Business travel

Road warrior’s survival kit

Before you head off on that business trip, check out our road warrior’s survival kit, brimming with all the essentials to help you travel smart and work more effectively while you’re on the road.

Your suitcase is packed, your passport’s safely stowed and that all-important Expotel hotel booking is printed out and ready to go. But there are some other essentials to bear in mind when travelling on business.

“After one three-hour wait in a tiny, empty airport in Sweden, now I always get the mobile number of whoever’s picking me up at the airport,” says business travel guru Kevin Dolgin, author of Third Tower up the Road (£11.99). Do your research: get directions ahead of time and know the full address of your destination. And it may sound obvious, but check the weather report, too – there’s nothing more embarrassing than arriving at a meeting soaking wet, without a waterproof or umbrella to hand.

Another of Dolgin’s top tips is if you’re working on a train or plane, watch out who can peek at your screen – it’s all too easy to give out competitive info that way. And to be on the safe side, password-lock your laptop and pin-code your phone, too. 

Survival kit check-list

• Dark circles under the eyes is not a professional look, so invest in some ear plugs, an eye mask or, better still, get a SleepMaster (£19.95), which is a mask with a built-in sound muffler.
• Pack as few clothes as possible (take a bit more cash for dry-cleaning in the hotel if necessary) and wear dark colours, which are less likely to show stains or creases. Pack-Mate Original Roll Bags (£9.78 for a pack of 4 from Lakeland) niftily compress your clothes, too.
• We know it’s difficult, but limit yourself on footwear. Wear the shoes you’ll need for business, and maybe one pair of trainers for a visit to the hotel gym, or for more informal gatherings.
• To cut down on suitcase space, have one set of toiletries packed and ready to go, and collect cosmetics samples to pop in your bag. Also, don’t forget those first-aid essentials: antiseptic cream, plasters, painkillers, antihistamine cream (such as Anthisan, £3.75 for 25g) and diarrhoea solutions (Dioralyte Standard, £3.70 for six sachets).
• Be canny with your credit cards. Keep details of the telephone numbers you need to cancel them, complete with international codes, if the worst comes to the worst. Take two or three cards, keeping them separate, so you’ll never be stranded for cash or payment.
• Take a small alarm clock – better to be safe than sorry when it comes to arriving at that seminar, conference or client meeting on time.
• For security, as well as checking your hotel room’s door and window locks, have a small torch on your bedside table in your hotel room for emergencies.
• And finally, remember to stay in touch. Contact with friends and family – whether that’s by phone, instant messenger or email – is an essential for surviving business travel!

Expotel is on hand 24/7 to help with your travel needs – call 0844 793 7300 for more information.

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