More and more businesses are going international, and while video conferencing and internet connectivity have made it easier to work with people in different parts of the world, it’s still sometimes necessary to travel to different countries. If you aren’t used to traveling abroad for business purposes, it can feel overwhelming as you try to keep costs down while ensuring you still come across as professional as possible.
With this in mind, here are a few ways that you can maximize your comfort and your productivity as you travel abroad for business. The more prepared you are, the more successful your trip will likely be.
Packing For Your Trip
When packing for your trip, you have different considerations than when you’re packing for a vacation. Rather than comfort, fun, and style, you’ll be packing for practicality and professionalism above all else.
Ideally, make sure that you have a carry-on bag. This will make the journey much quicker, easier, and it will eliminate the chance of your luggage being lost or delayed. The only real downside is that your luggage will be checked by security.
A large carry-on can usually contain everything you need for a long weekend or even a week-long stay. This includes changes of clothes, as well as your laptop or any other electronic devices and notes you’ll need. Always make sure your laptop, expensive electronic devices, and medication are in your carry-on luggage. This prevents it from getting lost or broken.
You should also consider plugs and adapters, as the outlets in other countries may be different. Do your research before you pack. Don’t forget some cash in the current currency, as even if you have a travel-friendly credit card, cash can make things go more smoothly.
Maintaining Your Connections
There’s nothing worse than starting your journey and realizing that you don’t have an internet connection at all. You should sort this out in advance.
Some mobile phone companies allow you to get data while you’re in other countries, although you may have to pay a fee in advance. It’s always worth doing this, as it means you can keep in contact with whoever you’re meeting while you travel, as well as people back at home.
One thing that can help you keep connected is eSIM data, as it has much better global connectivity, allowing you to switch networks much more easily. This is a cheaper and more reliable way to stay connected as you travel.
Flights and Accommodation
One of the most important things you’ll need to arrange in advance is your flights and accommodation. Ideally, you want to find cheap business flights that also allow you to travel quickly. Don’t fall into the trap of arranging flights with long layovers or detours because they’re a bit cheaper, because you’ll be paying the price in time.
Depending on where you travel, you may be able to get same-day flights. This means that you travel early in the morning and later in the evening, arranging your meeting in the afternoon. It’s a long day, but it can cut down on costs, especially if you’re a sole trader or a small business covering your own travel costs.
Otherwise, make sure to get safe, relatively comfortable, and convenient accommodation to act as your home base. As long as you sleep well and can make yourself look presentable, most types of accommodation work perfectly.
Arranging Meetings
Speaking of business meetings, you should arrange them either around the time of arranging your flights or beforehand. This means that you can get the flights and accommodation that work best for your travel requirements, and you can give yourself plenty of time to be comfortable, without needless waste.
Good places to arrange meetings include restaurants and coffee shops, as they provide a neutral ground for you to be comfortable and discuss what you need. If you do need an office space or conference room, but the person you’re meeting doesn’t have appropriate space for this, then you can always rent the space on a short-term basis.
The meeting place should be suitable for the relative level of formality of the meeting itself. Lunch and dinner meetings can be ideal for slightly more relaxed meetings, like a meet and greet or a client meeting with a more relaxed client. Sometimes this can even work better at putting people at ease.
Keeping Your Belongings Safe
One thing that can impact your perceived professionalism is whether you’re carrying your luggage everywhere with you. If you are only staying for a short time in an area, you may want somewhere safe to stash your belongings while you’re meeting people.
Make sure to pick somewhere central to your location. Places near airports and train stations are ideal, as they allow you to stash your things without having to carry them around too far. So, if you’re meeting someone in Amsterdam, luggage storage Amsterdam Centraal could be your best option.
This is also handy for more relaxed trips, as you can stash luggage or even shopping while you stay in the city for the day.
Extra Time While Away
Speaking of more relaxed trips, can you take advantage of a business trip and have a vacation as well? The short answer is yes, but there are some caveats.
If you’re using a business account to fund the trip, it’s best to keep it strictly business. Otherwise, make sure to pay for any personal expenses using your personal account. So, if you go to another country for a Friday meeting, but decide to stick around for the weekend, you could count the Friday as a business expense, but your accommodations and activities after that should be considered personal.
It’s important to be above reproach when it comes to your expenses. If you’re an employee, talk to your employer about your plans and what is covered under your travel expenses. Even if you’re the business owner, you should keep business and personal expenses separate.