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.
