Running any sort of large-scale business inherently involves a lot of traveling. Whether you are going out to close a deal, survey a new market, reach out to vendors or attend some expo or seminar, you will for certain spend a lot of time in motion. Still, in spite of obvious benefits, spending so much time far from basecamp can become very taxing and money consuming, especially if you are taking frequent travels abroad.
But, this situation doesn’t really have to be all that grim. Like all other business-related activities, careful planning and preparations can make journeys abroad far easier, more effective, and, why not, even enjoyable. Let us see how.
Prepare a meticulous but flexible agenda
If you want to save your next business travel from devolving into endless rushing from point A to point B give the whole affair some structure and try to write down a detailed agenda that will cover all activities you plan to tackle in the following days. However, in order for any sort of such a thorough itinerary to work you need to take into account eventual traffic jams, resting time, social customs, unplanned invitations, and all other things that might take you away from the business. So, space out the appointments and make a schedule that will be flexible enough to accommodate all these unforeseen detours.
Learn as much as possible about local customs
This move will not only make your stay abroad much more enjoyable and help you soak in the foreign gist but also to easier navigate local corporate culture and make more use of your business meetings. For instance, in Hong Kong business etiquette most invitations to meetings extend to you but not your spouse. In the Middle East, it is very preferable to engage in small talk before meetings while in France it is considered slightly rude to talk about business during dinner. Small nuances like these can have a great effect on your overall travel goals so it’s good to keep them in mind 24/7.
Make yourself a base abroad
This can be particularly useful if you need to take several consecutive travels to the same region in a short span of time. So, if you are for instance making an East Asia tour, you should look for studios for rent in Hong Kong or some similar Asian business hub. This way, you will drastically cut the time you will spend on travel, and save a lot of money in the process. Furthermore, these spare time and resources can be used for exploring new business opportunities, looking for more beneficial alternatives, and simply enjoying your stay abroad. Business travels don’t always have to be all about business.
Share your itinerary with business partners and co-workers
Essentially, your goal is to make yourself available to all people who are, in some capacity, involved in your business travel. If they, for whatever reason, need to reach out to you, it is highly preferable that they know where are you and what are you doing at any given moment. This prompt communication also makes your decision-making far more efficient since you will be in tune with everything going on in your company and make informed moves along the way. Staying in touch with your business partners also makes eventual schedule changes far smoother and easier.
Check the travel advisors
Although these forums, apps, and services are mostly tourist-oriented they can go a long way in helping business people learn more about the geography of the cities, fastest commuting options, choose good restaurants for eventual business meetings, and places you can visit in your spare time and other things that simply make the life abroad far simpler. Also, these are the best places you can find and check short-term accommodation without having to deal with third-party tourist companies. Being stranded in a foreign country with no place to stay is not something you want on your business travels.
We hope these few tips will help you to plan and conduct your next business travel with as little hassle as possible and find some enjoyment along the way. The corporate world is built on negotiations and good relations and both these things require considerable mileage. With the things as they are, the best thing you can do is to make these necessary runs fast, fun, and efficient.