Organizing a business trip can get very complicated with all the many things that you have to take into consideration. You probably already know just how inconvenient it is to have an oversight no matter how minor it is, but what’s even more important is the fact that business trips can influence how others view your company. So, make sure to plan everything out properly, and with the help of a checklist for your business travel, you can do it more easily.
Here are some things that you need to take into consideration when planning your next business trip:
Make an Itinerary
Having an itinerary is a must for any business trip. It prevents disorientation and gives you a clear guide of where to go even if you are in unfamiliar surroundings. Itineraries can also help guide your group in case you get separated so always make sure to make one beforehand!
Remember to include essential details such as:
Hotel bookings
Day-to-day business meeting schedules
Weather for the next few days
Taxi numbers
Directions to the airport from the hotel
Best places to visit and how to get there
Plan for the worst-case scenario
No matter how detailed your itinerary is, there will always be unforeseen circumstances that can throw your entire trip off course. One of them is unexpected cancellations. This is why you should always prepare a backup plan for every booking in case anything goes wrong.
Have a travel folder
Your travel folder should have everything that you might need on your business trip. This might include your itinerary, local information, travel guidelines (especially during this pandemic), client information, and everything else that you think might be necessary along the way.
It is important to have every kind of information that you might need as you travel and other important pieces of information that you might want to have include the following:
Contact information of nearby hospitals
Cancellation policy of every booking made
Your to-bring list
Dress code for any important events and meetings
Meet up and car pick-up arrangement details.
Other important business files
Generate backup files
Whilst it’s good to have everything that you need on the go with your travel folder, it is still also a good idea to have a backup digital copy of everything safely secured in a USB stick.
Keep copies of essential documents such as passports, credit card details, and client information. Losing your only copy of such files will be a huge hassle especially if you are abroad. Take note of your passport’s expiration date as well. You wouldn’t want to run into any legal troubles while you are on a business trip as this might ruin your company’s reputation.
Do your research!
You don’t have to be a local to get to know your destination well. You simply have to do lots of research about the area to know what you have to take into consideration. Knowing the local people’s culture and language is a huge bonus too!
Make sure that you have a map of the local area and know how you can get to each of your destinations. This will make your business trip go smoother.
Business travel agents
They often have great inside information about each destination. They can even give you shortcuts to get to your destinations that you wouldn’t have known without their help. Still, there are some things that you need to keep in mind when engaging with travel agents such as:
Asking them about the dress code of the area for certain occasions
Travel times to and from your hotel
Asking for the upgrades yourself and not being led to it.
The carry-on baggage allowance of the airline you are going to use,
Get some time to readjust
Business trips can be quite taxing for everyone involved. You’ll find that you will need a few days before you can even get over jetlag. Hence, you should allow time for everyone to readjust even for just a few days before you plan your next steps based on the results of your business trip.