Travel is always an adventure, because things always seem to go wrong at the most inopportune time. While this can be a disaster for anyone who is traveling, it is especially true for those who are traveling for business. There are some things that no traveler can control, but there are others that can easily be corrected with a little forethought.
Here are the 10 biggest mistakes made by business travelers:
Not Packing Essential Business Items
Every business person in the world has left some essential business meeting item behind when they are traveling. It just seems to happen! While it would be easy to brush this off once, having it happen on more than one occasion can be detrimental to a person’s career. Those traveling for business should make a list of exactly what they need a couple of weeks prior to their trip, or as soon as they know about the upcoming trip so that they have everything that they need when they arrive at their destination.
Checking Luggage
The savviest business travelers know that checking luggage is the worst thing that they can do. After all, it takes time to check it in and even more, time to wait for it to be the last one to arrive in the baggage area. And then don’t even get business travelers going on lost luggage, which then prevents them from looking their best at their meetings without a quick trip to the local store.
Not Using a Wi-Fi Hotspot
Yes, airports usually have Wi-Fi access, but the time that a business traveler spends connecting to it is not helping them get their work done. Of course, it is worse if the Wi-Fi connection is so bad that everyone gets booted off every few minutes. Business travelers need a reliable Wi-Fi connection, through a Wi-Fi hotspot, to ensure that they can attend video conferences, amend reports, write up new information, and more.
Not Maximizing Airline or Hotel Points
Some business travelers haven’t learned of all the perks that they are missing out on when it comes to flights and hotel rooms, simply because they haven’t learned how to play the points game. Business travelers that fly the same airline and stay at the same hotel can easily earn points for future flights and hotel rooms. Those points can be used for upgrades on future business trips or they can be used for personal trips for cheap vacations.
Not Utilizing TSA Pre-Check
Standing in line at the security checkpoint can waste hours of a business traveler’s time, but there is a simple solution available! The TSA Pre-Check is an option that is available for anyone for a small fee. It will allow a business traveler a few luxuries like not needing to remove their shoes or belts and leaving their liquids and computers in their bag. Plus, it saves them a lot of time that they can then use to catch up on a few things before they arrive at their destination.
Not Booking Longer Layovers
No traveler wants to spend hours at an airport for a layover, but business travelers that allow themselves half an hour or less will be sweating it when their first flight doesn’t arrive on time. They will then spend their precious few seconds trying to grab their bag, get off the plane, and running to their next gate. And after all that, they will most likely miss their connecting flight and their meeting. An hour is the minimum in between flights, but two hours is better, and the time can be used to do a little extra work or catch a little nap to recharge.
Not Considering Different Time Zones
Business travelers often find themselves crossing numerous time zones before they reach their destination, which can end up being a disaster if they do not get much sleep along the way. While a person may think that booking an early pre-dawn flight from the east coast will be perfect for that early morning meeting on the west coast, in reality, that person is going to be exhausted when they get there. It may be better if they book a later afternoon flight for the day before so that they can be well rested and adjusted to the time zone when it is time for their important meeting.
Not Keeping Track of Expenses
Every business traveler will find themselves either spending their own money while on their trip or using the company’s credit card. Either way, it is important to keep track of every receipt for either reimbursement or confirmation of the charge. This will ensure that no business traveler needs to lose out on money due to not being able to account for certain charges.
Not Choosing a Centrally Located Hotel
A business traveler may often look for one of the cheaper hotels in the area that they are visiting, but that isn’t the best thing to do. Instead, business travelers should book a hotel that is close to where they need to be for their meetings and other appointments. This hotel should also be close to a few different restaurants, and even a store or two, so that they can easily grab a bite to eat or purchase something that they forgot.
Not Knowing Their Company’s Travel Policy
Every company’s travel policy is different and those business travelers that do not know their companies could get into a lot of trouble. Some companies will only cover a certain amount of money for meals each day, while others will impose limitations on gas reimbursement, the cost to entertain clients, and more. Those that ignore the policy or simply do not ask about it may find that they are not getting reimbursed for certain costs.
Business travelers probably make more mistakes, but these are the ten biggest ones that stand out the most. Travel can be tricky, but once a business traveler knows how to avoid these huge mistakes, they should find that their travel days are better than ever before.
Thanks for reading!
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