Congratulations – you were just assigned to represent your company at a conference held a thousand
miles away from your office. Although you are excited for an exciting adventure, you can notice yourself
by the number of commitments on your to-do list – including transportation, transfer, and packing
centers.
Mastering the art of a successful business trip can be daunting, and first-time travelers can be
intimidated by a new environment and day-to-day interruptions.
6 Useful Tips to Prepare for Your First Business Trip
To help you out, here is a checklist of what you should do in preparing for your first ever business trip.
- Have a Copy of the Travel & Expense Policy
As a business traveler, you are already expected to incur and report actual travel expenses in a
responsible and ethical manner.
To make sure that such expectations will be met, the travel manager should be able to provide
you a copy of the Travel and Expense [T&E] policy.
The Travel and Expense policy is a document which indicates specific guidance about many
aspects of employee travel situations. including allowable prepaid travel expenses. categories of
and conditions for travel expenses to be reimbursed, and what categories of travel expenses will
not be reimbursed.
Understanding the rules indicated in the policy will ensure accurate and faster reimbursement
later in case you are travelling at your own expense. - Coordinate with Your Co-Travelers
Work together with colleagues wherever possibly while on the road. After all, they are your co-
adventurer with whom to celebrate and sympathize in addition to recognizing some practical
gains.
Working together, flying together, and eating meals together can foster a sense of closeness
that may not once you’re back in the office.
In terms of logistics. pre-shipping of gear to a work location can be convenient. but you lose
control of those assets when you turn them over to others.
A better alternative for the risk-averse is splitting up corporate materials between sets of
luggage. - Bring Only the Most Essential Equipment You Need
Your choice of equipment will impact your travel experience more than many other
considerations.
Suitcases and business cases top the list of business travel equipment. but the list of kit does not
stop there: Laptop, tablet, mouse, toothbrush, ink pen, business cards etc.
These items and hundreds more will end up jumping from point A to point B with you. Make an
informed choice based on your end goal. - Plan Your Meetings Beforehand
This is possibly the most important item on the list. Punctuality is essential in any business scenario. It
shows you value of people’s time and proves that you are efficient and trustworthy.
However, when you travel to a new environment for the first time, certain things out of your control
may hopper. This is why it is a good idea to plan your meetings by leaving some room for error. Go with
your instincts, sometimes a 10-minute precaution might suffice. - Communicate with Your Family and Friends
Managing personal relationships gets more challenging as you hit the road. This is why it is very
important to inform your family, friends, and other significant people in your life if you expect to travel
frequently or for an extended period of time.
Informing your family and friends about your current status will give them the peace of mind and time
to plan for different activities while you’re away. - Plan for Fun Activities
Remember the line from the movie The Shining? “All work and no play make Jack a dull boy.”
This doesn’t only apply for lack, but to business travelers as well.
We all get a little stressed out when we forget to take a much-needed break from time to time.
This is especially true when travelling for work.
Just because you have to work away from your normal environment doesn’t mean you can’t
squeeze in a little time to enjoy yourself.
Before your flight, research about the locality, find out what’s cool about the place you are
visiting, and make it a goal to meet new people.
It will reduce your stress levels. allowing you to focus better on the business that you went there
to do.
Conclusion
With this in mind, we hope you have a great first business trip. Think ahead, plan in advance and your career will benefit not to mention your self-esteem.
