*GUEST BLOG* Planning for a short business trip

As the world becomes ever “flatter” and globalization determines more aspects of our lives, business travel becomes ever more prevalent. Travel is getting cheaper and easier, and now it costs almost nothing to send an employee over to some foreign locale for a day or three, get work done, and bring them back home without losing any of their productivity. 

Is it That Easy?

No, it really isn’t. There are obviously a number of headaches associated with sending your employees – or flying out yourself – for business travel. But there are a few clever hacks you can do to make it all go a touch more smoothly and easier. 

Luggage Hacks

Pass on to your employees the importance of packing light. Remember that as the world is globalized, that also means that anything you could possibly need is actually available at your destination as well, on the off-chance you forget something or something unexpected happens. That means you need to double, triple-check that you have your wallet, your devices (more on them later), and your documents plus one change of clothes. Most business trips are short, you really rarely need more than two changes of clothing, which can all fit in a simple carry-on so you’re in and out.

Tech Hacks

You need to make sure your employees always have their electronic devices and documents, updated and able to get online. Booking a mobile hotspot platform like Rent ‘n Connect makes sure they can get online right away, and connected across all their devices. Today, being online is like breathing, and each second offline is a second you might not know everything you’re supposed to.  That means, in addition to a hotspot, you should make sure that they’ve got a powerbank and a local power adaptor so they’ve always got the ability to get charged at the drop of a hat. Make sure roaming is disabled from their phones, particularly if the company is going to get charged, so that their hotspot can handle all the work for them!

Other Tips

Are you travelling by air, train, car, or boat? What’s your company’s corporate travel policy for business travellers, are there restrictions you should know about? What’s your budget like, does the airline have Wifi, and so on. The more you have planned in advance, obviously the more relaxed and in-control you’ll feel once you’re in your destination.

To Conclude: You can Always Do More!

There are thousands of other potential business travel tips, of course. Wherever you’re from, say a business traveller from the UK, there are some things you’ll know in advance (like that you already speak the world’s “Lingua Franca”) and can take for granted. But being prepared in advance is worth its weight in gold, and here’s a great start for you!

*This blog was posted by Orkun Acikgoz, UK Country Manager of Rent 'n Connect, who is exhibiting at the Business Travel Show next week. Please register for your free visitor pass at www.businesstravelshow.com and visit us at our stand LP6.