5 Tips For How To Plan A Business Trip

Any seasoned business traveller could tell you that a business trip’s success depends on how you plan it.

Whether you’re a first-time traveller or a seasoned businessperson, business trips can be a whirlwind. You have flights to catch, business functions to attend, relationships to build and plenty of work to do while on the road. They can be busy, to say the least.

As domestic and international business trips start to pick up once more, it’s time to start reconsidering how you connect with the international business world. Business trips are essential for fostering new connections, closing business deals and helping you to understand the wider business world. The experienced team at Pulse Travel is ready and able to assist with all of your corporate travel needs when you’re ready to return to the air, but in the meantime, check out our five tips for how to plan your next business trip!

Prepare Your Business Trip In Advance

In the wise words of Benjamin Franklin, “failing to prepare is preparing to fail”. In the travel industry, he’s exactly right!

Whether you’re heading for an overnight trip or a month-long corporate whirlwind, preparing in advance is vital. Depending on where you’re going, your destination country might have certain visa and vaccination requirements that you’ll need to meet, so it’s best to make those arrangements well in advance.

A few things you will need to consider when planning your trip are:

• How long will you be away for?
• What documentation will you need for your meetings?
• Are there any specific vaccinations that you will require, and how long will it take to arrange the appointment?
• Does your destination country require a visa? If so, how long will it take to get one?

Some visas can take over six weeks to arrive, so it’s important to get on top of the essential paperwork as soon as you find out that you’re travelling. The last thing you want to do is be stuck without a visa in the airport! The team at Pulse Travel is knowledgeable on the business travel requirements for each country, and can advise you on everything you’ll need for your next trip.

Create A Detailed Itinerary

Now that you’ve arranged for a visa, it’s time to sit down and create a detailed itinerary.

Your itinerary is essentially your business trip blueprint. It should cover where you need to go, what time you need to show up, which flights you need to catch and any other important events you’ll need to be aware of. You’ll want to keep it close!

Once your itinerary is confirmed, the experienced team of Pulse Travel corporate travel agents will work with you to book flights, accommodation and car transfers that suit your schedule and leave you stress-free and reinvigorated after your trip.

Follow Your Corporate Travel Policy

If your business has engaged in corporate travel before, chances are they have a corporate travel policy. Before booking and planning any business trip, it’s important to familiarise yourself with it. A corporate travel policy is essentially your corporate travel bible, including everything from your preferred suppliers, to what you can and can’t claim for reimbursements. If your company has never engaged in business travel before, it’s a good idea to get one written by our team to ensure consistency across the board.

When booking your trip, make sure you follow the set guidelines. Pulse Travel will be able to find you good deals on flights, accommodation and car hire with your preferred suppliers, and advise you on the best accommodation with conference facilities, should you require them. Booking outside of your corporate travel policy and going against your suppliers may cause problems, so it’s best to stick to it when travelling.

Research Your Destination

Travelling to a different country leaves you open to a wealth of new experiences. You may experience new languages, new cultures and different traditions, so it’s important to research your destination before you go so you don’t get caught out.

Depending on your destination country, you may be faced with a range of different customs and traditions that you’ll need to be familiar with before you disembark. May different countries have different customs around greetings and mealtimes,  as well as rules and regulations around attire that you’ll want to follow while there. When travelling for business, it’s important to show respect for the customs and traditions of those you’re meeting, so ensure you do your research.

Avoid Packing At The Last Minute

Your visa has arrived, your itinerary is full, your flights and accommodation have all been booked, and you’re up to speed with the important customs of your destination. Now it’s time to pack!

Packing at the last minute is a trap that plenty of businesspeople (and holidaymakers) fall into, but it’s important to avoid it as much as possible.

While you’ll always have some last-second packing to do, we recommend ensuring all of your important documents are packed a few days in advance. Create a list for yourself on your phone and tick things off as you add them in your bag, then add the essential clothing and toiletries at the last moment (and tick them off too).

Many countries still use physical cash, so before you get to your destination, ensure you withdraw and exchange any cash you may need. If you’re travelling to America, the Middle East or some parts of Europe, tipping is expected and required, so ensure you have cash with you while you travel.

Whether you’re just getting into business trips or you’re a seasoned traveller, the corporate team at Pulse Travel would love to support you on your journey. Our team has over twenty years of experience in the corporate industry, and would love to speak to you about how they can assist with all of your travel needs.