How you can optimise your business travel anywhere

Krizia Mojado
Krizia Mojado
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It goes without saying that business travel is almost always equal to business opportunities. From the departure to the return flight and everything else in between, excellent corporate travel management is key to making it a great business one!

Business travel is certainly an attractive perk, but if it is not managed well it can be relatively unproductive. In addition. the excitement that business trips can offer could in time be the very thing that exhausts the traveller. Suddenly, the thrill of a new place will be replaced with long layovers, jetlags and missing out on important moments back home. 

This is why it is a real advantage to have a specialist travel management company (TMC) like TruTrip for the task of booking flights, good ground transport options and the ideal accommodation.  This will free you up to prepare a detailed itinerary that will maximise the opportunities that the trip will present and manage the risks and stresses of corporate travels. With some well-thought-of downtimes for you, business travel need not be too uptight.

How can you optimise business travel?  

While you think about the goals of the business trip and nail the deals, it is equally important to think about how you can productively spend your time. This will ensure that the trip is memorable for all the right reasons and will lead to numerous amusing references to certain moments of the trip. Here are some pro tips we have for you:

1. Shopping

Enjoying time discovering the local shops can be great fun and really interesting. Your team will enjoy having the opportunity to buy some gifts to take home and if there is a handicraft centre where local artisans can be seen at work, this can be a real bonus. Check out the days of the local market and its location as this will give a colourful insight into local life. It is worth doing some advanced research to find out which products are particularly well-priced such as leather goods, tech items or clothing.

TruTrip Tip

  1. Look into the type of taxes. Depending on your destination, there are some countries with lower taxes or temporarily suspend different types of taxes on consumer products. For instance, Malaysia recently granted tax relief on electronic products. 
  2. Local goods. Most likely, there won’t be any import charges added to them. Make it a point to research what products would be good to purchase in every country you go to. 
  3. Exchange rates. Lastly, Before going shopping it is an advantage to find the best rates for currency exchange.

2. Cultural exposure

Although downtime is usually limited on business trips, it is well worth getting out and seeing local places of historical interest or dramatic geological features such as the Grand Canyon in Phoenix. Booking a tour with a knowledgeable local guide is ideal, or an Instagram walk tour that’s famous on Airbnb experience now.

If you are staying in a hotel, the food is probably already good, but the menu is more than likely to be more internationally inclined. It is great fun to eat locally and sample the traditional local cuisine. Again, some research before you leave about where to eat and which are the top regional dishes to try.

TruTrip Tip

Your business trip may well coincide with a colourful local event such as a festival, parade or major musical event such as an outdoor classical music concert, pop concert, jazz or opera and joining in the fun could really ensure that you all have a really memorable time.  

3. Career development opportunities

Visiting business customers presents the ideal opportunity to have face-to-face meetings that can really develop relationships between your company and theirs, seal business deals and present networking opportunities. There may well be inexperienced members in your team who will need guidance and encouragement to seize these opportunities and will need to be reminded that they need to follow up these meetings with thank you emails to seal these new connections.

TruTrip Tip:

When you are at the planning stage for corporate travel, it is well worth asking your TruTrip travel planner to check what business exhibitions and seminars will be taking place in the city when you are there as they could well be for an affiliated industry.

4. Work from a sister office

If you’re a part of a global company, you might want to arrange to be able to work in your sister’s office for a few days or weeks. You can arrange this with your travel manager. Most likely, an arrangement needs to be made in advance in terms of country policies, entry requirements and logistics. 

Though the process could be intensive, working from a sister office abroad for one week or two is a great way to experience living and working in another location and will really develop a great rapport and friendship with the staff in that office. 

TruTrip Tip:

This is a great way to observe and learn from their best practices, and if granted the opportunity you can share yours too! 

5. Enjoy working remotely

If you are planning to go on a business trip to a beautiful location, surely enjoying the opportunity of working remotely somewhere different is a must! Especially if it involves working outside with an attractive view! You can book your team meetings outdoor it will put most at ease and will be far more relaxed as no one will be in a rush. There is no need to worry about this tempting idea, as it has been well-proven that working remotely increases productivity. 

Going to aesthetically pleasing cafes where you can co-work and book a meeting or VIP room should work too.

TruTrip Tip:

When working outside, whether it may be in a cafe, it is best to use a firewall and travel software to protect your company’s data and information

6. Make time for team building 

Team building can be inspiring and encourages everyone to be adaptable and innovative in their ideas and also strengthens collaboration and interpersonal relationships. There are so many team-building activities to choose from. Ideas include learning a local craft from an artisan or learning how to cook a local speciality or having a go at a completely new water sport.  In some cities, there are mystery treasure trails to follow and some even include the chance to uncover clues to a mystery bar for a well-earned drink!

TruTrip Tip:

Our experienced team will happily source information and help you with travel logistics.  

10 bonus tips to take the hassle out of business travel:

  1. Make the most of layovers as an opportunity to catch up on sleep and get in touch with family and friends
  2. Beat jet lag with a workout and a quick power nap to be in your top condition.
  3. Pack light to make getting around easier. Avoid checking in luggage.
  4. Pack the minimum of clothing and just your work laptop.
  5. Save all your presentations and files on a USB stick in case your laptop is stolen. 
  6. Take photos of your cabin bag/ suitcase in case it gets lost. Always pop a large piece of paper inside the outer pocket with your name and telephone number – never your home address.
  7. Do your homework on your destination and learn about the local culture and work ethics as this will delight your business contacts there.
  8. Take paper copies of all your important travel documents – boarding passes,  hotel reservations etc.
  9. If you travel often, keep a duplicate set of cables, meds and health insurance policy in your suitcase.
  10. Spend a few minutes at the end of each day to write a summary about what has or hasn’t been achieved – far easier than trying to recall everything after the trip has been completed.

Optimize work trips and leisure opportunities with good corporate travel management solutions

At TruTrip, we listen to your travel demands and then source the tailor fit arrangements for your team. Why not book a demo or sign up for free trial today to discuss your ideas about your team’s next business trip and learn how we can develop them?