The rise in technology has meant much of the work we conduct with overseas partners and clients can happen digitally. And yet sometimes there is a need to be there in person to get a deal over the line, negotiate on an equal front or even provide great customer service when needed.
There’s a real science that comes with maintaining the hustle and bustle of your job whilst jet-setting on regular three to 20-hour flights for work.
From knowing how to be meeting-ready as soon as you hit the tarmac, to reducing stress and optimising time in the air, there are a number of travel hacks that your staff can implement to get the most out of their business trips.
We’ve helped businesses, big and small, to streamline their corporate travel arrangements to make corporate travel easy. Here are our favourite tips for frequent business travellers.
Perfect your packing.
Have one go-to piece of luggage that is professional, easy to carry and that can fit into carry-on. This will allow you to avoid the headache and time that comes with checking in and picking up luggage on a corporate trip. Having one piece of luggage that you use regularly will help you become more efficient with your packing.
Be picky with your clothing choices.
With only so much room in your luggage, it’s important that you pack versatile clothing that can be layered in different weather environments.
Opt for darker colours whilst on the road to prevent obvious stain mishaps and minimise wrinkles by keeping your business clothes in their dry cleaner bags. Another great idea to reduce wrinkles is to immediately take your clothes out of your bag at the hotel, hang them close to the shower and turn on the hot water – it’s like a steam press for wrinkles.
Check the on-time record for your airline before you book.
When it comes to business travel, the more factors you can control, the better. Check the on-time performance of your airline before you book to reduce risks of unplanned delays. There is plenty of information readily available on the performance of your airline, so make sure you do your research.
Prepare a travel kit for jet lag.
If you want to get off the plane feeling fresh and ready for your big meeting, make sure you prepare a travel kit ahead of time.
Create a pack you can easily grab for each trip containing things like medication for muscle pain, headaches or stomach troubles; ear plugs and an eye mask to help you get much-needed rest; vitamins and probiotics to supplement your diet before, during travel and afterwards to prevent illness; dry shampoo to make sure your hair doesn’t look flattened and dirty from travel; skin care to keep you refreshed; and plenty of water!
Handover the stress of organising your team’s business travel.
Many businesses make the mistake of giving their admin team the job of organising everyone’s business travel, on top of their already hectic workloads. Business travel can be extremely beneficial when it goes smoothly, but it can also be fraught with complications. Getting the most out of your corporate travel really comes down to how prepared you are.
Handing over your business travel management to an experienced travel agency can take the stress and hassle out of managing corporate travel, reduce costs lost to missed flights and your internal staff member’s time, and ensure you get the most out of every trip.