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Top ten tech tips for business travel

Ten top tips for business business travelling.

1. Book transport in advance with a chauffeur app

Planning ahead will make life less stressful when moving from A to B on a business trip in an unknown city. Book open tickets where possible, as meetings can change at the last minute.

If you have a lot of meetings back to back, it can be more economical and less stressful to book a chauffeur to take you between meetings. Using Blacklane’s chauffeur service, you can organise simple transfers from A-B as well as an hourly service to take you from one meeting to the next in comfort.

2. Network effectively with conference apps

If you’re heading to a conference, technology can help you make the most of networking opportunities. However, connecting with the right people can prove difficult. One app that can help with this is Bizzabo, which allows you to connect with and chat to other people attending the same conference. Alternatively, try Unsocial, which looks to connect you with people around you, according to their professional profile.

3. Bring the latest hardware to keep your devices charged

One of the easiest things to forget when dashing out of the house is chargers. Before you go, make sure your chargers and adapters are in your bag, but also pack an external battery pack, for when there is no mains electricity available. Anker produces external battery packs and battery attachments for laptops and mobile phones. The only thing you need to remember is to keep the battery pack charged!

4. Keep in control of your expenses

Claiming expenses after a business trip can be time time-consuming – especially given it’s so easy to misplace receipts.

If you’re looking for a tech solution to make claiming back expenses simpler, try the Concur app, which specifically helps with business travel and expensing.

5. Transfer funds internationally without paying extortionate rates

If you need to make international money transfers abroad, there is a risk of paying large hidden fees when sending funds through banks. Tech-savvy business travellers use Transferwise or WorldRemit to transfer money internationally to friends and contacts at a low cost.

6. Make cheap international calls

Making international calls is still expensive. Where possible, connect to wifi and use Skype, Viber, Google Hangouts or UberConference on your mobile to make free voice calls instead of dialling international numbers and incurring hefty roaming charges. WhatsApp is releasing a voice call feature soon too, which is good news for business travellers.

If you will need to call international numbers directly, research international calling plans to bolt on to your normal phone contract ahead of your trip. Some providers allow you to pay a set fixed cost to make as many calls as you like, whereas with other providers, you pay a lower fixed cost and then benefit from reduced rates for each international call you make.

7. Boost your language skills with translation apps

If travelling abroad, it’s obviously a huge advantage to speak the local lingo. However, this won’t always be feasible. It is great to travel with a translation app, which can help you with key words and phrases abroad. The Languages app offers a full dictionary in a range of languages and is available in offline mode.

If you have internet access on the move and are looking for an app with built-in voice recognition, SayHi Translate or Voice Translate Pro might be useful tools.

8. Don’t forget loyalty schemes

If you’re always on the move, it can be prudent to make all you bookings with the same company. Many airlines offer frequent flyer points and air miles, for example. Although the headline price may be lower for an alternative airline, avoid the temptation of short-term savings – in the long-run, you may make far greater savings through reward schemes.

A useful app for monitoring points earned travelling is AwardWallet. This allows you to keep track of flight, hotel and credit card points.

9. An app for last-minute hotel bookings

Staying in the right hotel on business travel is key. Firstly, ensure it is centrally located. Secondly, make sure it has appropriate business facilities available – if you will need to make use of a meeting room during your trip, make sure you book one in advance to avoid disappointment or embarrassment. If you turn up without anything booked, you can always resort to Hotel Tonight to find out what’s available and make a last-minute booking.

10. Decide on the right international data plan

Wireless hotspots can be a godsend when travelling, as they can save you a fortune on overseas data charges. However, with wireless hotspots, there are security risks. Firstly, keep your devices up-to-date with the latest anti-virus protection. In addition, avoid internet banking and entering sensitive information on an open network.

One alternative to wireless hotspots is an internet dongle. There are many different options out there, depending on your data requirements, but it may be worth investigating a plan with your phone provider that compliments your existing phone contract. In the UK, EE allows you to select your phone provider (Orange/T-mobile) and the country you will be travelling to, and it will calculate the data, text and talk bundles available for your trip.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Blacklane .