Looking for some of the best business traveler tips? Here are 4 Essential Tips for Getting it Right with Business Travel
Here at Elite Limo, we see business travelers all the time. Some fly into SFO from Tokyo, others make their way from Boston to Oakland. We see CFOs of Fortune 100 companies, as well as entry-level sales reps from startup companies, and everything in between. We’ve collected some of the best tips and tricks out there, to bring them to you, our valued customer (or customer to be!). We hope you glean the insight you need to make your business travels more efficient and successful, from the airport transfer to closing that whale of a sale.
1. Invest in Quality Luggage (and Learn to Pack Efficiently)
Standing at security in SFO with a broken zipper on your bag, all your valuables spilling on the floor (gross), and everyone behind you grumbling about you taking so long — this is not the time to decide to invest in quality luggage. Good luggage comes with heavy-duty zippers and stitching, high-quality fabrics, and rugged straps for carrying.
Quality counts. If you have the money to invest in but one piece of high-quality luggage, let it be a backpack. These go easily where rolling luggage lags, and are roomy enough for your laptop, file folders, and a few convenience items like snacks and a change of clothing. Plus, with a single convenient bag or two, you can hop off the plane, climb in your limo for the airport transfer, and be on your way while everyone else is still wandering around wondering when their suitcase is coming off the plane.
If you can, get everything in your carry on luggage except for your hanging items, and leave bag checkout nightmares behind you. Learn to survive a couple of days on hotel soaps and shampoos (higher-end hotels usually provide the good stuff), and avoid loading up on freebies from trade shows and conferences. That’s not only saving room in your luggage, it saves about 20 pounds you have to lug around on the way back home.
2. Go Ahead and Purchase Travel Insurance (Always)
The only time you’ll probably ever need travel insurance is the one time you don’t get it. Check your company’s policy regarding reimbursement for travel insurance. Then estimate your total costs, including the value of the items you’re bringing. It would likely cost at least $1,000 to replace just your mobile device, not to mention that $1,500 laptop, three $900 suits, and likely a bag totaling $100 or more. Even without corporate reimbursement, it is almost always more cost-effective to invest in travel insurance than to try to cover a missed trip or losses while you’re on the road.
3. Learn the Art of Resting When You Can, Where You Can
The number one cause of problems on business trips is fatigue and lack of clear-headedness due to a furiously paced trip. This is why you get confused and miss a flight, why you forget your cell phone on the checkout counter, and why you accidentally say something silly when talking to a client. Masterful corporate travelers learn to rest and relax when they can, instead of spending every free moment checking email, returning phone calls, or trying to crank out productive work. Use the time on your airport transfer to lay your head back and relax. Instead of whipping out your phone or tablet during your limo ride to the client’s office, take a few moments to enjoy the view. San Francisco is one of the most beautiful cities in the nation! It would be a shame to get back home and realize you did no more than glimpse at the Bay, the Wharf, or the Bridge.
4. Reuse the Same Vendors as Much as Possible
You arrive at SFO at 11 p.m., after a long weather delay in Dallas. Your airport transfer gets you to your hotel across town by 11:25, but there’s been a computer error, and many of the hotel reservations for this night got lost. There is one room left, and there are two customers at the counter: yourself, who they have never seen, and a lady who stays at this hotel regularly. Who gets the room?
In this scenario, it pays to be the regular guest. Instead of always searching Priceline, Expedia, or Trip Advisor for the lowest rates, stick with the same airlines, limo airport transfer service, hotel, and other vendors as much as you can. In the long run, you’ll get the best deals (they always save their best prices for their regular customers), plus you’ll enjoy premium service that only regular customers enjoy. This also qualifies you for numerous loyalty programs, which can save 15% to 20% of regular prices, and occasionally scores you a freebie, like buy three nights, get one free.