Business travel can become mundane and even boring. If you travel frequently for business, it’s time to upgrade your business travel.
Enhancing your business travel experience doesn’t need to be expensive or complicated.
There are lots of simple, cheap travel hacks to make your business traveling better. Here are five easy ways to do just that.
1. TSA Pre-Check
Signing up for TSA pre-check and global entry saves you time at the airport.
Filling out the forms and gathering the right documents takes time and money up-front. But it’s worth the investment considering how much time you’ll save.
If you only travel within the U.S., pre-check should be sufficient.
For frequent international travelers, global entry is a must-have.
The TSA doesn’t operate outside the United States except for a handful of Canadian airports.
So, TSA pre-check won’t get you very far internationally.
When going through security or border control, have all documents prepared ahead of time. Make copies of boarding passes and passports.
Always have a hard copy. Having your boarding ticket on your phone might seem practical, but it’s not reliable.
You don’t want your phone running out of battery right before you arrive at security.
2. Travel Companies
There’s no reason to book everything yourself. When traveling for business, it’s best to organize things through an agency.
They will troubleshoot any problems for you. This allows you to concentrate on your work.
Travel companies have connections within the industry and have access to better deals and upgrades.
The best travel companies are constantly changing. Stay up to date on which ones are offering the best deals.
Companies cater to different clients, so pick one that specializes in business travel.
Here is a list of some of the best travel startup companies. Startups offer great deals and more personalized service than larger travel organizations.
3. Points
Gathering points and rewards takes time, but it can save you lots of money.
If you’re organizing travel for your employees, give them a corporate credit card with good reward offers.
Airline miles add up quickly, especially if you fly frequently.
Hotel chains also offer good membership programs. Most chains operate internationally.
Frequent customers are more likely to be given upgrades and superior service.
There’s really no reason not to sign up for a rewards program. Most of them are free, so why wouldn’t you?
4. Pack & Plan
Planning is the secret behind every good trip. It’s impossible to plan for everything, but you can always have a backup in place.
Make a list of all the things you’ll need for your trip in advance. Here is a good packing list for business travel.
One of the most difficult things to pack for a business is an appropriate wardrobe. Make sure the hotel has an iron and laundry service available.
Pack an extra shirt and slacks in case you spill something.
If you’re checking a bag, keep an extra set of clothes in your carry-on. You never know when the airline might lose your luggage or experience delays.
If possible, only pack a carry-on. It will save you time at the airport. It will also save you money.
Make sure to leave a little extra room in your bag for souvenirs.
5. Flexibility
No one can prepare for everything. You never know when a storm will come and cancel your flight.
The clients you’re meeting could have an emergency. Or your flight could be re-routed to another city.
When this happens, there’s not much you can do except have a good attitude.
Always have your laptop and some extra work handy so that you can get things done no matter where you are.
Plan on heading to your destination a day early in case anything goes wrong. Make sure you’re at the conference or meeting ahead of time.
Keep in mind that things might not go as you expected. That’s no reason to think you aren’t doing a good job or that the trip was wasted.
Conclusion
Travel can be one of the most rewarding parts of work. These simple and easy tricks will keep you on top of your business travel game. Traveling for work should never be boring.
