5 Essential Tips For When Business Takes You Out Of Town

Getting paid to experience different parts of the country or the world is a major job perk. Business trips can be profitable and enriching, but they can also leave you struggling to manage your business or team. If you’re going out of town anytime soon, there are five essential tips you need to know to keep the business running smoothly.

Find Everything You Need

Every business is unique and needs different things to keep it running effectively. When going out of town, make sure your destination will have everything you need. What that includes will vary depending on your job, but here are some common suggestions.

Reliable internet access. Even if your business isn’t centered around technology, you’ll still need to make sure you can keep in touch with your bosses or team back home.

Access to necessary equipment. Whether it’s hiring a lighting crew for a movie or renting a heavy-duty truck for a construction job, make sure you can find the equipment you’ll need. You don’t want to get there and discover you can’t get the job done.

Contacts who can help you. If possible, find a person in your industry who lives in the place you’re traveling to and is willing to help you out. They’ll know the ins and outs of doing business in their town.

Consider Where You’re Staying

You’ll need a hotel or short-term rental that’s close to where you’ll be doing business, and provides for your needs.

Find a place with good reviews that mention cleanliness, good service, and reliability.

Make sure they have reliable and secure internet access.

Look for perks that will make your stay more pleasant.

Shop around before you book to see if you can find better prices for the same place on different sites.

Go Virtual

Putting effective virtual teams in place makes a business run smoothly no matter where you are. Here’s a quick checklist.

Can your team communicate effectively from different locations?

Does everyone have access to work files and systems from their computers?

Can problems be communicated and solved promptly?

Does everyone know what the procedure is for passing a problem to someone higher up?

Set up a protocol for working virtually that gives you confidence the company will continue running smoothly while you’re away.

Pack For All Situations

You never know when you’ll need to have a spontaneous business lunch or coffee outing. It pays to be prepared, so here are a few packing ideas.

Put a spare business-appropriate outfit in your carry-on. If you end up having to go from your flight to a meeting you’ll be able to change in the bathroom and be on your way.

Put must-have grooming and care products in your carry-on in case you need to freshen up quickly.

Avoid checking a bag if possible. This will speed up your travel process and you won’t have to worry about lost luggage.

Bring at least one formal attire outfit. Even if you don’t think you’ll need it, it’s better to be prepared than to find yourself rushing to the store.

Consider every possible situation you might need to dress for and pack accordingly.

Get Into A Routine

The best way to avoid getting tired out when you travel is to establish a routine.

Get a solid night’s sleep before you travel.

Don’t let yourself nap at times that you normally wouldn’t.

Try to eat meals at your usual times.

Eat fruits and veggies to give you energy and nutrients.

Avoid consuming more caffeine than usual.

Do your best to structure your day around what your normal routine would be.

Most people stay on alert when they travel, even if they don’t realize it. This can be hard on the body so try to make up for it by maintaining your usual routine.

Everyone wants their trip to go as smoothly as possible. Set yourself up for success by following these five essential tips when business takes you out of town.