Friday, February 17, 2017
Tuesday, February 14, 2017
Tips for Easier Business Travel
Traveling for business
isn't always easy. Sleeping on planes, packing constantly for trips and staying
glued to your mobile device can derail yourroutine and make you grumpy.
Keeping a positive attitude is the first step to a stress-free travel experience. And acknowledge helpful staff. Travelers have a better chance at getting upgrades, itinerary changes and extraordinary service when they ask politely and maintain happy demeanors.
“When there are problems with the flight, most people start out annoyed or even hostile. If I tell the agents what a great job they’re doing and how I admire their patience, they'll often go to extraordinary lengths for me,” says motivational speaker Barry Maher. “I once had a gate agent spend 45 minutes to get me rebooked on another airline. Then she called the gate, grabbed one of my carry-ons and ran with me to security. When I got to the gate, the agent bumped me into first class.”
Kindness isn't the only way to minimize inconveniences and maximize your productivity while traveling. Here are a few practical ways to make traveling for business easier:
Keeping a positive attitude is the first step to a stress-free travel experience. And acknowledge helpful staff. Travelers have a better chance at getting upgrades, itinerary changes and extraordinary service when they ask politely and maintain happy demeanors.
“When there are problems with the flight, most people start out annoyed or even hostile. If I tell the agents what a great job they’re doing and how I admire their patience, they'll often go to extraordinary lengths for me,” says motivational speaker Barry Maher. “I once had a gate agent spend 45 minutes to get me rebooked on another airline. Then she called the gate, grabbed one of my carry-ons and ran with me to security. When I got to the gate, the agent bumped me into first class.”
Kindness isn't the only way to minimize inconveniences and maximize your productivity while traveling. Here are a few practical ways to make traveling for business easier:
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BY KAYLEIGH KULP
TAGS
Limit Luggage to a Carry-on
Travel is stressful when you’re worried about lost luggage or
being late to a meeting, says Barbara DesChamps, author of It's In The Bag: The
Complete Guide to Lightweight Travel. Bring only a carry-on, check in for your
flight online and go straight to security at the airport. If you don’t check
baggage, you won't have to wait for it when you land.
Check ouT to view your airplane’s seating plan in advance,
including information about limited recline or legroom seats and in-seat power
ports. Find out where galleys, lavatories and exit rows are, and request a seat
change that makes working or relaxing easier.
Instead of calling around to restaurants at your destination, make reservations at http://bit.ly/2lFw7Zf of which 20,000 restaurants worldwide are members.
Instead of calling around to restaurants at your destination, make reservations at http://bit.ly/2lFw7Zf of which 20,000 restaurants worldwide are members.
Bring a GPS with pre-loaded maps of your destination to make driving your rental car in a new place easier, says Maria K. Todd, CEO of Mercury Healthcare.
Join a Rewards Program and Stick With It
If staff notices you frequently patronize their airline,
rental-car company or hotel, they are more likely to help you, says Maria
Perez, marketing manager of airfare search engine Fly.com.
Members of rewards and loyalty programs often receive early boarding on flights, priority hotel room, first-class upgrades and “all-around better treatment,” Perez says.
Some rental-car companies deliver rental cars to rewards program members personally, while less frequent customers must shuttle to the company’s facility to retrieve their rental,
Members of rewards and loyalty programs often receive early boarding on flights, priority hotel room, first-class upgrades and “all-around better treatment,” Perez says.
Some rental-car companies deliver rental cars to rewards program members personally, while less frequent customers must shuttle to the company’s facility to retrieve their rental,
Dress Well
People get much better service when they dress well and appear
wealthier, says DesChamps. Wearing an outfit that doubles as presentation
attire while traveling is also wise in case your baggage is lost or you are
late, says Melissa C. Gillespie, partner at Innova Communications. That way,
you're not stuck in jeans for a big meeting.
Keep a Bag Packed
Save time packing by keeping a carry-on suitcase packed with the
minimal amount of clothing, shoes and accessories you need, including 3-ounce
toiletries in a Ziploc bag. Trade bulky laptops for thinner laptops and tablets
such as a MacBook Air or an iPad. Replace hardcovers with eBooks. If you must
bring a coat or bulky shoes, wear them on the plane to avoid taking up space in
your luggage.
Keep Customer-Service Numbers Stored in Your
Phone
Keeping
customer-service numbers handy offers quicker access to the right people if a
flight is cancelled or you need to change a hotel or car reservation, rather
than waiting in line once you’re there.
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Monday, February 13, 2017
Tips for a Stress-Free Business Trip
Here are some simple
tricks to ensure for smooth business travels.
Business trips aren’t always
easy, especially if you are travelling a lot. Your employer generally expects a
lot from you within a short amount of time. Also, change of weather, less sleep
and eating outside can disrupt your routine and as a result, decrease your
health. Below you can find some tips for a stress-free business trip.
1. Keep
healthy snacks in your carry-on
If possible, eat well before you board the plane. The food on
the flight may not be healthy and can upset your stomach. If you don’t
have the time to eat before your flight, eat the snacks you have in your
carry-on bag. When you arrive at your destination, assuming that you don’t know
the city, it may not be easy for you to find a restaurant for your taste. Keep
some pills/vitamins with you as well.
2. Join a rewards program
Join an airline/travel/hotel rewards program and stick with it.
Use your points to upgrade yourself to a better room or first class
compartment. Also, loyal members of reward programs usually have privileges
like priority on-boarding or free same day flight change. Another key point is
to check-in to your flight online so you can skip the long lines at the
airport.
3. Don’t
check your luggage
If you are going for a day or two, use a carry-on bag. This will
both save you time when you land and eliminate the risk of losing your luggage
when you transfer flights. If you need to check your luggage, at least
pack spare clothes. In this case, you have a backup plan to fall back on.
Moreover, don’t forget to check the weather before you pack your suitcase.
4. Charge everything
Charge all of your electronics before your flight. Keep travel
chargers with you in case you run out of battery. You never know if you
will need your laptop during flight to work or immediately after flight for
a meeting. Also, you may need to use map/GPS applications from your
cell phone when you arrive at your destination. Therefore, you should always be
prepared in advance.
5. Relax and enjoy your time
If possible, do not sit with your coworkers during flight so you
can avoid talking about work. Sit back and listen to some music, eat your
sandwich or take a nap. Use this time to charge yourself and get ready for
when you land. Don’t forget you are in a new city so do some sightseeing
-- if you have any spare time.
11
Strategies for More Efficient Business Travel
1. Choose more efficient travel modes.
There are dozens of ways to travel, including
land, sea and air. Before opting for one mode over the others, consider your
options carefully, including any hidden advantages and disadvantages you might
be neglecting -- such as the ability to get more work done as a passenger.
2. Choose better travel paths and connections.
Next, you can plan your routes with more
efficient connections, layovers and city-visiting orders. For example, Luggage Council
rates the four best cities to connect through, all of which offer
massive, resource-packed airports and streamlined service, so you don’t have to
worry about getting held up. Planning a trip with better stops and transitions
will save you money and give you more time to work (more on that in the next
section).
3. Be picky with accommodations.
You have your choice of hotels, Airbnbs or other
accommodations, so be picky. Think carefully about your wants and needs and
shop around for the best possible price. You can easily save a few hundred
dollars here if you know where to look.
4. Know where to cut costs.
There are some areas to cut costs and some
areas to splurge. For example, if Wi-Fi is an additional cost, it’s almost
always worth the upcharge to give yourself greater productivity. Renting a nice
car could also serve to make a good first impression with your new clients, if
that’s your main goal.
5. Keep a mobile device on you.
Most professionals do this anyway, but try to
stay active and connected by having a mobile device on you at all times.
Connect to available Wi-Fi when you can, keep your team organized and have a
place to jot down notes as necessary throughout your trip.
6. Have an agenda of work.
According to
Productivityist, scheduling your work in advance not only helps you
organize your thoughts and prioritize your goals, it’s also a way of motivating
yourself to get more done. Make sure you know what you need to do while on the
road, as well as how, when and where you’re going to do it.
7. Catch up on communication at the right
times.
You won’t be able to communicate with your
team throughout the entirety of your travel, so schedule some time to “catch
up” on your communications. Take a break to read your emails, listen to
voicemails, and make any phone calls as necessary.
8. Maximize your trips.
If you’re going to a city, you might as well
squeeze in as much as possible while you’re there. If you have multiple clients
in the area, see them all. If you have an extra day, take in some sights and
share the experience on your brand’s social media page. Set a long list of
goals to accomplish to get the most value out of every trip.
9. Pack wisely.
As Mashable explains, how you pack can have a big impact on
your mental health -- and a number of other areas. Packing light means having
to keep track of fewer items, remaining more mobile throughout your adventures,
paying fewer baggage fees and living a minimalistic lifestyle when you’re in a
new city.
10. Give yourself time to decompress.
Travel can be stressful, so make sure you have
time to de-stress and relax when you have the opportunity. Take rests before
big meetings and don’t over-fill your schedule with things to do or you won’t
be able to do any of them efficiently.
11. Soak in your environment.
Even though you’re traveling professionally,
you’ll be less stressed and feel better about the trip if you take the time to
absorb your environment. Get to know the city. Visit some good restaurants. You
won’t be disappointed.
All these strategies can help you travel more
efficiently as a young entrepreneur or professional. However, they apply to a
broad spectrum of possible routes and aren’t the only tactics you can employ.
If you want to dig into more specific details or discover even better tips, try
talking to people.
Sunday, February 12, 2017
Ten Different Types of Travel
1. The Weekend Break
So you love to travel, but you also love your 9-5 job and you don’t want to give it all up to travel around the world for 6 months? Don’t worry, you can still travel by taking short weekend getaways. Look for cheap airfare deals, fly out on Friday evening and return on Sunday and make the most of the short time you have.
The ultimate expert on this is Justin from. He is an Australian living in London and working in IT and he spends his weekends jetting off to different destinations throughout Europe. Check out his fantastic blog for 48 hour guides to lots of different cities.
2. The Package Holiday
The beauty of a package holiday is that all the work is done for you. You simply pick which beautiful beach you would like to be lounging on and your travel agent will make sure that everything is arranged so that your hardest decision is whether to order a Pina Colada or a Margarita from your sun lounger.
Although the package holiday is sometimes looked down upon by hardcore backpackers, there is nothing wrong with wanted to spend your hard earned two weeks holiday on a sunny beach partying with friends and family.
This is not one of the types of travel where you learn a lot about another culture or get to know the locals. It’s all about spending a week or two having the time of your life in paradise!
3. The Group Tour
Group tours can describe busloads of 20-year-olds who want to drink and party to groups of 80 year olds who want to visit historical monuments and everything in between. No matter what your interest, from art history to ghosts to cheese-making to fishing, there is a group tour out there for you. Your itinerary is usually packed with many different activities so you will never be bored.
The advantage of a group tour is that you will be automatically thrown into the mix with a lot of people who share your interests and you will probably make some new friends. However, some people just can’t stand the thought of having all of their activities laid out for them and prefer the freedom of independent travel.
4. The Caravan/RV Road Trip
Buckle your seat-belt, put on some great tunes and hit the open road for a road trip!
When you own a caravan you will always have the option for a cheap holiday and whenever you get a free weekend you can pack up and drive somewhere new. This is a great way to explore the natural beauty that lies close to home and is also one of the most child friendly types of travel.
6. Long Term Slow Travel
This describes the style of travel that Lee and I do most of the time. Long term slow travel is when you take several months or years to make your way around the world, staying in each location for long enough to really soak up the culture.
Long term travelers are often budget backpackers, trying to make their travel fund stretch for as long as possible by staying in hostels and looking for cheap food and attractions. Rather than other short term types of travel, long term travel often becomes more of a lifestyle choice.
Sometimes these types of travel experiences are funded by savings, or sometimes long term travel can be funded by working on the road.
To find out more, check out our post Is Long Term Travel For You?
7. The Gap Year
A Gap Year is when you take a year off usually to work, volunteer or study in another country.
When you hear the words “Gap Year” you might think of a University student trekking around before they join the “real world”. However, there is no reason why you can’t take a “Gap Year” and travel at any point in your career no matter how old you are.
When you hear the words “Gap Year” you might think of a University student trekking around before they join the “real world”. However, there is no reason why you can’t take a “Gap Year” and travel at any point in your career no matter how old you are.
Obtaining a working holiday visa is a great way to spend a Gap Year because you will be able to earn money while abroad in order to fund your travels. Here is a list of countries which offer working holiday visas.
8. Visiting Friends or Relatives
Another one of the many types of travel is when you go to visit friends and family who live abroad. Because you have someone to stay with, you are usually able to afford to stay a bit longer than you could if you were paying for accommodation.
Your friends and family abroad are always offering for you to stay, so why not take them up on the offer?
An advantage of this is that you will get the insider perspective on the culture that comes with staying with a local. The only downside is that when you are a guest in someone’s home you will not always have the freedom to explore on your own.
9. Event Travel
This is when you travel to a destination specifically to attend an event, such as the London 2012 Olympics, the 2014 Brazil FIFA World Cup. It might also include attending a music festival or following your favorite band around on tour.
One of the main advantages to these types of travel experiences is that you will be visiting alongside thousands of people who share the same interest as you.
10. Business Travel
The best thing about traveling for business is that usually your company is footing the bill. Being paid to fly first class and stay in luxurious hotels at someone else’s expense is a great way to see the world. While you do not have a choice of where you go and you will be spending a lot of your time working, getting paid to travel rather than being stuck in a cubicle is a great way to spend your working week.
The Tools:
- Hotel Hustle (multi-program search)
- Sync Assist (for AmEx Sync Promos)
- Hotel Tools
- Airline Award Searches
- UNESCO World Heritage Site visit tracking
- Aircraft Tail Number Lookup
- Flight Timetable
- Mileage Run Value Calculator
- Advanced Mileage Run Value Calculator (earning rates for 11 Star Alliance programs)
Be loyal to businesses and they'll treat you well.
If you don't want to marry yourself to one airline or hotel chain for infinity, Banas recommends at least getting a rewards credit card that lets you rack up points and miles no matter which company you choose to do business with."The key thing for business travel is frequent flyer programs," Banas said. "You want to be brand loyal so you can get that elite status and have access to more perks and upgrades."
Pack only versatile pieces of clothing.
It might be tempting to want to pack your favorite standout pieces from your closet, but if you're looking to pack lighter, Banas recommends bringing pieces of clothing that go with everything and that you can layer.
"I always bring as many versatile items as I can," Banas said. "So a lot of layers, a lot of little cardigan sweaters, and T-shirts and things that you can layer over top of one another, and scarfs."
"Scarfs are great because they can double as a blanket on the airplane if it's a big enough scarf; it can be a sarong, a beach blanket, it can also just add a pop of color to your wardrobe."
Consider packing a digital luggage scale for your travels.
"It's about the size of a corkscrew and with baggage fees and everything — especially when you're traveling abroad, sometimes the international carriers have different rules for their domestic carriers within a different country, so I always travel with it," Banas said.Overpacking can end up costing you some hefty fees. In order to avoid this, BBC deputy travel editor Anne Banas suggests investing in a digital luggage scale, something that she never travels without.
"And the one I have you can switch from pounds to kilos, and I always weigh it when I leave home, making sure it's under, and then once I'm traveling, in case I pick up souvenirs, so I know I'm not going over that baggage limit because that can cost you a lot of money."
Company Retreats: An Enjoyable Experience
Your company is doing great business, but your team is not working in harmony. What used to be a creative unite has become a bickering group. As leader of the company, it's your job to figure out a way to get everybody back on track. You could fire everybody and start over, but when this group works together, it's a force to be reckoned with. So, you don't want to take that option. But, what can you do? A company retreat is a great solution!
Advantages Provided by Private Transportation Companies
If you are going in a different city for a business trip, or to mix business with some pleasure, you can think about hiring private transportation in that city. In doing so, you get some obvious advantages. Generally, corporate transportation makes use of glamorous vehicles - such as limousines.
An Update on Transdermal Melatonin Use, Sleep Challenges and Jet Lag
Transdermal melatonin use is proving to overcome pitfalls of traditional oral melatonin use and is easy and convenient to use.A recap on the story so far as backed by scientific papers and a look at how transdermal melatonin is a better choice on the road.
Importance Of A Strong Business Model For Your Taxi Startup
While starting a new taxi business, the entrepreneur has to create an effective business plan that is not only efficient in explaining the business's resources but should also give directions to move ahead. The business plan has to be something more than a program that directs the company on how to create and maintain value for the customers. For a startup, there are a number of things that should be taken care of while creating a position among the competitors.
Top Four Motivations for Canadians Working Abroad
Canadians working abroad have many advantages over the countrymen who stay at home. Learn some of the reasons these workers go overseas.
How Can You Make Your Driving Lessons More Exciting and Productive?
Controlling a car is always an exciting thing, but then again, it is not always too easy to get to that point. There are so many road rules to remember and it can at first seem impossible to remember everything and actually do things right. But the success of your driving lessons and getting the most out of them depends on how prepared you are when you join the lessons and how brave you are to finally hit the road when the lessons are finally over. A couple of things can help you get the most from your driving lessons and actually keep them exciting.
How to Make a Business Trip Run Smoothly: Five Tips to Live By
Business trips are already stressful. Business men seem to be constantly on the phone as they arrange their day around important meetings, struggle to guarantee that they have the proper transportation arrangements to and from every single airport and then they still have to prepare for the actual business meetings. There are quite a few things that can cause unnecessary stress on a business trip, but living by these five tips will help every trip run a little bit more smoothly.
The Benefits And Drawbacks Of Networking In Different Cities
Networking in conventions in different cities has its advantages, but it also has its disadvantages. This article will talk about one advantage and one disadvantage of each so you can evaluate whether traveling is a good idea.
What To Note While Shipping To China
With a lot of players entering the international logistics market, shipping to countries that are located thousands of miles away from you, has become a hassle-free task today. Gone are the days, when you had to wait for relatives or strangers from a particular country to pass on things to your near and dear ones staying there. With international logistics becoming highly cost-effective as well, you can use them for your business and personal purposes quite easily. One of the hot shipping destinations is China. It is one of those economies that has been growing at an exponential rate. Hundreds of thousands of items worth millions of dollars get shipped to China on a daily basis. Here are some of the important processes that are involved while sending goods/shipment to this country.
Top Tips To Stay Productive On Your Next Business Trip
Are you a businessman who is always worried about productivity on business trips? Here are some helpful tips to take away your travel worries.
Some Common Misconceptions About Business Travel
There are a plenty of misconceptions related to business traveling that most people believe. Here are some of the most common one of these.
Vietnam - A Brief Tourism Guide for Business Travelers
Vietnam is a booming center of global commerce, with a highly skilled workforce and strongly growing economy presenting great opportunities. However, if you visit this intriguing country on business but return home without spending a little time as a tourist then you'll be missing out. Vietnam has a huge amount to offer, from stunning scenery to great food, and, of course, a strong sense of recent history.
Top Tips For Business Travel Safety
As businesses become increasingly globalized, it's likely that you'll find yourself travelling abroad for work. Whilst you'll usually have a hassle free time there is always the possibility of danger, so taking precautions is a must to keep safe.
The King Air 350
The King Air 350 follows in a long line of functional business aircraft that have been flying the skies since the 1960s. This short range business jet is perfect for getting your whole team to your destination in style.
5 Reasons to Choose a Mountain Town for Your Next Big Meeting
From the majestic views of pine trees caressing the mountains for miles around, to snow piling upwards beyond the eye's reach... there's nothing quite like being in the mountains. Mountain towns have the small-town charm and air of being surrounded by the natural wonders of the world.
How Taxi Businesses Are Advancing and Their Resulting Impact on Customers
This article is written to spread crucial awareness about the taxi business. Learn great ideas and understand taxi business management insights!
Duty of Care Is a No Brainer, Right?
Travel Risk Management is finally being addressed as organizations have realized the world is changing rapidly and what was done before, likely does not apply now. Cases are being litigated and lawsuits won due to a lack of knowledge and preparation on the sending organizations part.
The Westwind 1124
Traveling for business can be a hassle, but not when you charter a jet to get you where you want to go on your terms. Although a bit outdated, the Westwind 1124 is still a viable option for a business charter jet.
Lifehacks to Make Your Business Trip Relaxing
Whether this is your first time to travel or you've traveled for more times than you can count, relax. Business trips can be fun. Of course, you have meetings to attend, business to take care of and employees to follow up with. Work does not mean you cannot see new places and meet new people. If you're visiting a new city, you should take time to walk around and have fun. Here are the things you need to do to make your trip relaxing.
Home Is Where the Heart Is, Book a Serviced Apartment and Come Home
Businesses tend to focus heavily on productivity and the balance sheet but in order to have staff who are ready and able to work, it's so easy to overlook the vital importance of a stable home life. In relocation and business travel particularly temporary accommodation is often relegated down the list precisely because it is 'temporary' but this is exactly the time when it's most essential.
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