5 tips for successful business trips

Employees should make realistic plans before a business trip: Which meetings are planned where and when? What documents are needed and how do I get from one appointment to the next? It is also important to avoid unrealistic expectations: A meeting directly after an 11-hour flight with a time difference is unnecessarily stressful. Employees then hardly have the concentration for a meeting. It is important to enter every meeting, meal and break in the calendar so that you don't lose track during the journey. Business travelers can also plan their transport options in advance to avoid stress during the trip. They can save time at the airport, for example by checking in online or registering excess baggage in advance, e.g. when transporting trade fair equipment.

The purpose of a business trip should be clearly outlined before the trip begins: What is to be achieved, who is to be addressed personally and which contacts are to be established. For inexperienced employees in particular, it is important to have clear goals and tasks to guide them. Travelers should also be familiar with the strongest arguments for their company or product and take important materials with them. These should have a high-quality design and be transported carefully so that they arrive crease- and wrinkle-free. This is the only way to make a good impression on business partners and customers. If they are traveling abroad, employees should also practice introducing themselves and their company clearly and correctly in just a few sentences.

Electronic devices are part of modern business life. But whether laptop, smartphone or tablet - they all need power. Employees should use available power sources on trains, at airports or in waiting areas to charge their devices. Then they can relax and work on them during the flight without worrying about the remaining battery power. It is also worth using existing WiFi services, for example at the airport, and downloading important work documents before the flight takes off. This allows business travelers to continue working on planes without an internet connection and look at important documents again. A power bank can also be useful if a device needs power but there is no power socket nearby. Don't forget: In some countries, business travelers need adapters.

Even in digital times, business cards are still important. On the one hand, they are a figurehead for every company and represent it. On the other hand, they help to shape the first few minutes of a meeting. Important: the business card should be neatly designed, crease-free and clean. Handwritten improvements and additions should not be made as they look unprofessional. A business card case is worthwhile for business travelers so that they do not have to pull their cards out of their trouser pockets and at the same time have a place where they can store the cards they receive from business partners. As some countries, such as Japan, have special rituals for handing over business cards, business travelers should find out about them in advance.

Business travelers can save time and stress by being smart and observant. At airport security, for example, it is usually not how long the queue is, but who is in front of you. A queue with frequent business travelers will move more quickly than one with newcomers or tourists, as they have to laboriously dig change, cell phones and liquids out of various bags. Frequent flyers, on the other hand, are familiar with the security check procedure and have already prepared everything. It can be worthwhile for business travelers to take a virtual tour of the airport or train station before arrival, especially when changing planes or having a short layover. Many airports, as well as Google Street View, offer this function, which allows travellers to find their way around more quickly and easily in order to get from A to B in the shortest possible time. Another tip: color-code your own suitcase. Although hardly anyone will check in colorful luggage on a business trip, if everyone uses black suitcases, it will be difficult to find your own at the baggage carousel. A colorful ribbon around the suitcase or an eye-catching cloth on the handle will help you find your suitcase quickly and is also easy to remove.

* This text was created in cooperation with Cewe-Print