There’s a tendency to overlook the importance of business trips in the digital age, with a growing number of firms now operating almost exclusively online. This borne out by the figures too, with the number of business trips completed in 2017 having dropped by 5% year-on-year.
Still, meeting colleagues and potential collaborators in person can be extremely beneficial, particularly in terms of building long-lasting relationships and dealing more effectively with issues as they arise.
The key is to ensure that business travel is convenient, so that your productivity and the quality of your work isn’t unduly compromised. So, here are some tips that can help you to make business travel easier, whether you’re heading to a UK destination or overseas.
1. Plan, Plan and Plan Some More
As a general rule, the more preparation that goes into a trip (business or otherwise), the more smoothly it goes and the more efficiently you can spend your time whilst overseas.
This involves arranging your mode of transportation and booking any necessary tickets ahead of time, whist the same principle should also be applied to securing your accommodation if necessary.
Even if you’re not planning an overnight trip, try to ensure that you have a meeting place in mind and a clear focus on how you intend to spend time.
This should help to maximise efficiency, and ensure that you and your partners are able to work towards mutually-agreed goals even in a short amount of time.
2. Consider the Benefits of a Working Commute
As a species, we tend to believe that it’s easier and more stress-free to drive to our destination when attending a business trip in the UK.
Our roads are becoming increasingly congested, however, whilst time spent behind the wheel also reduces the time available to work and get important tasks done.
So, why not consider a working commute by train? By booking carnet train tickets, you can essentially secure pre-paid standard access to a particular journey, which is immediately cheaper than buying the same ticket on the day of travel.
This will also create ample opportunity to work, respond to emails and prepare for your meeting whilst you travel, enabling you to make the most of your time and avoid compromising your productivity.
3. If you do Drive, Calculate the Best Route
Whether you drive, take the train or are required to book an international flight, it’s imperative that you identify the best possible route for travel.
When flying, the options for some destinations can seem daunting, but the first flight that you come across is rarely the best. Instead, try to research your options across all direct flights, as you look to strike the delicate balance between cost and efficiency.
If you’re driving, try to map out a clear and effective route that gets you from A to B in the shortest possible time. This will also minimise your fuel costs, but be sure to use detailed tools that factor in traffic flows such as Google Maps.
