Your business and its operation may sometimes entail traveling over land, sea, and/or air to meet investors or possible partners, scout and procure equipment and supplies, or promoting your brand and business.
So, whether you’re a business owner, partner, or employee, traveling for work or business is going to be a regular part of your routine. Seasoned business travelers have suggested the following tips to maximize business travel and to make it as stress-free as possible:
Only Bring Carry-On
If you’re traveling for a meeting, and would only be in the venue for a day or two, try to limit our baggage to just carry-on. Not only would this make you less stressed and tired about carrying heavy or multiple bags, but it would also be a cheaper option especially if you’re traveling by air and you wouldn’t need to purchase baggage allowance.
Additionally, having everything you need inside your carry-on baggage means that you wouldn’t have to worry about your clothes, items, and documents in your checked-in luggage getting lost. For long trips, always make sure that the essentials such as your laptop and documents are with your carry-on bag, and only have replaceable items such as clothing in your bigger bag (things that, if lost, can simply be bought at the local market).
Dress Up
Just like with the first tip, if you’re traveling directly to attend a business meeting or meet up with a potential supplier or partner, it’s best to be already wearing your business clothes. That way, if there are any delays with the trip, or if your checked-in baggage accidentally gets lost, you’d already be dressed for the meeting. Or, if it’s going to be a long or difficult journey, and you’re worried that your business clothes would end up wrinkled or smelling from the trip, you can keep them with your carry-on baggage.
Sign Up for a Loyalty Program
Being a loyal or frequent customer of an airline or hotel could give you a lot of bonuses such as discounts, freebies, and other privileges. Even if you don’t expect to travel in the following weeks or months after your currently scheduled trip, it helps a lot to sign up to frequent flier or loyalty programs, not only for the airline but also for hotels and accommodation. You don’t need to stick to only one airline or hotel, but it would be quite handy to have a rewards card and keep collecting the points whenever you do get to travel again.
Compare Plane Trips
Although booking round trips are much more convenient, and often cheaper, some combinations of one-way flights may actually be a lot cheaper. You can also check on travel and accommodation apps that often have discounts and promos for your particular trip.
Ship Gifts and Freebies
It’s entirely possible that during your trip, your business partners or the event you’re going to give you a lot of gifts and freebies. It’s also possible that you ended up visiting and buying gifts from a gift shop during your business trip to Phoenix, Arizona.
It would be a good idea to ship these gifts and freebies through a courier instead of buying an additional bag and paying for extra baggage allowance for your airline. Not only are these gifts and freebies a hassle to carry, but airlines might also charge equal to or more than the cost of shipping these items through a courier. And if you only brought carry-on baggage or have no space in your bag, this would be the best option for you.
Conclusion
Business travels can be stressful and costly, but by following these tips, you’d be able to avoid most of the business-related travel issues and make the most out of your trip.