Whether you travel once in a while or are a road warrior like me, business travel can be expensive, tedious and even inefficient.
So, how do you make more out of your time out of the office? I have some of my own favorite tips and also asked?Scott Hintz, angel investor and startup advisor and co-founder of TripIt, weigh in. Here are our best suggestions.
Enroll in Global Entry or TSA Pre-Check
Travel often starts off slowly with a tedious security check. Scott suggests enrolling in?Global Entry or?TSA Pre-Check.
?The Global Entry program is starting to go mainstream,? he says, ?but I?m surprised how many people I know who haven?t signed up for it yet.?
It costs $100 to sign up for Global Entry, but it?s good for five years and?includes?membership in Pre-Check. For U.S. domestic travel, Pre-Check membership gets you access to special security lanes at the airport, where you get benefits like not having to take off your shoes or remove your laptop from your bag. The line moves quickly and it?s a lot less hassle.
If you travel internationally, Global Entry allows you to go to a kiosk upon return to the U.S., skipping long immigration lines entirely.
Maximize Your Work Time
Business travel often involves a lot of down time ? there?s plane rides, cab rides, and even nights in hotel rooms. While you may want to sleep, surf the web or watch movies on your iPad, one of the best things that you can do is to plan out your down time to include productive, business-related tasks.
I use my travel down time to write ? everything from articles and blogs to return emails. I also make sure that in between meetings and appearances that I find a location where I can get some real work done that is conveniently located near my next appointments.
I typically turn to my client?Regus?s business lounges since they are in more than 1,800 locations across the globe. This way I can have the privacy that lacks in a coffee shop and resources without giving up convenience and get more done on the road.
Stay Ahead of the Pack
If you are traveling regularly, to maximize your time (and ensure that you don?t forget anything) have a travel bag that you keep packed at all times.
Make sure to include all of the basics that you need every time you travel. For me, this includes staples like my beauty products, make-up, hairbrushes, accessories, shoes, etc. Then, I just add in whatever clothes and extras that I need based on what and where my trip is and? voila! I am all good to go. When I come home from a trip, I replace any items that need to be washed or restocked, so that I can quickly get ready for my next trip.
If you stay at the same hotel regularly, inquire on whether you can store your main bag there to cut down on the back-and-forth. And finally, when possible, only bring a carry-on bag with you. This way, you can avoid the extra fees and wait times that accompany checking bags.
Sign up for TripIt Pro
Since Scott founded the company (although he no longer retains a financial interest in it), he explains the benefits of?TripIt Pro?better than most.
Click here to read more.
Source: Carol Roth (2014). How To Get More Out of Your Business Travel, The Blaze http://www.theblaze.com/contributions/how-to-get-more-out-of-your-business-travel/ published Apr 15, 2014. Viewed Apr 16, 2014.