I have just got back from my first ever overseas business trip to Hong Kong, I was there for a series of meetings which went very well. What did go quite so well was the way in which I planned my trip there, not everything was bad, my private limo airport transfer from Hong Kong airport was great, the hotel was perfect and my schedule was timed to perfection. With this being said, I really struggled with downtime, I did not plan enough things to do during my wait times, I forgot some vital pieces of info and I booked my flights poorly on the way back.

After this eventful trip, I thought I’d jot down a few ideas for how you can learn from my mistakes and plan your next business trip so that it runs smoother than mine did.

Plan For The Downtime

Whether you are planning a business trip abroad or a domestic trip, you are going to need to be well prepared for the amount of waiting that you will have to do. You will find yourself hanging around at the airport, the train station, in your hotel room or even in someone else’s office ahead of your meeting. I would strongly urge that you prepare well for this by taking reading material with you, business reports to brush up on or by downloading movies and games that will keep you occupied when you are in need.

Time and Cost Management

When I booked my flight back from Hong Kong I decided to take the cheapest option possible, this was a good idea as far as business costs go but not such a great idea regarding traveling. I had two transfers on the way home and the total journey time was 40 hours. Whilst I did want to keep costs down, it took me almost 3 days to fully recover from my traveling and this had a negative impact on my business back home. Keeping an eye on costs by all means but don’t trim them down so much that it becomes detrimental to your health and energy.

Listology

Speaking as someone who can be quite forgetful, I would urge that you write several lists around what you will need during your trip. I am not talking here about solely personal items but business information too. If you want your meetings to go to plan then you must ensure that you have all of the necessary information. You should try to ensure that you have both paper and digital copies of everything that you need so that you will never be without those vital pieces of information.

Great Hotel

When it comes to your business costs I would fully recommend getting the best hotel that you can afford. This will be your preparation and relaxation space and if you want to be in the best frame of mind possible for your business meeting then a comfortable and well-located hotel is going to be essential.

So there are my top tips for your next business trip, follow them and you’ll be just fine.