How to Prepare for a Business Trip? 4 Important Tips

Work doesn’t always take place within the walls of a company’s office. If your duties as a professional include business trips, be prepared for all the situations that may accompany them.

Let’s look at some rules which will help you prepare for a business trip and not forget anything. So, what do you need to take with you and plan ahead in order to feel confident at a business meeting?

Check the transport required for a business trip

The type of transport on which you will reach your destination depends on the distance and urgency of a business trip. If you intend to use the plane – then first of all buy a ticket, and it’s advisable that arrival doesn’t occur at night.

You may also need to rent a car to get to the desired destination, especially in case it’s located some distance from the place of arrival.

For example, your business trip takes place in a suburb of Pittsburgh. Then DAL car rental will be the most convenient way to get there. Anyway, it’s recommended to reserve a car online at 14CARS.COM, where many locations around the world are available. Moreover, drivers who use under 25 rent a car PIT airport or somewhere else can take advantage of corporate offers if the company has an agreement with a rental provider.

It will also be good solution if a representative of the host party is waiting for you at the place. But even in this case, write down several taxi numbers so that in case of force majeure you can safely get to the hotel.

If the company sends its employee on a business trip, it takes care of all expenses for accommodation and transportation. You can order the room yourself or the company will do it for you. Upon completion of the trip, you will be required to provide an expense report and original documents to the accountant.

Choose the right hotel

When you go on a business trip for the first time, it seems that the hotel is far from the most important thing: during the day you will disappear at meetings or seminars, and in the evening you will attend informal meetings or walk around the new city. Consequently, the hotel seems to be just a place to sleep. But how wrong this opinion is, you will understand when you return from a business trip tired and sleepy.

Choosing a hotel for a business trip is perhaps the most difficult stage of all the preparations, so take into consideration the following extra tips:

• Book a hotel near the venue for major meetings

So you will spend less time on the road, which means you can walk more in the evening and sleep in the morning. If it’s impossible, look for a hotel halfway between the airport/train station and work, so that at least after/before the flight, you won’t spend a lot of time and effort on the road.

• Book a room with breakfast included

Who knows how long the meeting will last and whether it will turn out to break out for lunch. You need to eat well in the morning, to survive a difficult working day, and this is easiest to do at the hotel.  

Carefully prepare clothing to take on a business trip

Packing a full suitcase of business suits is not necessary. On a business trip, you need a minimum of clothes, but of course, this depends on the duration you’re your trip. 

In addition to the clothes and shoes, it’s important to stock up on underwear, hygiene products, as well as accessories. In order not to forget at home something important, collect things according to the list. It’s a shame if glasses or contact lenses will be left at home on the bedside table, and shoe brush – in the chest of drawers. It’s very easy to forget such little things.

 Another important and practical advice for those who are going on a business trip: be sure to read the weather forecast for the trip. It may be necessary to add a raincoat or an umbrella to the list.

Don’t forget any important documents 

It’s recommended to prepare for a business trip in the morning, with a fresh mind. Take along a complete set of documents, make copies of the papers and pack everything into files. Most important: you should always have a passport and a travel certificate with you.

Specify in advance the details of the meeting over the phone with your partner. Don’t forget to take stationery trifles (pen, paper, paper clips) that you may need at the most unexpected moment. Of course, your constant companions are a diary and a laptop.

 Don’t forget that business trip also means relaxation after meetings or conferences. Spend leisure time in an unfamiliar place with maximum benefit. 

 Summing it up, a business trip requires thorough preparation if you are traveling to another city or country. After all, you need to not only solve work issues, but also arrange accommodation, flights and collect the most necessary things. A business trip is not only your duty, but also new impressions that are not available in the office. Perhaps, a new business trip could be decisive in your career, thus get ready for it properly!