Corporate travel is an essential and unavoidable part of doing business. While it may seem as if remote conferences and phone calls have taken over the business world, there are many instances where in-person meetings are necessary. Showcasing a new product at an exhibition, visiting manufacturing facilities, closing deals with clients, and attending team-building events are just some examples. 

Unfortunately, corporate travel is often stressful. It becomes even more so if it’s not planned correctly and in advance. There are countless details to iron out, plane or train tickets to buy, and hotels to book. Forget one, and you might end up missing a meeting, losing an important document, or even being stranded at an airport. 

That’s why regardless of the purpose of a business trip, it’s crucial to plan ahead and carefully. Doing so helps ensure that your company trip goes as smoothly as possible. 

While many organizations choose to hand over business travel planning duties to corporate travel management companies, some opt to do it themselves. If you have a company trip on the horizon and want to give business travel planning a shot, consider following these tips for a smooth and stress-free experience.

Create a Clear and Detailed Itinerary

An itinerary is a schedule, typically broken down into days, of your business trip. The ideal itinerary includes information on destinations and the times you should arrive there, routes, transportation methods, and other details relevant to your travels. 

Your business trip itinerary should also include details of all meetings, presentations, and other activities. Make sure to call ahead to confirm the dates and times.

A clear and detailed itinerary is a useful thing to have, as it allows travelers to make the most of their time. Travelers can quickly refer to it if they need details on any aspect of their trip. What’s more, if unforeseen circumstances occur, such as a canceled meeting or a delayed flight, an itinerary makes it easy to get back on track.

Make Arrangements for Travel

Generally, the closer you get to the departure date, the higher prices go on everything from car rentals and plane tickets to airport connections and train reservations. So booking at least a month in advance helps ensure you get more reasonable rates. 

It also gives you enough time to look for deals and compare them. Meanwhile, waiting too long to book can result in higher rates and fewer options. 

Booking in advance also helps you save time and prevents the stress of looking for rides or flights at the last minute. Additionally, it helps you plan your business trip budget accordingly.

Book Accommodation

As with transportation costs, hotel rates are generally lower if you book ahead of time. If you’re traveling with one or more people, consider room-sharing to save even more.

When you call the hotel to reserve rooms, make sure to ask them if they have a strong Internet connection, dry cleaning services, a wake-up service, and other things you’ll need during your stay. Note that when you’re calling hotels out of state or in other countries to book rooms, you need to be mindful of time zones.

Prepare Necessary Documents and Equipment

Make sure you, and anyone else traveling with you, have all the documents you need for travel. Some of the documents you need are: 

• Your passport

• Your driver’s license 

• Travel insurance documents

• Reservation/booking documentation 

• Tickets

• Boarding pass

• Itinerary 

• Credit cards

However, if you’re going out of the country, for instance, you likely need to bring more documentation, such as: 

• Your visa

• Your vaccination records 

• Traveler’s checks 

• International driver’s license, if you have one

While traveling, store them in a waterproof travel folder and keep the folder close to you. Once you get to your hotel, you can store them in the safe in your room unless the laws of the country you’re in require that you have them with you at all times.

Pack Only the Essentials

Apart from dressy clothes and suits, you’ll also need to pack more comfortable clothes for traveling and leisure time. Checking the weather forecast for your travel dates, as well as the general climate of your destination, will help you figure out what kind of clothes and shoes to bring. 

You’ll also need to bring a few travel essentials, apart from any essential equipment or tools you need for work. For instance, you will likely need the following: 

• A portable charger

• An adapter, if traveling internationally

• Pens and notebooks

• Your phone

• Earbuds or headphones

• Your laptop 

Provide Attendees With Contact Information of Key People

Whether traveling alone or with colleagues, it’s helpful to have a list of colleagues, clients, and partners you will be meeting on the trip and their contact details. This will come in handy if an unexpected event causes you to be late or miss an appointment or meeting. It also makes it easier to reach out after the event.

Consider Purchasing Travel Insurance

Even if you spend weeks on business travel planning, unforeseen events can throw a wrench in the works. Travel insurance helps protect you, your fellow travelers, and your business from the financial impact of unforeseen events before and after your trip. 

Many providers offer blanket coverage on common risks that arise during business travel. Another option is to purchase only the types of coverage you think you are likely to need. Keep in mind that travel insurance policy rates vary widely depending on factors such as how much coverage is provided and the age of the traveler. 

Some types of travel insurance policies are:

• Trip cancellation or interruption insurance

• Baggage and personal items loss

• Medical insurance 

• Evacuation insurance 

• Life insurance

Hold a Pre-Trip Briefing

If you’re traveling with your employees, consider holding a pre-trip briefing. This is a short talk that helps set expectations for the entire trip. During the briefing, you may want to talk briefly about the purpose of your trip, your destinations, and the people you’ll be meeting. 

You can use the pre-trip briefing as a way to go over your travel safety policy and inform them of ways to access emergency safety and security resources.

Professional Company Trip Planning for a Stress-Free Corporate Travel

The tips and instructions discussed in this article are just some of the many things that need to be done to ensure a safe, productive, and enjoyable trip for corporate travelers. Company trip planning is time-consuming and labor-intensive, but it is essential to the success of your journey. 

For this reason, many organizations turn to travel managers. These professionals have the training, expertise, and experience to meticulously plan business trips. They have access to a wide range of tools and resources to ensure cost-effective and pleasant travel, whether locally or internationally.

CI Azumano is a trusted provider of business travel services. To learn more, contact us today.