Business trips can be an unfortunate or fortunate part of running your own company depending on how you look at it. Most people enjoy business trips because they give them an opportunity to get out of their comfort zones and have new experiences; if you have got to plan a business trip of your own then it’s important to spend time meticulously organizing and arranging it so that it goes off flawlessly.
This post will explore this topic in more detail, explaining everything you need to know about planning a business trip that’s comfortable and affordable:
Booking Accommodation
Until you have secured a place in a hotel it’s not worth making business arrangements. Recent travel research by the experts at This Hotel suggests that accommodation is the most important component of a business trip. Unless you have somewhere comfortable to prepare for meetings you are unlikely to make a positive impression on the people you have been sent to talk to. Secondary to preparation, hotel rooms also give you somewhere to sleep. Without a good night’s rest, there is no way you will be able to perform under pressure in a boardroom. Because of all of this take great care in booking your hotel and ensure you stay in a hotel that has received positive reviews. Ideally, find one where food is inclusive so you do not have to worry about finding restaurants to eat out at after or before your meetings.
Rental Vehicle
Another consideration that needs to be made but that isn’t as important as hotel rooms are transportation. Most people hire rental cars when they go away for business trips. Having a rental car will allow you to get around without anybody else’s help. It will also mean that you do not have to wait around for taxi drivers to show up. Mention to your employer that you think a rental car would be a better option than public transport. If you are your employer then go ahead and charge it to the company expense account.
Bringing Company
Sometimes it is a lot easier to bring people along to business meetings than to go alone. When you are traveling to a foreign country for work it’s normal to feel nervous. Unless you are a very calculated and determined person this inevitable nervousness could prove too much and lead to you making mistakes. Going away with somebody else means that if you make a mistake, they can intervene and take over. If your employer has asked you to go away and represent them on a business trip then mention that you would like somebody else to go away with you.
Preparing Meetings
Prepare for meetings before, during and after travelling. Do not make the mistake of thinking that you can freestyle in a boardroom with foreign businesspeople. A cavalier attitude of this kind will likely result in you making mistakes. It is much better to prepare for your meetings with care and diligence. If you are traveling with somebody else then you can ask them to take over certain aspects while you take others. If you plan on going alone then preparation is even more important as you’ll have nobody to fall back on if you make any mistakes or lose your train of thought.
Stay In Touch
Throughout the business trip, it is important that you stay in touch with your employers. Do not make the mistake of going AWOL. A lot of people especially on their first business trips get so carried away that they stop communicating with people back home. A business trip’s purpose is to get new clients or make sales. As such your employers are going to want to know what is going on with you every step of the way. Be sure to send them regular emails, and messages and make phone calls reporting back.
Extra Vacation
After your meetings have concluded and you are free to go home why not stay on a little longer and have some extra vacation time? Going abroad for business is the perfect excuse to take a quick break. If your employer has paid for your flights then pretend to have missed the return flight; if you are your employer then you can just book the return flight a few days after your meetings have concluded and you are free to go. Everybody needs a vacation now and again and a business trip is a perfect time to take one.
Business trips can be great ways to expand your network and earn more money for your company. You cannot go on one unless you have meticulously planned, however. Proper planning is the best way to ensure your trip goes off without a hitch.
