Tag Archive for: Travel

Life Hacks: 3 Tips for Hassle Free Business Travel

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Woman travelling - airportBeing on the road can be stressful. Tricks of the trade can minimize projected headaches of travel and keep you cool and collected, like a true professional. Here are some simple life hacks that can speed up and calm down your business travel plans whether domestically or abroad.

Tip 1: Download Useful Apps

One of the most targeted apps for business travelers is Worldmate, which combines all your travel booking info (flights, hotels, cars, etc.) to create both business travel and meeting agenda itineraries. The app also aggregates smartphone features such as world clocks, maps, weather info, and both Outlook and LinkedIn options so your itinerary can be shared among colleagues and peers.

Packpoint is a free new packing app that organizes what you need based on travel length, weather, activities and your agenda. It even cross-references which tech gadgets you’ll need for where you’re traveling. Check out this video that displays its capabilities. It even has a ‘business trip’ option for clothes packing. PackPoint “will assemble a list of clothing, toiletries, gadgets, accessories,” and more for your tailored trip.

Fast Company favors the app ahead of Google Now, for example, writing that “a predictive system like Google Now would know your preferences intimately enough just to tell you to remember bike shorts. But PackPoint leverages a relatively spartan interface to learn a whole lot about you and your trip in a very short amount of time.”

Having problems with jet lag? The app Entrain can solve your sleeping habit woes. Developed at the University of Michigan, Entrain is an advanced alarm clock/calculator that allows users to share their sleeping habit data (wake up time, bedtime, time zone and amount of light exposure you are used to receiving. Then a lighting schedule is provided to help prevent or overcome jet lag.

Out of the country and need help converting to the local currency? No problem. The Converted by Ideon app is an all-in-one converter that not only covers your visiting country’s currency but its imperial-metric and conversions., Americans are the only ones still using the Dewey Decimal system and after many hours on a plane, jetlag can interfere with even the most talented mathematicians.

The Converted interface is very slick, and users can drag their converter bars of choice on to their screen, keeping your information private.

In a foreign country and need a quick translation for something like “where’s the bathroom”? iStone can help you in a language jam. It records and translates into 12 languages and carries more than 300 useful phrases in its data arsenal. It also features a native pronunciation feature. Better yet, it is also free and doesn’t require Wi-Fi.

Tip 2: Join loyalty programs

Whichever airline and hotel chain you frequent the most when travelling on business, joining their loyalty and frequent flyer miles programs can save you not only money, but time, and even buy you some convenience in the process.

American Airlines Business Extra program, for example, gives you incentive points for a variety of things, including the ability for your company to earn points for employee benefits with American Airlines, US Airways and US Airways Express, plus earn points on any AA flights operated by British Airways, Japan Airlines and more.

Being on the road can be stressful. Tricks of the trade can minimize projected headaches of travel and keep you cool and collected, like a true professional.

If you fly two trips per month, you and your company will reap some hefty gains. Two flights per month for a year will earn you approximately 2,160 points, including early check-ins, flight upgrades and more.

Delta also has a similar Sky Bonus program that earns your company points each time an employee from the company flies with their airline, or joint venture partners Air France, KLM and Atitalia. The company can redeem by seat upgrades, Sky Club passes and more.

Tip 3: Power Packs, Backups and Outlets

It’s always a good idea to have a handy all-in-one power adaptor, like the Travel Smart by Conair. These models generally utilize the four most common adaptor plugs (grounded and un-grounded) around the globe, covering Europe, Asia, Australia/New Zealand, North/South America, and parts of Africa. It also accommodates European appliances used in the U.S. The all-in-ones also have a surge protector to keep your appliances safe from foreign electricity spikes.

It’s handy to have a portable charger in your pack. Mophie has some great products for phones, such as dock solutions, belt-clips and USB cables. Portable powerstations are also sold to cover every piece of technology you might have, from your laptop to your iPad.

If you have an iPhone, one of the more innovative models Mophie has to offer is the smartphone juice pack battery, which delivers more than 100% extra battery directly to your phone 24/7, and can also double as a protective shell for your device.

As simplistic as they may be, these tips can give a little extra ammo to the savvy traveler, saving you time, money and a little convenience. Happy trails!

By Gina Scanlon

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Business Travel Hacks: Europe

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Woman travelling - airportYou’ve likely taken an international business trip or two where you wished you’d been more prepared; whether it be learning about that new travel app, electronic item, or the insider scoop on the best modes of local transportation. Below are a few suggestions to keep in mind for your next professional venture to the United Kingdom and/or the European continent.

Travel Preparation

Make sure you have the following items in your luggage: European travel adaptor, dual voltage hair dryer, and travel iron. The UK and Ireland has different voltage to the rest of continental Euorpe. Toiletry items generally need to be stored in less than 100ml containers to take them in hand luggage on the flight.

When it comes to communication, a lot of travelers aren’t aware that they can stay connected to their U.S. mobile phone without paying international penalty fees. Google Voice has a ‘Hangouts’ app that requires an unlocked phone and a prepaid SIM card. You can pay as little as $13 a week for unlimited calls and limited data, and some SIM cards are available for $30 a month or under.

The hardest thing about going this route is unlocking your phone, since most smartphones are locked when you purchase them. There are a few easy ways around this.T-Mobile offers a free unlock code within 40 days of being a customer, and AT&T will do the same after 60 days, up to five times a year. You also have the option of paying a one-time fee through a third-party service which usually runs around $20.

Luckily, we live in the age of the smartphone, which allows you to pack much lighter with apps that help you with casual translations, exchange rates, jet lag, packing and organizing your trip schedule and more.

Out of many free and useful smartphone apps, there are a couple in particular that may help you while in Europe. iStone can swiftly help you in a translation debacle. It records and translates into 12 languages and carries more than 300 useful phrases in its data arsenal. It also features a native pronunciation feature. Better yet, it doesn’t require Wi-Fi. Worldmate is also handy for business travelers, combining all your travel booking info (flights, hotels, cars, etc.) to create both business travel and meeting agenda itineraries. The app also aggregates smartphone features such as world clocks, maps, weather info, and both Outlook and LinkedIn options so your itinerary can be shared among colleagues and peers.

Finally, make sure you are aware of the UK’s emergency number (999) and keep in mind that the current exchange rates change everyday.

“pharmacists are more useful as a contact point for a person whose health is in question in Europe than they are allowed by law to be in the US.”

Customs and Transportation

The European Union is vastly diverse, and even if a country uses English as its official, or secondary language, common customs in Sweden and Portugal may be surprisingly adverse to each other. Here a few European customs to be aware of and avoid:

Free drink ‘refills’ are not customary in Europe. Tipping isn’t a necessity, though if the service went above and beyond, a small tip is customary. 18-20% is definitely an American custom. Keep in mind that if you are driving after consuming alcohol, the blood alcohol levels vary by country, so you may want to review them.

About Travel notes that “pharmacists are more useful as a contact point for a person whose health is in question in Europe than they are allowed by law to be in the US.” If you happen to be closer to a pharmacy than a hospital, you may find the services you need there.

You can check out an array of country specific local customs on Virtual Tourist. The site includes comments from travelers who post things like customary greeting advice. For example, “The Austrian’s don’t greet each other like Germans with “Guten Tag”, instead you will hear a hearty “Grüß Gott!” (it means “Greet God”)” when entering a premises.

When it comes to making dining reservations, Forbes veteran travel journalist Larry Olmstead recommends using your hotel concierge. It is easier to get into the top restaurants this way, as well as saves you the hassle of trying to book online on a website in a foreign language. “Even if you can do it yourself, he writes, “the concierge at a top hotel like the Four Seasons or Peninsula has more clout and is likely to get a better table and the time you want.” He also mentions that it is important to tip the concierge, even if tipping in restaurants isn’t customary.

by Gina Scanlon

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Business Travel to China: Dos and Don’ts

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Woman travelling - airport

By Gina Scanlon

China has proven itself to be a leading economic giant that continues to grow exponential sources of revenue for companies in the United States. VP of research for the Global Business Travel Association, Joe Bates, states that China is expected to surpass the U.S. as the world’s most dominant business travel market by 2016. Which is why learning more about their business culture may prove fruitful for managers and executives traveling to the Asian continent.

Westerners traveling to China on business sometimes have an unsettling feeling that they’ll do or say something potentially embarrassing or offensive without even realizing it.

It happened to management consultant Scott Margolis while making a video presentation to a room of Chinese credit card executives in Shanghai. “As I hooked up my laptop to the projector, a desktop photo of my three children went on the screen for 20 to 30 seconds while I was looking for something in my computer bag,” he recalls about the 2007 incident. “The room got very quiet.”

This is something that would go without a second thought in the western world, but displaying a family of multiple children in a country that only allows one child per family came off insensitive, and even worse, possibly insulting. The country has since begun to loosen this particular rule, but nonetheless, situations like this should be avoided at all costs.

Here are a few pointers to keep in mind before you arrive.

Business Etiquette Tips
  • Punctuality is extremely important. Being late in Chinese business culture is an insult.
  • When either handing or receiving something to another, it is customary to do so with both hands, and with a slight bow.
  • Patience and politeness is important, and it is customary for Chinese executives to make business decisions slowly. So be prepared for a bit of possibly long-winded pomp and circumstance at the beginning of your business talks. You may be asked to give a short speech as well, so go prepared. Do not interrupt a fellow business partner during conversation, as it can be seen as pushy and impatient.
  • Refrain from touching anyone’s head at any time, as the head is considered sacred.
  • Learn how to use chopsticks correctly. When putting them down, do not put them parallel on top of the bowl, or inside the bowl. Placing them in the bowl is considered insensitive as they resemble joss sticks (incense), which are used in religious ceremonies.
  • It is customary to try a piece of every dish if you do not have any allergies. Failure to do so will come off rude. But make sure you don’t take the last piece of anything as this can come off greedy.
  • Remove your shoes when entering private homes and temples.
  • If you are handed a gift, it is customary to show appreciation, but save opening it for later to show good taste. And if giving a gift, avoid clocks or books. ‘To give a clock’ in Mandarin sounds like ‘attend a funeral’ and to ‘give a book’ sounds like ‘delivering defeat.’
  • Don’t write anything in red ink, as it is used for letters of protest.
Transportation and Traveling Tips
  • For translation help, Pieco is a popular free app, and only costs $14.95 to purchase the optical character recognition function for your iPhone. For example, you can use your phone to get an instant translation of a Chinese menu item with this feature.
  • This one may come as a surprise, but toilet tissue is rarely available in public places in China, so make sure to bring your own.
  • Pack a multi-device charger, like a Chargepod, for your journey.
  • If you hold a U.S. passport, you won’t need a visa to enter Hong Kong if your trip is under 30 days. But you will need a visa for mainland China. You may need a multiple-entry visa depending on your travel plans.
  • According to CNN.com, taxi drivers in Shanghai are burdened with small bills. They prefer the jingle of coins, which seems to be the opposite sentiment from the United States. However, in northern in western China, market vendors prefer paper money and may reject coins.
  • If you are required to leave the major cities, be advised that there will be limited signs in English.
  • It is advised to take a business card from your hotel’s front desk upon arrival, which will have the hotel’s address in both English and Chinese, which can help with cab rides.
  • Your usual health products can be challenging to find in China, as they are mostly in Chinese, so you may want to ask your GP to prescribe an infection-fighting drug in case you may need one. Imodium may also prove helpful due to the difference in ingredients in the cuisine you may be used to.

Hopefully these tips will help make your time in China successful and stress-free. Knowledge is power!

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