Don't you love the attitude and aura of a suited booted Businessman? The way they hold themselves and maintain that unflinching poker face is really commendable. However, the present-day businessman has to travel a lot. The world has become a global village and the entrepreneur has to be on the go to carry out his work. The airports and the executive coaches of trains are full of the suited businessmen and women zooming off to their next meet or conference or seminar. Thus, business trips have become an integral part of a businessman's life. Such constant travelling can really be very stressful and it would be very difficult to effectively manage the work-life balance. You will have to multi-task and even manage your daily routine on the go. This can be very challenging on your own. But since we have come to know about your problems, we have come up with the 10 no-nonsense travel tips for the busy entrepreneur to help you plan a successful business trip.
1. The Initial Planning
There can never be a perfect plan since there are a lot of variables at play. But that doesn't mean that we should not plan. Planning really makes us use our time effectively and fruitfully. We all need some time to organise ourselves and to relax. Count these while making your itinerary. Don't compromise on your personal needs even while on a business trip and keep these things in mind while planning. Also, account for some contingencies as things don't always don't go as planned so it is important to have a backup plan ready.
2. Booking Your Transport
The one advice that is universal is to always leave some room for contingencies while making any bookings for transport. Your flight may get delayed and you might reach the meeting location late. Therefore, it is necessary to keep a day for yourself. You should reach a day early to your destination so that you have ample time to counter any unforeseen delays. You will have the time to check into your hotel room, get refreshed and resting properly to remove any signs of travel wear. You will even have some time to prepare for the upcoming meeting or presentation. You should also keep a track of alternate means of travel such as other flights or even trains in case your booked flight gets cancelled.
3. Hotel room booking
Always look for two things when making a hotel room booking. Firstly the comfort and secondly the location. If you are travelling, it is always very wise to stay close to the place you are intended to go to. That prevents any further travel-induced stress and pain. The point is to reduce the amount of travel. If it may be possible that you will have to receive clients at your hotel, ensure that the hotel you have booked has a conference room and other services needed for such meetings. You can also look for the pickup and drop services to the airport, cab booking service, in-room Wi-Fi and other amenities. A present-day trend is a day-use hotel or daycation wherein you book a hotel on an hourly basis. The benefit of such a facility is that you can book a hotel for the time you actually need it. If you are there just for a day, it doesn't make sense to book a room for an entire day when you will be using it only for a limited time.
4. Local commute
In many cases, the companies always have some tie-ups with car rental companies or cab services to provide for the intracity commute for their employees. It is still advisable though to check in with your bookings manager to confirm the service and get in touch with the cab services prior to you reach the city. If such case is not there, you might want to book a cab service that has a proven track record for catering to business travellers rather than just tourists. You can also use app-based cab services such as Uber and Ola. However, make sure you pre-book your cab since current bookings are not that reliable and may cancel or be unavailable depending on the hour of the day and traffic. While making your hotel room booking, you can also contact the hotel staff and enquire about their tie up with any cab services. That may also work.
5. Following your routine
Travelling should not be an excuse to forego your daily routine. Just because you are away from your home, you should not give up those habits that you have built up over such a long time. As soon as you can finish up your daily work, you can rest for some time and then you can indulge in some activities even while being at the hotel. For example, you can have a few sprints on the streets surrounding the hotel or you can swim a few laps in the swimming pool at the hotel. If you can't give up your workout regimen you should try to book a room in a hotel that has a gym inside its complex and you can stick to your schedule even while travelling. This will keep you energised and relaxed even after a full day's work. You can always carry your running shoes and your skipping ropes for those sweaty cardio sessions or you can visit the local sports club or stadium to have a gruelling session on the nets. Play your favourite sports like football, badminton, squash, volleyball or whatever you like and keep upright with your strict schedule.
6. Researching Your Destination
Yes, you read that correctly. Researching about your destination is as important for a business traveller as for any tourist. While sightseeing may not be your primary motive, it won't hurt if you have some information about the locality. You should know about the weather, the restaurants, the culture of the place you are visiting to avoid any confusion or delays or even embarrassments when you get there. You should also read about the local news to see if there is something like a protest or some event that may cause delay to you.
7. Packing Your Bags
A business trip is usually shorter in duration and you also stay in beautiful hotels and accommodations paid for by your company. You get most of the necessary things in your hotel and if not, you can always buy them. However, you are going to need to pack for your trip carefully. Think about all the things you might need. From the number of Business attire to the casual dress you might need to give it a thought depending on the number of days and your plan. You will have to carefully pack your laptop, adapter, mobile phone charger and even a power bank for emergencies. There are several smart luggage options available which have inbuilt ports and specially designed pockets that hold your devices safely. Go for a carry on bag that can be lodged in the aircraft cabin since it is very tiring to always stand in a queue for your checked-in baggage.
8. Socialize
The World is so big yet so small. It is the people and the relationships we build that bridges this world into smaller pieces. Visiting a new place, still, you are bound to know a few people there. Maybe your school buddies or your college mates whom you have missed for so long. Hell, You can also build a relationship with someone new. So ring up your friends, meet up at the bar or the restaurant or you can also get into a conversation with a stranger. It may sound strange but sometimes we meet up like-minded people with whom we build up friendships of a lifetime.
9. Work with leisure
With the world and businesses going global, a lot of time is being spent by corporate professionals travelling. With these frequent business trips, you are bound to lose time you could have spent with your family. But there might be a fix to this so that the snake dies and the stick is intact. You can take your family along with you on your business trip and thus you can even be with your family while doing your job. This, however, can bring in several nuances. Also, you need to plan better so that your family is not a distraction to your work. You may plan for the trip in advance so that your family is occupied in some sightseeing or shopping or any thing else while you are working or they surely won't come with you next time. You can also either arrive before your business tour or stay for some time after the business tour is over so that you all can enjoy without any restrictions. Some companies do allow for families to accompany you on business trips but you will still have to keep an eye on the bills. Your company will surely reimburse your travel and daily allowances but your families tickets and accommodations might not be covered by the company. You may book hotel rooms for your family. If its just the two of you make sure you book a couple friendly hotel. Although it is not always possible to squeeze in your family with you on your business trips once in a while can be an opportunity to have some leisure even while on a business trip.
These are some of the tips that a busy businessman of today can follow and be safe and sound while travelling. The point is you should be able to avoid as many hassles as you could. So keep travelling, keep exploring and keep enjoying.
Must read: 6 Things to do on a Business Trip