Business Travel Hints And Tips
What Is Business Travel
Business travel is an essential part of everyday life for many people and it certainly plays a huge part in many travel companies services and their day to day scheduled operations. No matter where you are travelling to throughout the world and no matter which form of transport you take, you will no doubt see business men and women travelling to and from their place of work. Whether it is rail travel, air travel, road or sea the chances are that there will be a special designated area for Business professionals.
Looking from the outside in, Business travel sounds very glamorous. The thought of Travelling Business or First Class, staying in nice hotels and visiting various destinations around the world all sound very appealing to most. However, if you yourself travel on business or were to ask the majority of people who do travel on business on a regular basis, I’m sure you or they would no doubt disagree that it is always a glamorous life.
The fact is that the majority of Business professionals who travel throughout the world on a regular basis do not actually have the time to see most of the places they visit. Time is precious and more often than not, they are running on a tight schedule. I myself have been fortunate enough to have visited some very nice destinations with work and have been lucky enough to have travelled Business Class (paid for by the company and not myself I must add) but the majority of the time, I had very little time to do any sightseeing or even take advantage of the facilities in the hotels to which I was staying in! The reality is that most of your time is spent travelling and then when you arrive at your destination all you want to do is either eat or simply go to bed.
Let’s not forget that although travelling in Business and First Class is much more comfortable than travelling in Economy, it does not alter the fact that you still have to undertake all the other mundane tasks that any other traveller has to undertake before you can enjoy these comforts.
No matter whether you travel Business Class, First Class or Economy, you still have to spend time getting to and from the airport, checking-in for your flight, clearing Security, waiting for the departures and also endure any delays! You also have to spend the same amount of time on the aircraft, coach, ferry or train just as any other passenger has to. However, Business Travel is designed to help make the whole process much more endurable for business men and women who travel on a regular basis by offering certain extra luxuries.
The Business traveller has been catered for in a way that will hopefully make these mundane tasks a little easier and a little more bearable. This page is designed to highlight some of the products and service that are on offer for the Business traveller. If you are new to Business travel or a seasoned veteran, hopefully this page will provide you with a few extra tips that may also help you on your Business travel.
Organisation
The last thing you want when you are travelling on business is more paperwork than is necessary. It is very easy to become weighed down with excess paperwork due to all your documents such as flight information, boarding pass, car hire documents, hotel voucher codes and so on. Using the free software that is now available to create your itinerary, is can reduce the amount of unnecessary paperwork you need to carry.
Plan Your Time
Sounds obvious doesn’t it but believe me, there is nothing worse than knowing you have to be somewhere and constantly looking at the time to see if you are going to be late! Business trips are very unpredictable, especially if you have a large distance to travel and have several different forms of transport to rely on. Delays do happen and this is why you should always ensure you allow yourself plenty of time for any eventuality. Travelling all that distance and then arriving late for an important business meeting is not the outcome you wish for. Plan your schedule so that you give yourself plenty of time for all eventualities throughout the day.
Tip: If you leave yourself plenty of time at the airport or between connections, it then allows you more flexibility with the airlines. If the airlines need to start bumping passengers on flights, you can offer to be bumped and this can end up in you receiving an upgrade, more points or airmiles, overnight accommodation or a money refund!
Plan The Cost Of Your Stay Effectively
If you are in charge of organising your own travel arrangements before travel, try to book your accommodation close to the place you need to be. Don’t be enticed by cheaper accommodation if it is a much further distance away because it might actually work out more expensive if you need to catch a taxi to and from your work place.
Travel Light
The chances are that if you are travelling on business, your stay will be a short one and this means that you really do not need to check-in hold luggage (unless you have products you need to take with you). Travelling light will mean less time at the airport checking-in and less time when you arrive waiting for your luggage. The other benefit of only taking hand luggage is that you will have everything you need for your business trip with you at all times and this means less chance of your luggage going missing. Think about it, the last thing you want on a business trip is for essential items to be lost or misplaced on your journey. Things you should consider:
Does your hand luggage comply with Hand Luggage Restrictions?
Does Your hand luggage comply with the Hand Luggage Allowance?
Loyalty Programme
If you are a frequent traveller through your work or business, then you will obviously be spending a large amount of money on travel, accommodation and food. If this is the case, surely it seems wise to turn the money you are spending into Airmiles or points so that you can receive additional rewards in return. Loyalty programmes are a great way to get a little something back for the money you spend and the best thing is that most of them are free to join. If you are a Business Traveller and you are not already a member of Loyalty Programmes, you may wish to read the following article that explains Loyalty Programmes and their advantages.
Loyalty Programmes – Airline Credit Cards
Upgrades
Now there are two different ways of thinking when approaching the subject of ‘Upgrades’ and some people say you should not ask while others say you should always ask! However, my own thoughts on the matter are that if you have not been given an upgrade automatically, then you are not going to be given one. So, there is no harm in asking for one and as the old saying goes, “If you don’t ask, you won’t get”. The truth is, all they can so is no! So I would say, there is no harm in asking and sometimes you get lucky! I myself have asked for upgrades in the past and sometimes I have been lucky and on other occasions I have not been so! I tend to find that if they do not give you an upgrade, it is generally because it is full and have no vacancies. However, if you do ask, there are a couple of things you need to bear in mind when asking.
Remember, people pay premium prices for Business and First class travel as they do with Deluxe and Super Deluxe hotel rooms. The majority of people travelling in Business and First Class are Business professionals and will be smartly presented. The airlines, train operators and other travel companies that provide these facilities for Business professionals wish to keep a certain type of image and need to be respectful to their regular paying clients. If you wish to receive an upgrade, you will stand much more of a chance if you fit in with them and are smartly dressed yourself.
Travel companies and hotels receive requests for upgrades all the time and sadly have to deal with rude people on a daily basis. Be polite and courteous and it will certainly work in your favour.
Be specific in your requests and explain exactly what you require. If you are travelling on an aircraft or train and have been issued with a seat that you are not happy with, ask a member of staff if it would be possible to be moved. Explain that you are travelling on business and you need certain facilities in order for you to work during your journey. This maybe something such as a plug socket or Internet connection or it may be that you have a meeting just after you arrive and need to sleep during the journey. The reality is that business professional do not book their own travel arrangements and this means that you do not always know what type class you will be travelling and also what type of accommodation has been booked for you. I myself have had this happen several times and this is when I have generally asked for an upgrade. I explain that I am travelling on business and did not book the travel arrangements myself but need certain facilities. I then ask if there is any possibility of being upgraded.
Make The Most Of Your Time
Business travel can be stressful and tiring but if you have travelled a long way to a fantastic destination or simply somewhere you have not visited before, then it is a shame not to see a little part of the place you have travelled to. Yes, sometimes the only thing you want is your bed but it also pays to de-stress and relax. Four walls can be lonely and to be honest, after a while all hotel rooms seem the same. Try to get out and sample the culture or take a walk and stretch your legs (if it is safe to do so). Always stay safe, (especially if you are travelling alone!). If you cannot get out, then try to relax by taking a bath, reading a good book or watching a film.
Safety
Business travel can take you anywhere in the world and what you must always remember is that you are in a foreign country. If you are being collected at the airport, ensure that your driver has the corresponding paperwork, it is very easy to be misled and find yourself somewhere you should not be.
We hope that this page helps make your Business Travel more enjoyable.