How to plan a flawless business trip

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There’s many reasons why you may be heading out on a business trip, whether it’s to meet a new client, liaise with existing customers or perhaps simply going on a training course, the fact is these are part and parcel of the business world.

With this in mind though, if you don’t properly organise them they can turn into a logistical nightmare that can end up costing your company much more than you anticipated. So to avoid this, read on to find out just what you need to do to plan a flawless business trip.

Pre-book your Accommodation

Regardless of how many staff you intend to send out on the trip, the accommodation if they’re staying overnight is a key element. The last thing you’ll want is tired and irritable employees representing your company, so this needs to be sorted well in advance.

Look for hotels close to the location of the meeting (some are often held in the same place) and then book comfortable and affordable rooms as soon as you know when the event will be. Also, remember to check from distances from train stations and if there’s any car parking.

Arrange Travel

On the subject of travel, you should also consider how you staff will get to their destination. Hiring a car is one option and saves on spending more on individual tickets, however you’ll need to entrust the driving responsibilities to team members you can count on.

There’s also other options to consider that cuts out the middleman; companies like Reed & Mackay specialise in managing corporate travel for you – in turn saving you the time and effort or sorting this out yourself.

Gather your Documentation

With the transport and accommodation arranged, you should go about creating an itinerary and gathering together all the documents you need to have – from ID to business cards and invoices. Put these into packs for each team member and make sure they have them with them when they need them.

Appoint a Team Leader

Lastly, you need to appoint a team leader for the business trip. This should either be a senior member of the team, or to a lesser extent someone who you can trust to be responsible and sort out any issues en route.

If you put the above suggestions in to place, you’ll be well on your way to a successful and indeed cost-effective trip. So if you are looking to organise something with your company, be sure to use the above advice.

from Finance Girl http://www.financegirl.co.uk/how-to-plan-a-flawless-business-trip/