Egor Karpovich, CEO of Travel Code. We are a corporate travel management platform that helps businesses save on every trip.
Executing international business travel successfully can be tricky. There are many variables involved, and even minor mistakes can be frustrating and expensive.
From my time leading a company in the corporate travel space, I’ve seen that a few practical, fundamental lessons can help employers get the biggest possible benefits from their company’s international travel program. Sending employees around the globe to make deals and strengthen partnerships can be a huge opportunity for your business—as long as it is done properly.
Start with safety.
The safety of your travelers should always be your top priority. Sure, you want these trips to be productive from a business perspective, and you want them to be cost-effective, but that only matters after you have checked all of the safety boxes.
As a starting point, monitor travel advisories posted by the U.S. Department of State. Heed any warnings that are posted, and ensure you adjust your foreign business travel plans accordingly.
If you’re working with a travel management company that offers corporate travel services, ask whether the company will provide real-time safety alerts. Having as much information as possible about travel conditions in specific areas can provide peace of mind and avoid taking unnecessary risks.
Know the rules.
Entry rules for international business travelers can be a bit complicated. And, even if you are familiar with the rules in one country or region, there is no guarantee those rules will remain the same moving forward.
When planning any trip, one of the first steps I suggest taking is checking on the current rules in place for business travelers. Confirm that visa requirements are met and everyone in the traveling party has a passport that will grant them access to the destination. Spending extra time checking on these details is far better than running into legal roadblocks once the trip is already underway.
Account for jet lag.
It’s easy to discount the importance of jet lag for the global business traveler. I’ve found many business travelers brush it off and just assume they can deal with a little fatigue while completing their duties overseas.
The reality of the situation isn’t so simple, in my experience. Jet lag can significantly reduce productivity and performance, potentially to the point of putting the whole purpose of the trip in jeopardy. For example, if an employee is too tired to deliver a quality sales presentation, the deal might not come together as expected.
Dealing with jet lag successfully is a matter of proper planning. I recommend allowing for a day at the start of the trip to properly adjust to the local time zone. Building a buffer day into the schedule can help your team catch up on sleep and feel fresh when meetings and other activities begin.
Prepare for communication hurdles.
Communication in the modern world is quick and easy—when you are in your home country. Once you travel abroad, however, things can change in a hurry. In advance of any international trip, check on phone compatibility to determine if your people will need new data plans or even a local SIM card.
It’s also a good idea to download a few resources to your mobile devices that will work when offline. Specifically, having a quality map of the area that you can use even if your device isn’t connected at the time can be a nice fallback option. That way, even if you experience outages with connectivity, you’ll at least have some information to use and the peace of mind that comes with it.
Consider investing in travel insurance.
Does your company have a policy in place regarding the purchase of travel insurance? If not, it’s a good idea to look at this topic and strongly consider making it standard practice to add coverage to the trips you book.
Travel insurance policies can help protect your company against loss as a result of things like health issues, theft, cancellations and delays. International travel is complex, and even with your best planning efforts, it might not always go as expected. Adding a modest investment to the cost of your trip to buy insurance can go a long way toward making sure no major financial losses are incurred.
It’s important to understand that travel insurance policies vary widely from one to the next. You’ll need to dial in the policies you purchase so they properly line up with your needs and don’t cost more than is necessary for the relevant coverage. Develop a relationship with a trusted agent who can point you in the right direction and control your costs without exposing you to excessive risk.
Book far in advance when possible.
One of the key fundamentals of overseas work travel is booking well in advance. There are many benefits to advance booking, and they start with saving money. I’ve written previously about how you’ll generally find better rates when you can lock in a trip well ahead of time. If you have been looking for ways to reduce your overall travel costs, starting to book earlier can go a long way toward trimming your spend.
However, booking early isn’t just about saving money. You’ll also likely find that there are more international travel options available the earlier you make reservations. Appealing choices that will eventually book up might be available if you are making plans months in advance, rather than just weeks.
You don’t need to be scared of international corporate travel. But you also can’t take it for granted. Planning carefully and implementing these strategies can position you to enjoy a tremendous return on investment from the dollars you put into your travel program.
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