Business trips: Travelling light

Even when you are going on holidays, travelling can be exhausting and a hassle; but when you are travelling across the country for business, it can be even more so. Australian Broker's Luke Cornish takes a look at how you can make that business trip a little more manageable

Despite the fact that you have just walked off the plane after a six-hour trip across the country, your clients or potential business partners will still expect you to be at you professional best. And, if you want to seal the deal, you will have to be.

Luckily there are numerous steps you can take to make business travel stress-free. Whether you are travelling internationally or just driving around town visiting clients, it is important to spend some time preparing for your trip so you can account for any eventualities.

If you do your homework properly, you can even make time to enjoy the local attractions and see more than just the inside of the airport, your hotel room and a conference centre.

Nightmare scenarios

Travelling at the best of times can be tiring, tedious and frustrating. Counter intuitively, sitting down for six hours on a plane does not leave you well rested and ready to be on top of your game, but rather tired and irritable.

Once you have disembarked from your flight, hazards continue to present themselves. Lost or delayed luggage can mean a lost deal and lost money. A rental car company's failure to provide you with the car you booked can cost you time and negatively affect the all-important first impression you were hoping to make.

If you are forced to cancel or delay meetings, your work day can stretch into the evening, leaving you without the time to get rejuvenated for the next day's work. These problems are not conducive to your mental and financial wellbeing.

Options

For those with the money, there are many companies that offer corporate travel services to help you make your business trip as successful as possible.

Amanda Francis, business development manager of Sydney-based MP Travel, says that businesspeople who lack the time or employees to handle travel arrangements can hire a company to take care of all the prior arrangements, as well as provide support during the trip.

"We can do everything from 'whoa to go'," she says. "We are able to manage the flights to get them there, the car, if they need a visa - that's very important."

All of these arrangements are made so that businesspeople can focus on building and developing their relationships with clients, rather than spending time on the internet looking for the cheapest flights and making sure they have a car or someone to pick them up at the other end.

By hiring professionals to plan your trip, you also have peace of mind knowing that someone is there to help if - or perhaps when - things go wrong.

"We provide a 24-hour emergency assist service, so [clients] can call from anywhere in the world," Francis says. "If their flight has been cancelled because of a bomb threat and they need to get on another one, and the phone lines are jammed, they can call us and we can get it all sorted from here and we call them back with a solution." Francis adds that this service is definitely something business travellers require when looking at using a travel company.

On the cheap

If you are making your own business travel arrangements, there are several things to do before you go - after all, preparation is the key to success. If you are a frequent traveller it is well worth becoming a member of an airline club, such as those provided by Qantas or Virgin Blue.

Club membership offers more benefits than accumulating air miles for when you need to take that well-deserved holiday in the Maldives - it also gives you access to members' lounges at airports.

"If you have access to an [airline] club... there's a shower and you can have your clothes pressed by the valet by the time you're out of the shower," Francis says. These clubs also offer many additional amenities. Qantas and Virgin offer small meeting areas, internet access and refreshments. Spending 30 minutes getting ready right after you get off the plane can make all the difference when it comes to meeting your clients.

It is also important to make sure you are covered if the unthinkable happens and something goes wrong. Making sure you are insured against all eventualities is an absolute must for all business travellers.

In the case of lost luggage, theft or accidents and emergencies, most major companies have blanket insurance policies that cover employees when travelling. However, if you are an independent broker, you may not have that same coverage. If not, it is imperative to make sure you take out insurance before you travel, whether domestic or international.

"You definitely need insurance because your bags can get lost in Australia just as easily as they can in London," Francis says.

Tips from travellers

Ed Thian, head of marketing for Pepper Homeloans, spends much of his time on the road and has some invaluable advice when it comes to making the most of your business trip.

"If you're travelling internationally, make sure you check with your IT team or phone company that your BlackBerry or mobile is able to function at your destination," he says. "This is usually much easier done before you leave rather than after you arrive."

Business travellers should also make sure they are able to maintain the same standards of presentability when they are on the road as when they are in their hometown, says Thian.

"If you're travelling for business, and a suit and business shirt are required over several days, think about what sorts of shirts to pack," he says. "Pure cotton shirts are usually a nightmare and you'll need to rely on the hotel laundry to press them for you." Instead, Thian recommends 'iron-free' (which really means 'iron not much') business shirts that are terrific for travel.

Frequent travellers should also consider having a separate toiletries bag pre-packed. "That way you don't need to do the morning rush to grab your everyday toothbrush," he says. "Make sure your separate toiletries bag is stocked with what you need, ie toothbrush, comb or brush, razor, sun screen, lip balm, cold and flu tablets, and other products you use regularly."

Business travellers should also keep in mind current international travel restrictions governing the carrying of liquids and gels on airplanes and consider putting these in their checked-in luggage. If you only have carry-on luggage, make sure your gels and liquids are small enough to meet requirements.

Time management

Thian says that by managing your time properly, your business trip can be more rewarding and enjoyable. Travel is filled with pockets of down-time, and Thian recommends making the most of it.

"Use at least some of your down-time on planes, airport lounges or just waiting around to do some admin or other tasks," he says. "This will help to give you more time once you get back into the office, and you won't have to spend quite as much time catching up on backlogs."

He says that watching too many old episodes of Friends or B-grade movies will be something you will eventually regret. "One thing I regret about some of my business travel is not taking enough time to check out my surroundings."

Thian has been to Hong Kong more than 60 times in his career, but has not explored the area, except for airport lounges, business offices, hotels and the odd restaurant. "Budget some time to go for a run or walk near your hotel," he says. "It's a great way to take advantage of being in a different city or destination and to stay fit."

Less is more

FBAA president Peter White says the secret to a successful business trip is to take as little as possible with you. It may take a bit of preparation to know exactly what you do and do not need, he adds.

"Travel as light as possible with as little as possible," he says. "I always tend to travel with a bag that I can take on the plane rather than having to wait for your luggage to turn up at the other end."

This can shave a decent chunk of time and eliminates the possibility of your baggage ending up in Tokyo. White says that by knowing who you are seeing and knowing what you are trying to accomplish means that you can eliminate certain items, for example your laptop or suit.

However, if you do need your laptop- and let's face it, the chances are you do - then make sure you pack a battery recharger for both your computer and mobile phone. "There's nothing worse than being elsewhere and all of a sudden finding you're out of battery power," White says.

Top travel tips

• Plan ahead
• Check-in online
• Travel light with only carry-on luggage
• Remember rechargers for mobile phone and laptop
• Have a specified set of travel toiletries
• Consider hiring a travel planner