by Catherine Becker, COO at AdConnection
Business travel is generally positioned as quite a lonely existence - the singular business person who finds himself in the solitude of his hotel room or alone at the hotel bar. Albeit, these are more general interpretations seen in American comedy-dramas like ‘Up in the Air’ and ‘Lost in Translation’.
If planned and organised carefully, business travel can actually be pretty productive. Here are my top tips for planning an international business trip so you can spend less time on the travel, and more time on the business:
Handy schedule
There are never enough hours in the day – for anyone – I’m lucky enough to have the great help of my executive assistant in organising and putting travel documents together. The key thing here is detail - where you’re going, when, how and what you’ll need when you get there.
My first tip would be to put together a summary pack of all travel documents you will need. Not just the obvious; passport, relevant credit card information, but everything that will be needed including all reference numbers, transport tickets, any presentation material and a schedule.
Carry emergency phone numbers
We might be dependent on our Blackberry/iPhone and iPad but they might just let us down at the wrong moment. So it’s a good idea to have all information backed up, from emergency contact numbers to client information, times, addresses and directions, especially if you cannot speak the local lingo. Another tip is to check with your mobile provider to make positive your phone will function overseas.
International etiquette
Chances are you will be fairly familiar with the customs and culture associated with your travel destination. Nevertheless, it’s polite to read up on etiquette if visiting an unfamiliar culture to be sure to make a good impression and to prevent any embarrassing mistakes! Take a minute to study the latest cultural developments and learn key phrases and pleasantries in the native language as a courtesy, even if you are presenting or pitching to a company in English.
Agenda setter
You should always make sure all meetings and venues have been confirmed the day before you go - the horror stories I’ve heard of people travelling half way round the world and the client was not expecting them or it was in a different country do not bear thinking about.
Recharging the battery
Plan business trips as tightly as possible to allow plenty of time to get to the destination fresh and ready for meetings. However it is important to be aware of your energy levels when planning a trip. Do not plan to do too much and if you are crossing language barriers, cut in half how much you expect to achieve.
Digital presentations
If you have time it’s a good idea to run through your presentation to ensure all the links work and re-attach/embed if not. If you do not have enough time, a lot of airlines offer in-flight wireless for a little fee and using your laptop for work in-flight. If you can, use the plane’s own power to save draining your laptop battery.
Back up memory sticks and a second battery are always a good idea. So too is the right outlet adapter. I usually have my presentation on a laptop as there are multiple presentations, video and audio links not always big or stable enough for a memory stick – also ensure all links are in the same directory.
It’s important to know that the meeting place will have the right technical equipment for example, a projector, or a plasma screen to plug into.
Effective time management
Allow enough time to get to each part of the route, without ending up arriving somewhere three hours early. You never know what you might forget so those extra few minutes might just prove priceless. I have even bought a dress for an evening function at the airport, very useful. Do not be tempted to drink if your flight is delayed - read instead and drinks lots of water so you remain hydrated to avoid headaches.
Squeeze in some local culture
International travel can lose its shine if you do it a lot, so it is good to base yourself near interesting landmarks. It is also nice to pick up a few goodies for the kids, partner or colleagues.
Journey home
Although it might feel like the last thing you want to be doing, it is quite good to type up all your notes on the laptop on the journey back, it will mean less to do when you get back and you can email them round the relevant people who can catch up quickly. If your heart really is not into doing more work, then why not mingle a little - you never know who you might meet in the waiting lounge.
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