Business Travel Tips

[//j17]

THIS is how you do checked luggage - http://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-40577923

[ComoEstas]

Hi all,

I work for a company labelled as a FinTech, yet we have a very manual process when it comes to the chore of completing the expenses procedure upon my return from the branch office.

Do any of you use an app that you would recommend, that I can put forward to my CEO? I'm thinking of something where I take photos of receipts which get sent automatically to Accounts.

Currently the process is to create a spreadsheet with expenses, get it signed off, send it and a PDF of receipt photos (usually two pages) to the Accounts team and then send the original receipts out with the next person visiting the branch office.

Thanks

[z4RRSchris]

we use web expenses. its fking tedious. but would do what you say.

[warp9]

ComoEstas said:

Hi all,
Do any of you use an app that you would recommend, that I can put forward to my CEO? I'm thinking of something where I take photos of receipts which get sent automatically to Accounts.
Thanks

We use Quickbooks as our SME accounting package which has significantly improved productivity in the team and costs less than our previous system. I am aware that they have an expenses module/app which allows you to take a photo and auto submit expenses although I have no personal experience with this and do not know if it is compatible with your existing systems. More info here https://www.quickbooks.co.uk/accounting-software/e...

[gl20]

ComoEstas said:

Hi all,

I work for a company labelled as a FinTech, yet we have a very manual process when it comes to the chore of completing the expenses procedure upon my return from the branch office.

Do any of you use an app that you would recommend, that I can put forward to my CEO? I'm thinking of something where I take photos of receipts which get sent automatically to Accounts.

Currently the process is to create a spreadsheet with expenses, get it signed off, send it and a PDF of receipt photos (usually two pages) to the Accounts team and then send the original receipts out with the next person visiting the branch office.

Thanks

Concur does this ie use your phone app to photo receipts and drop downs to confirm what they were for

[ComoEstas]

Thanks both,

Since posting I've watched demo videos of Concur and Expensify.

Will see what the CEO comes back with and report back!

[RBH58]

ComoEstas said:

Thanks both,

Since posting I've watched demo videos of Concur and Expensify.

Will see what the CEO comes back with and report back!

I use Concur (PC based and the App) and it's honestly terrific

[schmalex]

Just boarding EK002 to DXB for the connection to BKK

Have a nice afternoon, folks

[Equilibrium25]

RBH58 said:

I use Concur (PC based and the App) and it's honestly terrific

Another vote for concur.

Great tips on this thread. I agree with making sure you find time to walk around in the evenings to make it feel less like a business trip.

[marcosgt]

hyperblue said:

Resist the massive urge to punch civilians/holiday makers in the back of the head when they do any of the following:

1) Act like its a big fking surprise that you have to remove liquids//laptops/belts/shoes at security and delay the queue whilst they do so
2) fk up the automatic passport control gates and cause a delay. Just slide your passport in and eyes front, comprende!
3) Stand blocking escalator/moving walkways

This will make your journey through the airport much smoother and reduce the time spent in police custody.

Does that mean I CAN punch the obvious regular business travellers who STILL do this?

Excellent news!

M

[Puggit]

First time using Concur - omg, what a revelation.

Get a receipt, scan it straight on to phone. End of month, fill it all in, using the scanned receipts and send it off. Time taken for expenses down from half a day to an hour (£2000 average monthly bill).

[RC1807]

marcosgt said:

hyperblue said:

Resist the massive urge to punch civilians/holiday makers in the back of the head when they do any of the following:

1) Act like its a big fking surprise that you have to remove liquids//laptops/belts/shoes at security and delay the queue whilst they do so
2) fk up the automatic passport control gates and cause a delay. Just slide your passport in and eyes front, comprende!
3) Stand blocking escalator/moving walkways

This will make your journey through the airport much smoother and reduce the time spent in police custody.

Does that mean I CAN punch the obvious regular business travellers who STILL do this?

Excellent news!

M

Yes, because THEY should know BETTER!


Many good tips already noted, and I hadn't thought of the belt/hotel hangers in the shower, so that's one to use in the future.

Already done 50+ flights this year, and have just booked another 24, many of which are long haul to/around the Americas! st!
Fortunately we're permitted business class on flights >5hours, and also when we've connections, e.g. part of a package of flights, so NY to Mexico City is <5 hours, but still bookable as business class.

As many have noted: Bose QC headphones.
Mine were a freebie from my Miles & More account at Lufthansa (worldshop.eu), as were my wife's QCs, 2 iPad Airs, a Dyson vacuum, Samsonite luggage, TUMI work bag, a normally expensive (£300) firepit for the patio, etc. Saved me a fortune!....

I used to manage a week's long-haul with 1 suit carrier (which the airline crew hang up, so my suits still looked good), 1 carry on wheelie bag, and my work bag. Now many of my long-haul trips are for more than 3 days, plus I've taken up running, so my baggage increased as it's part of my mission to run in as many foreign cities as I can whilst I'm travelling. (I recall if you stay at Westin hotels, you can rent a full gym kit from them, trainers included, for about $10, so that saves space.)
Shirts: Charles Thyrwhitt non-iron. Every.Time.
Pack them in those garment packages, like packing cubes, folded neatly. Hang on arrival. No creases.

Someone mentioned treating business trips like a stag-do. Yeah, I've done that a few times, but turning up to meetings with a hangover's not much fun - BUT - on long-haul return flights to Europe I DO drink quite a few Bloody Marys or G&Ts before boarding, plus I take a couple of melatonin tablets, and I sleep all night long home. No jet lag on return.

[mcbook]

Guys, thanks so much for the responses on here - some really great tips.

I think you've convinced my to get the Bose headphones but I think I'll go for the in-ear versions as they can be had for £200 (QC20) and will fit with my packing-light philosophy.

My current trips are very much domestic (Edinburgh-Heathrow) so can't really take advantage of the long-haul ideas but I'm sure others will be able to. Frustratingly, a lot of the good advice about getting out and about in the evenings is also lost on me as I'm working near the airport and opportunities are limited to say the least.

For shirts, I also use Tyrwhitt non-iron but don't find that I need to do the shower trick. I fold them carefully in my normal luggage and hang them up when I reach the hotel. Most of the creases will drop out overnight and those remaining will get a 'body-heat ironing' during my 10 minute walk to the office.

[Speed 3]

mcbook said:

I think you've convinced my to get the Bose headphones but I think I'll go for the in-ear versions as they can be had for £200 (QC20) and will fit with my packing-light philosophy.

I always fancied a pair of those as I prefer in-ear but I don't think the noise cancelling is anywhere near as effective as the bigger ones plus I have a rich history of severing cables, fine on £30 earphones, not on £200+ although glad to see them come down from nearer £300 last time I looked. If you do buy a pair I would be interested to hear what you think. This thread also prompted me to look at the latest QC35's but actually from reviews the Sony MDR-100X have now toppled the Bose in sound quality and features.

[Kermit power]

Equilibrium25 said:

RBH58 said:

I use Concur (PC based and the App) and it's honestly terrific

Another vote for concur.

Great tips on this thread. I agree with making sure you find time to walk around in the evenings to make it feel less like a business trip.

I have to assume that there is a lot of flexibility in Concur for businesses to make changes to policy and procedure in it, as we've recently moved to it, and almost every question on the internal support forum pages are "please, for the love of God, can we go back to the previous ancient system which was put in at least 15 years ago!"

In terms of other tips, I'd add these...

1. As far as you can, endeavour to use just one hotel chain wherever possible, even if it's a bit more inconvenient. It's infinitely more enjoyable to be able to book a 3 week holiday in a single hotel on loyalty points than it is trying to work out how you're going to use the couple of days you've got with each of a dozen providers!

2. If you're taking spare shirts and trousers and you don't want to iron them whilst you're away, in addition to the shower trick as suggested, roll them up rather than putting them in your bag folded flat. It sounds wrong, but it works really well. This is what now allows me to take spare work shirts into the office cycling, when I have no way of ironing them when I get there.

3. If you've got decent airline status, remember that this can be used to keep you off a flight when the airline is offering compensation as well as getting you on to one! My BA Gold card once bagged me £320 and an all expenses paid night in Brussels on that basis, and given it was not long after I'd graduated and £300 was more than my monthly rent at the time, I was very happy to kick back and let others fly!

4. You will always get far, far better food for your expenses allowance if you don't eat in the hotel.

5. If you have a stupid expense system that won't accept more than one receipt from a hotel on any given day, make bloody sure you remember to pay for the carpark before checking out and paying for your room!

6. Above all, remember that life if far, far too short for lowest logical cost routing, and if your employer moves you to anything less than flexible economy, that's the universe's way of telling you it's time to get a domestic role! I did love my travel for a long time, and got to see some amazing places, but last month marked the 10th anniversary of my last loyalty card expiring, and I don't miss it in the slightest!

[fat80b]

lots of good advice on this thread.

2 from me to add to the list:

• Carry a pair of walking socks to use on the plane. Shoes off, walking socks on for the duration of the flight.
• Always buy a bottle of water before boarding. Nothing worse than stirring mid flight parched with a G&T hangover and no water to drink. a quick sip and you can carry on sleeping, anything else and you've undone the next bit.

My favourite tip to people though is this:

Don't be one of those people that say they "can't sleep on planes" - These people are idiots - you can sleep anywhere with a bit of planning. With that attitude, you wont be able to sleep on a plane and it is a self fulfilling prophecy. If you don't sleep on a long hall flight, you'll be screwed and that's no good for your health.

I have a sleep routine on a plane and it works every time. As soon as you board, get an eye mask, earplugs / headphones, blanket etc all ready to use. Put them on, even though you are not ready to go to sleep straight away. I often have the eye mask already perched on my head at take off - it may look a little daft, but I am ready to go.

For the meal, the best advice is eat in the airport beforehand and not on the plane as the food is pretty rubbish anyway.

Order 2 Gins and 1 tonic in the drinks round and an optional little bottle of wine if you do have the meal. (you don't particularly want to fill your bladder at this point).

As soon as the meal service is done (if you are having it), eye mask down, seat back, straight to sleep.

I see people getting up out of their chairs getting ready to go to sleep thereby waking themselves up just as they should be dropping off.....amateurs.....

The aim of the game is to wake up somewhere near Bristol coming back from the US.

Bob

[BenjiS]

I only travel domestically these days, but a lot of my tips align with the above.

Only ever use one hotel chain, in my case IHG. Very easy to rack up status and points. I think converting points to Amazon vouchers has paid for Christmas for the last five years. Plus the staff get to know you if you're there regularly or not. I still get treated by name in a number of London hotels and immediately bumped to executive rooms even though I haven't stayed there for ages.

Get the Citymapper app. It's brilliant for working out how to get places. It'll even sort out the best combination of tube, bus, etc in all major cities.

Never eat in hotels. Either eat out or supermarket. I have a per diem limit (not an actual per diem which rocks). But if I don't mind cold food, a supermarket shop can be far more efficient than a restaurant. Also allows for things like toothpaste and shaving gear to be expensed without hassle. It's surprisingly how decent a salad with cook meats you can rock up in a hotel room with a bottle of nice wine for under £20 a day, and still have enough left over for th following day's lunch.

Take up running. It's the best exercise when travelling. Minimal kit to carry and a brilliant way of seeing a new place.

Never unpack the suitcase fully. My washkit, sundries like cufflinks, earplugs always stay in the case. All I need to put in each week are the clean shirts, underwear, and suit. Minimal casual clothes too, I'm not going on holiday, so one pair of jeans, one tshirt will do. The jeans and the day's shirt will do for impromptu post-work drinks.

Did I mention earplugs? Never go anywhere without some, especially a hotel!

Finally, know your expenses policy inside and out. Claim for anything you can. The company has built it into the cost, so don't put yourself out to save them a couple of quid. Equally don't take the piss.

And always do your expenses weekly. In my case, up to a grand a week soon makes a dent in the credit limit.

[schmalex]

I have QC20 in ear headphones. They may not isolate quite as much noise as the over ear cans but I find them infinitely more comfortable and I can lie on my side with them in. They are, without fail, the first thing that I put in my hand luggage.

ref the expenses, we don't have Concur or anything so I just put all the receipts from a particular day into a zippy wallet that contains my passports / random currencies / spare photos etc. We are lucky in that the company picks up the Amex bill every month and then we submit receipts against it where we can. As all of my travel is long haul, my monthly bill can be pretty fearsome and I'd hate to have to pay for it and then claim it back

[55palfers]

A bit of advice given to me many years ago when I started business travelling.

Expenses.

Don't take the pi55.

[schmalex]

^^^ This. In spades.

We get up to £25 for breakfast, £55 for lunch and £100 for dinner. More if entertaining. I've never got anywhere near any of those as I simply don't need to, yet those in our company who only travel occasionally always try to max out "because they can". They soon do t get invited back