Business Travel Tips
Discussion
VxDuncan said:
Never push the limits of transfer times in the bigger airports. Particularly Charles De Gaulle. You can transfer between terminals in under an hour by running but your bag won't. Play it safe.
One thing I would say, even if you've got loads of time, if you've got a checked bag that you have to collect and re-check (ie when arriving in the US and then transferring) get to the baggage carousel as quickly as possible.Last year my fairly unique bag, complete with bit of coloured ribbon, had gone when I got there. Another identical bag, without the ribbon but with an Admirals Club tag, was forlornly going around.
The staff said it'll be fine, it'll turn up at your next airport - which obviously almost completely depends on the person who took it also being a transferring passenger. Thank Goodness it did - I was heading for a conference in Mexico which would not have been funny without my stuff.
Wear loafer or slip-on shoes - saves having to do up shoelaces after airport security and avoids problem of a broken shoelace inconveniencing you while on a tight schedule (I once had to spend valuable time hunting for a shoe lace in down town Buenos Aires..)
Always use a BFO hard shelled case - you won't be carrying it (taxis and porters do that) and in hotels it serves as a safe.
Hang your suit in the bathroom with the shower running to get rid of wrinkles
Carry a spare phone charger
Get Neflix on your ipad.
Carry at least two credit cards and keep one hidden in your BFO case.
A spare passport is useful too, keep it hidden in your BFO case.
Carry some small denomination bills for tipping hotel porters, etc.
If traveling long haul - pop a sleeping pill after dinner, pull the blanket over your head and wake up just before landing.
Bose noise cancelling headphones are essential
As are ear plugs and an eye mask.
Pack one work shirt per day of meetings - you cannot rely on hotel laundry.
Your most valuable possessions are your passport and credit card - anything else you need you can buy.
if traveling somewhere dodgy:
do not get a taxi on the street
a second wallet with out of date cards and some small notes is useful
don't wear a watch
do not economise on hotels or brothels
do not go anywhere without a local guide unless you know what you are doing
Always use a BFO hard shelled case - you won't be carrying it (taxis and porters do that) and in hotels it serves as a safe.
Hang your suit in the bathroom with the shower running to get rid of wrinkles
Carry a spare phone charger
Get Neflix on your ipad.
Carry at least two credit cards and keep one hidden in your BFO case.
A spare passport is useful too, keep it hidden in your BFO case.
Carry some small denomination bills for tipping hotel porters, etc.
If traveling long haul - pop a sleeping pill after dinner, pull the blanket over your head and wake up just before landing.
Bose noise cancelling headphones are essential
As are ear plugs and an eye mask.
Pack one work shirt per day of meetings - you cannot rely on hotel laundry.
Your most valuable possessions are your passport and credit card - anything else you need you can buy.
if traveling somewhere dodgy:
do not get a taxi on the street
a second wallet with out of date cards and some small notes is useful
don't wear a watch
do not economise on hotels or brothels
do not go anywhere without a local guide unless you know what you are doing
Schmalex: sounds like you really slum it! 
...but if you can expense back the FX currency amount from your CC statement, it's irrelevant?
(That may not be the case for everyone)
Our inhouse expenses system always f
ks us on the FX, so we're best to use CC statements as proof of real cost. One Tampa hotel recently would have cost me €127 of my own money to be there for work. fk that!
(Just booked a business trip to Mexico City then NY via Chicago, then I get to see my brother for Thanksgiving weekend. It's cheaper for me to do that than to stay in MX or go to NY over the weekend by €900. All justifiable to make a business trip more palatable.
)
bad company said:
V12 Virgin said:
I know AMEX run an offer with their Gold and Platinum cards that gives you complimentary lounge access. Worth a thought.
Then they charge you 3% (.2.99%) if you use your charge abroad - pay in a foreign currency. I'm about to cancel my AMEX for this reason.(That may not be the case for everyone)
Our inhouse expenses system always f
ks us on the FX, so we're best to use CC statements as proof of real cost. One Tampa hotel recently would have cost me €127 of my own money to be there for work. fk that!(Just booked a business trip to Mexico City then NY via Chicago, then I get to see my brother for Thanksgiving weekend. It's cheaper for me to do that than to stay in MX or go to NY over the weekend by €900. All justifiable to make a business trip more palatable.
)gl20 said:
Dick Dastardly said:
Some good tips here. My addition to this is how to always have crease free shirts without the worry or hassle of ironing them.
1. Put a couple of disposable clothing hangers (the wire ones that dry cleaning come with) in your suitcase. You need these as many hotel hangers are the ones that can only be used within their wardrobes.
2. When you arrive at the hotel, whack the shower on full blast as hot as it'll go.
3. Hang your shirts in the bathroom, close the door and leave them to it.
4. 10 mins later venture into the fog and turn the shower off. You have (slightly damp but) wrinkle free shirts/polos/t-shirts/blazers.
You beat me to this one. But one tweak. If they have those wardrobe only hangers then you can use a belt and loop this through 3-4 hangars and wrap/buckle round the shower rail. Voila! No need to take your own hangars.1. Put a couple of disposable clothing hangers (the wire ones that dry cleaning come with) in your suitcase. You need these as many hotel hangers are the ones that can only be used within their wardrobes.
2. When you arrive at the hotel, whack the shower on full blast as hot as it'll go.
3. Hang your shirts in the bathroom, close the door and leave them to it.
4. 10 mins later venture into the fog and turn the shower off. You have (slightly damp but) wrinkle free shirts/polos/t-shirts/blazers.
NEVER EVER travel with colleagues. Fine if you meet at the hotel at location but actually travelling together - No. Never - Always find an excuse not to.
Safety wise: Get low level hotel rooms. On planes take aisle seats. Sit over-wing whenever possible. Be ready for an incident. Punch anyone trying to retrieve their hand luggage if there is an incident. Never offer your name first - ask people who they are picking up. Don't hang around in arrivals or departures.
Travel on your terms - make time to play with the travel booking system, know your travel policy inside out. Never spend money you wouldn't spend on your self if you were paying. Equally, don't spend less than you would if you were paying. In my head this means never more than 250 a night for a single occupancy room, usually not more than 150. Never more that 50 for dinner per head, never more than 40 quid on vino. pre dinner beers on own tab usually, etc. If things do get out of hand for whatever reason on cost then adjust it back down with your own money. I have submitted many receicts where I've made a 'adjustment for excuberance'.
Do absolutely everything you can to avoid missing the family time but if you have to then do it with style and enjoy the weekend away i.e. don't race around trying to get home or trying to get to meetings.
Never leave home on a Sunday afternoon or evening - depression central. Never travel on a Friday - always come home Thursday night even if you walk in the front door at 1:30am.
Loaded iPad, Economist audio edition, external battery, cables, spare passport, leave expensive watch at home, etc, etc - most mentioned already
Alway be ready for the fk-up - while everyone else is queuing for the counter when a flight gets cancelled get on the phone to the travel agent and get them to book another. Never wait for lost luggage, it'll catch you up. Always carry spare smalls in your hand baggage.
If you're going to be repeat business for a hotel - tell them! Don't expect them to figure it out - say I'm going to be here x out of the next y weeks. can you help me - keep a case for me over the weekend, give me the same room each time, do me a deal on laundry or breakfast or internet, etc.
Grab a hire car at weekends - even if it's on your dime - go explore.
Pret-a-Manger at the airport is preferable to ANY short haul flight food.
and on.
Safety wise: Get low level hotel rooms. On planes take aisle seats. Sit over-wing whenever possible. Be ready for an incident. Punch anyone trying to retrieve their hand luggage if there is an incident. Never offer your name first - ask people who they are picking up. Don't hang around in arrivals or departures.
Travel on your terms - make time to play with the travel booking system, know your travel policy inside out. Never spend money you wouldn't spend on your self if you were paying. Equally, don't spend less than you would if you were paying. In my head this means never more than 250 a night for a single occupancy room, usually not more than 150. Never more that 50 for dinner per head, never more than 40 quid on vino. pre dinner beers on own tab usually, etc. If things do get out of hand for whatever reason on cost then adjust it back down with your own money. I have submitted many receicts where I've made a 'adjustment for excuberance'.
Do absolutely everything you can to avoid missing the family time but if you have to then do it with style and enjoy the weekend away i.e. don't race around trying to get home or trying to get to meetings.
Never leave home on a Sunday afternoon or evening - depression central. Never travel on a Friday - always come home Thursday night even if you walk in the front door at 1:30am.
Loaded iPad, Economist audio edition, external battery, cables, spare passport, leave expensive watch at home, etc, etc - most mentioned already
Alway be ready for the f
k-up - while everyone else is queuing for the counter when a flight gets cancelled get on the phone to the travel agent and get them to book another. Never wait for lost luggage, it'll catch you up. Always carry spare smalls in your hand baggage.If you're going to be repeat business for a hotel - tell them! Don't expect them to figure it out - say I'm going to be here x out of the next y weeks. can you help me - keep a case for me over the weekend, give me the same room each time, do me a deal on laundry or breakfast or internet, etc.
Grab a hire car at weekends - even if it's on your dime - go explore.
Pret-a-Manger at the airport is preferable to ANY short haul flight food.
and on.
RC1807 said:
...but if you can expense back the FX currency amount from your CC statement, it's irrelevant?
(That may not be the case for everyone)
Our inhouse expenses system always fks us on the FX, so we're best to use CC statements as proof of real cost. One Tampa hotel recently would have cost me €127 of my own money to be there for work. fk that!
The last place I worked had an exchange rate range, on a £3k hotel bill claiming at the lowest end of the range meant a nice £200 bonus(That may not be the case for everyone)
Our inhouse expenses system always f
ks us on the FX, so we're best to use CC statements as proof of real cost. One Tampa hotel recently would have cost me €127 of my own money to be there for work. fk that!TheGuru said:
55palfers said:
A bit of advice given to me many years ago when I started business travelling.
Expenses.
Don't take the pi55.
I take the opposite view, maximise the benefits to yourself, it is you that is being inconvenienced and made to stay away from family for the benefit of the company. Expenses.
Don't take the pi55.
Don't take the lowest logical airfare, take the one that suits you the best. Similarly with hotels. Learn to play your booking system, the windows for valid fares etc. Our policy was lowest logical airfare within 6 hours of desired flight time, adjusting the flight time could get the better flights on the carriers you want.
Pay as much as possible on personal cards so you get the points (learn how to maximise reimbursements with the exchange rate on your expense system)
Don't do cheap things, like taking buses instead of taxis to save your company money. (unless you have a no receipt policy for purchases under £15, then you say you take taxis but take the bus instead)
I've traveled for massive tech companies for the last 9 years - the expenses all get submitted online and processed in the Philippines - as long as they are in policy nobody ever looks at them
If you worked in my team, your expenses would be under scrutiny every month until either:
A: You got pissed off and left
Or
B: you were moved out of the business for taking the piss
It's entirely up to you
schmalex said:
TheGuru said:
55palfers said:
A bit of advice given to me many years ago when I started business travelling.
Expenses.
Don't take the pi55.
I take the opposite view, maximise the benefits to yourself, it is you that is being inconvenienced and made to stay away from family for the benefit of the company. Expenses.
Don't take the pi55.
Don't take the lowest logical airfare, take the one that suits you the best. Similarly with hotels. Learn to play your booking system, the windows for valid fares etc. Our policy was lowest logical airfare within 6 hours of desired flight time, adjusting the flight time could get the better flights on the carriers you want.
Pay as much as possible on personal cards so you get the points (learn how to maximise reimbursements with the exchange rate on your expense system)
Don't do cheap things, like taking buses instead of taxis to save your company money. (unless you have a no receipt policy for purchases under £15, then you say you take taxis but take the bus instead)
I've traveled for massive tech companies for the last 9 years - the expenses all get submitted online and processed in the Philippines - as long as they are in policy nobody ever looks at them
If you worked in my team, your expenses would be under scrutiny every month until either:
A: You got pissed off and left
Or
B: you were moved out of the business for taking the piss
It's entirely up to you
As somebody else said. If you would;t spend your own money on something don't spend your employers on it.
Olf said:
NEVER EVER travel with colleagues. Fine if you meet at the hotel at location but actually travelling together - No. Never - Always find an excuse not to.
Safety wise: Get low level hotel rooms. On planes take aisle seats. Sit over-wing whenever possible. Be ready for an incident. Punch anyone trying to retrieve their hand luggage if there is an incident. Never offer your name first - ask people who they are picking up. Don't hang around in arrivals or departures.
Travel on your terms - make time to play with the travel booking system, know your travel policy inside out. Never spend money you wouldn't spend on your self if you were paying. Equally, don't spend less than you would if you were paying. In my head this means never more than 250 a night for a single occupancy room, usually not more than 150. Never more that 50 for dinner per head, never more than 40 quid on vino. pre dinner beers on own tab usually, etc. If things do get out of hand for whatever reason on cost then adjust it back down with your own money. I have submitted many receicts where I've made a 'adjustment for excuberance'.
Do absolutely everything you can to avoid missing the family time but if you have to then do it with style and enjoy the weekend away i.e. don't race around trying to get home or trying to get to meetings.
Never leave home on a Sunday afternoon or evening - depression central. Never travel on a Friday - always come home Thursday night even if you walk in the front door at 1:30am.
Loaded iPad, Economist audio edition, external battery, cables, spare passport, leave expensive watch at home, etc, etc - most mentioned already
Alway be ready for the fk-up - while everyone else is queuing for the counter when a flight gets cancelled get on the phone to the travel agent and get them to book another. Never wait for lost luggage, it'll catch you up. Always carry spare smalls in your hand baggage.
If you're going to be repeat business for a hotel - tell them! Don't expect them to figure it out - say I'm going to be here x out of the next y weeks. can you help me - keep a case for me over the weekend, give me the same room each time, do me a deal on laundry or breakfast or internet, etc.
Grab a hire car at weekends - even if it's on your dime - go explore.
Pret-a-Manger at the airport is preferable to ANY short haul flight food.
and on.
Research says stay between floors 7 - 15 and always take a room overlooking the pool. You will generally be in the survivable range of IEDs if you are over 7th floor, yet low enough to escape the burning building quickly in the event of fire. Safety wise: Get low level hotel rooms. On planes take aisle seats. Sit over-wing whenever possible. Be ready for an incident. Punch anyone trying to retrieve their hand luggage if there is an incident. Never offer your name first - ask people who they are picking up. Don't hang around in arrivals or departures.
Travel on your terms - make time to play with the travel booking system, know your travel policy inside out. Never spend money you wouldn't spend on your self if you were paying. Equally, don't spend less than you would if you were paying. In my head this means never more than 250 a night for a single occupancy room, usually not more than 150. Never more that 50 for dinner per head, never more than 40 quid on vino. pre dinner beers on own tab usually, etc. If things do get out of hand for whatever reason on cost then adjust it back down with your own money. I have submitted many receicts where I've made a 'adjustment for excuberance'.
Do absolutely everything you can to avoid missing the family time but if you have to then do it with style and enjoy the weekend away i.e. don't race around trying to get home or trying to get to meetings.
Never leave home on a Sunday afternoon or evening - depression central. Never travel on a Friday - always come home Thursday night even if you walk in the front door at 1:30am.
Loaded iPad, Economist audio edition, external battery, cables, spare passport, leave expensive watch at home, etc, etc - most mentioned already
Alway be ready for the f
k-up - while everyone else is queuing for the counter when a flight gets cancelled get on the phone to the travel agent and get them to book another. Never wait for lost luggage, it'll catch you up. Always carry spare smalls in your hand baggage.If you're going to be repeat business for a hotel - tell them! Don't expect them to figure it out - say I'm going to be here x out of the next y weeks. can you help me - keep a case for me over the weekend, give me the same room each time, do me a deal on laundry or breakfast or internet, etc.
Grab a hire car at weekends - even if it's on your dime - go explore.
Pret-a-Manger at the airport is preferable to ANY short haul flight food.
and on.
A lot of my travel is to Asia and I generally go on a Sunday evening. The 2215 EK flight from LHR to DXB (EK006, I think) is far preferable to the 2040 as it means you get the whole of Sunday day time.
I don't mind travelling with colleagues. All our work is in bomb disposal and counter terrorism, so I find the stories of what they've done in Afghan and Iraq quite fascinating. Rule #1, though, is not sit together. We might have a beer in the on board bar, but would never choose to sit together!
Edited by schmalex on Friday 14th July 20:26
RC1807 said:
Schmalex: sounds like you really slum it!
...but if you can expense back the FX currency amount from your CC statement, it's irrelevant?
(That may not be the case for everyone)
Our inhouse expenses system always fks us on the FX, so we're best to use CC statements as proof of real cost. One Tampa hotel recently would have cost me €127 of my own money to be there for work. fk that!
(Just booked a business trip to Mexico City then NY via Chicago, then I get to see my brother for Thanksgiving weekend. It's cheaper for me to do that than to stay in MX or go to NY over the weekend by €900. All justifiable to make a business trip more palatable. )
To be fair, we really don't slum it! Long haul is always J or F, hotels are always 5*. bad company said:
V12 Virgin said:
I know AMEX run an offer with their Gold and Platinum cards that gives you complimentary lounge access. Worth a thought.
Then they charge you 3% (.2.99%) if you use your charge abroad - pay in a foreign currency. I'm about to cancel my AMEX for this reason.(That may not be the case for everyone)
Our inhouse expenses system always f
ks us on the FX, so we're best to use CC statements as proof of real cost. One Tampa hotel recently would have cost me €127 of my own money to be there for work. fk that!(Just booked a business trip to Mexico City then NY via Chicago, then I get to see my brother for Thanksgiving weekend. It's cheaper for me to do that than to stay in MX or go to NY over the weekend by €900. All justifiable to make a business trip more palatable.
)However, for example, I arrived in Bangkok yesterday (Jul 14) and will get back home to UK on Jul 24. I then fly to Kuala Lumpur on Jul 28 and on to Jakarta on Jul 30 and back to UK on Aug 2. I've then got a week with my family in Spain and then fly to Canada on Aug 20 and then Australia on Sep 2. That's the planned stuff. Today, I picked up emails asking me to go to Vietnam, Sao Paolo and Mexico City for client discussions.
If we skimped on travel, I (and my colleagues and team members) would simply up and leave. When you travel a lot, travelling well Isn't a luxury, it's an absolute necessity
GT03ROB said:
schmalex said:
TheGuru said:
55palfers said:
A bit of advice given to me many years ago when I started business travelling.
Expenses.
Don't take the pi55.
I take the opposite view, maximise the benefits to yourself, it is you that is being inconvenienced and made to stay away from family for the benefit of the company. Expenses.
Don't take the pi55.
Don't take the lowest logical airfare, take the one that suits you the best. Similarly with hotels. Learn to play your booking system, the windows for valid fares etc. Our policy was lowest logical airfare within 6 hours of desired flight time, adjusting the flight time could get the better flights on the carriers you want.
Pay as much as possible on personal cards so you get the points (learn how to maximise reimbursements with the exchange rate on your expense system)
Don't do cheap things, like taking buses instead of taxis to save your company money. (unless you have a no receipt policy for purchases under £15, then you say you take taxis but take the bus instead)
I've traveled for massive tech companies for the last 9 years - the expenses all get submitted online and processed in the Philippines - as long as they are in policy nobody ever looks at them
If you worked in my team, your expenses would be under scrutiny every month until either:
A: You got pissed off and left
Or
B: you were moved out of the business for taking the piss
It's entirely up to you
As somebody else said. If you would;t spend your own money on something don't spend your employers on it.
A bit of both to be honest. The policy is one policy for everywhere. If we go to somewhere like Sydney / Tokyo / New York, it's very easy to get near the limits of the policy on a daily basis. However, somewhere like Bangkok / Hanoi / Bogota, its virtually impossible unless you are really looking to waste money "because you can".
It's swings and roundabouts - All travellers have a responsibility not to waste the company's money and, in turn, the company sets the limits at a sufficient level that we don't have to slum it to do our jobs.
It's swings and roundabouts - All travellers have a responsibility not to waste the company's money and, in turn, the company sets the limits at a sufficient level that we don't have to slum it to do our jobs.
Ah right. So my company gives different food limits for every country in the world, and even different hotel limits for towns and cities within countries. The rates tend to have the equivalent 'buying power' world wide. But it's got a mobile workforce of nearly 400,000 people and therefore making it easy is important. We can't be examining every claim.
BenjiS said:
Ah right. So my company gives different food limits for every country in the world, and even different hotel limits for towns and cities within countries. The rates tend to have the equivalent 'buying power' world wide. But it's got a mobile workforce of nearly 400,000 people and therefore making it easy is important. We can't be examining every claim.
Our policy has 2 aspects, for the most part it's per diem, which varies country to country & city to city. It's a fixed amount, no receipts, do what you want. There are also aspects & circumstances where "actual & reasonable" apply. It's with this aspect that the piss taking can go on. There are fairly clear guidelines, but still the usual suspects will try it on.Fiddling expenses is the easiest way in the world to get fired.
In my firm there is no policy as such - I am given a company credit card and told to get on with it.
Hotels - I choose one in the area I want to stay in, it is never the most expensive nor is it the cheapest. If the range is $1,000 for the Mandarin Oriental or $80 a night for a fleapit, I would choose a $300 a night Sheraton / Marriott etc. The most important thing is that the hotel is in the right area.
Flights - I always buy economy class, and never the cheapest route but always the most convenient.
Meals - I do a lot of entertaining, so spend a lot on this.
TIP - don't let your guests choose the wine! Most won't take the piss but some might. if you are not a wine buff (I am not) then put together a 'go to' wine list that there is a good chance most places will have. Never order the cheapest wine either as you will look penny pinching. $80- $100 a bottle should get you a reasonable one.
TIP - if you have a lot of meetings in one city, try to get THEM to come to YOU at your hotel. Saves an awful lot of traveling time and faffing about with taxis.
TIP - if you are doing presentations, it is cheaper to buy and take your own projector than to hire a hotel projector.
In my firm there is no policy as such - I am given a company credit card and told to get on with it.
Hotels - I choose one in the area I want to stay in, it is never the most expensive nor is it the cheapest. If the range is $1,000 for the Mandarin Oriental or $80 a night for a fleapit, I would choose a $300 a night Sheraton / Marriott etc. The most important thing is that the hotel is in the right area.
Flights - I always buy economy class, and never the cheapest route but always the most convenient.
Meals - I do a lot of entertaining, so spend a lot on this.
TIP - don't let your guests choose the wine! Most won't take the piss but some might. if you are not a wine buff (I am not) then put together a 'go to' wine list that there is a good chance most places will have. Never order the cheapest wine either as you will look penny pinching. $80- $100 a bottle should get you a reasonable one.
TIP - if you have a lot of meetings in one city, try to get THEM to come to YOU at your hotel. Saves an awful lot of traveling time and faffing about with taxis.
TIP - if you are doing presentations, it is cheaper to buy and take your own projector than to hire a hotel projector.
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