There’s a certain glamour attached to business travel. You get to go somewhere new and exciting. Your company often pays for you to stay in a swanky hotel. You get to meet many interesting people.
But the reality sometimes differs from the fantasy.
The glamourous veneer of a business trip can fade quicker than a cheap shirt from Kohl’s if the travel gods conspire to cause delays getting to the airport, lost luggage, and a hotel room that wouldn’t look out of place on the set of Tenko.
However, there are a number of things you can do, to make sure your next business trip runs smoothly and doesn’t leave you bashing yourself over the head with a briefcase in a travel-induced rage.
Check out our three timesaving business travel hacks below …
- Pre-book airport parking
When you’re trying to keep your eye on the ball close to an important business trip, unnecessary annoyances should be avoided—which is why we recommend pre-booking your airport parking through Looking4.com before anything else.
This way you can travel to the airport in your own vehicle but without the hassle of overcrowded public transport or the anxiety of circling busy roads searching for an elusive parking spot.
If your company allows you to splash the cash, and you really want to strut to the check-in desk in style, you can opt for a valet service. This involves meeting a parking company rep who will park your vehicle, then bring it back to the terminal when you return. Simple and stress-free.
- Travel with one bag
Traveling for business will inevitably mean you need to look your best—but if you check your luggage and the airline loses your bag, you run the risk of turning up to an important meeting looking like you’ve been dragged through a baggage carousel backwards.
Consequently, many frequent travellers opt to take one bag, which means avoiding the extra time it takes to check a bag. Not only will it save you precious minutes at the other end, it means your important possessions are not at the mercy of ham-fisted baggage handlers.
- ABC
If you’re familiar with Alec Baldwin’s legendary Glengarry Glen Ross monologue, you’ll know that ABC stands for ‘always be closing.’ However, in 2018 parlance, ABC for businesspeople means ‘always be charging’.
After all, there’s little worse than being on the road and your laptop or smartphone battery running out of juice—especially when you’re working on a big presentation (or simply doing a little light Facebook stalking) in the run up to your flight.
The solution? Always carry an extra portable battery, as scrambling to find a free power socket at the airport is not the preparation you want or need before hopping onto a flight.
How do you prepare for a big business trip? Do you have any genius travel hacks you can share with our readers? Let us know your top tips in the comments section.
