and age, many travellers wrongly presume that Wi-Fi is available wherever you go. This is simply not the case, and even if you are travelling to a Wi-Fi zone, sometimes the signal is too poor to make business calls or the charges are extortionate. Be prepared by ringing ahead to your destination and arranging internet access beforehand – and if it’s not possible at your hotel, find the nearest public internet access.
Pack smart
If you’re travelling by air you probably won’t be allocated cabin baggage allowance, and even if you’re driving or catching a train you can’t take a large suitcase. Think about what you need for the trip in two categories: essentials for business, and essentials for personal items/leisure activities. Pack just one suit with different shirts and ties, take a small disposable razor instead of a bulky electric one – pack smart and you’ll have everything you need.
Have you got any other clever business travel tips? Share them with us on social media.
