24 May Why You Need to Carry an ‘Everywhere Bag’ and other Business Travel Tips
Traveling might be the in-thing for younger assignees who want to explore new cities and savor exotic adventures. But the actual process and its different phases might be a small ordeal for some of them.
Who among us had not endured our fair share of delayed flights, adjusting to different time zones, sudden VIPs who appear out of nowhere, and substandard accommodations? While it is true that the ultimate destinations are the travelers’ delights, the journey is equally important, and does not have to be a pathway to pain.
Here are proven tips you can provide your assignees, intended to make their trips more efficient and pleasant, the next time you send them packing to another traveling assignment.
Always carry an ‘Everywhere Bag’
This piece of advice comes from Jen Rubio, the president and chief travel officer of Away, the travel company that has redefined what jetsetting means for executives and their teams. In her interview with The Zoe Report, Rubio explains why the “Everywhere Bag” is simply priceless.
It contains those small but crucial things that any traveler would need at the drop of a hat. The smartphone charger, an iPad, a printed bestseller, business reading materials, and in the case of women, their make-up kit.
The Everywhere Bag is compact and easily portable, making it easy for the assignee to retrieve those precious items when they need them — as opposed to mistakenly placing them inside their luggage that, during flights, would be unreachable in the plane bag compartment.
Pack in some snacks and a couple of bottles of water
Sheldon Yellen, CEO of BELFOR Property Restoration, says in this Johnny Jet report that hydration and staving off the hunger pangs do a lot of wonders during stressful and/or boring moments like being stuck in an airport for hours. Besides, that sense of fullness, especially if it comes from nutritious meals, can keep the mind alert and focused, which is important if the next stop on the trip is a very important meeting.
Have a business jacket or blazer within reach
While the casual attire is the favored look between trips, the sudden unexpected turns within a trip just might land your assignee within a few feet of a place that’s prestigious — or a person in the C-suite.
The middle-level manager who met them at the airport could inform them on the spot that they are about to have an early dinner — in a very posh restaurant where only the city’s elite dine — with the CEO of a partner company they had been pursuing for months. At all times, regardless of the occasion, be prepared to dress smart and stylish, even if you just survived the plane ride from hell.
Avail of the added benefits along the way
In this Forbes article, Daniela Baldelli, director of sales and marketing at Bettoja Hotels, reminds us that the assignee can experience a bit more fun with a few perks that they might not know they have.
This is where the global mobility manager and human resource specialists come in. If the assignee is a frequent traveler, or the organization has partnerships with certain hotels, then check the rewards program the latter offers.
Constant patronage just might have earned them one more day in their accommodations, a gourmet meal in a top restaurant, or inclusion in a day tour throughout the city’s many tourist attractions.
If managed well, business trips can also become a time of leisure, making your assignees motivated and happy once they return home.