Having to go abroad for business can be exciting and nerve-wracking all at once. It can also be frustrating. Though it’s great for the business, it does limit your chances of enjoyment. You’re not going there on holiday you’re going for business. But to make sure the trip goes smoothly and you can do the best for your business you’ll need to take some factors into account. A lot of these may be things you’re already familiar with. Some of them, you won’t be.
Here are some of the most important factors you need to think about if you have to do business abroad.
Where Are You Going?
You need to take into account where you’ll be going on business. Will it be simply a different country? Or will it be a different continent? The country you’re visiting may have different customs and cultures you’ll need to be familiar with. These might have a big bearing on how you conduct your business. If you’re meeting with clients from foreign countries, you’ll need to know how to act around them. You’ll have to be aware of the way in which they conduct business. You’ll need to adapt to this and make sure you behave in the same way to show respect.
How Long Will You be There?
You’re going to need to think about the length of time you will be at your destination for. It could just be for a couple of days. Or you might be there for a few weeks. Take into account how long you’ll be there and make sure you have everything with you. The last thing you want to do is to forget something important when you’re halfway around the world. You need to be sure you have all the relevant business documentation and products with you. Plan for all this before you leave so you won’t forget anything.
Transportation
It will be important to take into account the kind of transportation you’re going to use when you reach your destination. And also how you’re going to get to your destination. Flying will be the most likely and preferable means, and you’ll have the chance to do some work on the plane. When you arrive, you need to think about transportation. You could always use public transport to get around, but that’s not practical. The best bet’s going to be to click here and get a business lease for a car. This way you can get around as and when you want to, and you don’t need to worry about timings. But you need to bear in mind that some countries drive on the opposite side of the road to what you might be used to.
Travel Insurance
Of course, you should never travel without travel insurance. You want to make sure you’re protected when you go abroad. You need to help yourself and your business in the event of accident or injury. Insurance will also cover your possessions in the event of loss, damage or theft. This is important as it protects your business assets, giving you peace of mind when you’re on foreign soil. Hunt around online and you’ll be able to find great deals for travel insurance that suit your situation. But whatever you do don’t even think about flying without travel insurance. This is a foolish move and will leave you and the business vulnerable should anything happen.
Money
Make sure you don’t forget about money. It’s easy to assume you’ll be able to change your money up once you get there. This might be true, but you may not get the best rates for your money if you do this. Make sure you hunt around and look for the best currency exchange options available. Doing this well in advance might mean you get a better rate still. You might want to think about taking a combination of money and travelers checks. This will mix things up a little and might be safer. You could of course always use your credit card, but many credit cards have charges for foreign use. Check yours out before using to make sure you don’t get stung by any hidden fees.
Security
One of the key things to think about when you travel abroad for business is security. This is something that you should account for any time you travel abroad. But it’s even more important when traveling abroad. You’re in a foreign environment and a different culture. Things might work much differently to where you’re from. It’s important to protect yourself, and also to protect your assets. You may want to think about carrying traveler’s checks instead of money as this is safer, and you can be reimbursed if they’re lost. Think about wearing a money belt as well underneath your clothes. You can carry this with you at all times and carry important documents in it like your passport. When you get to your hotel, you should think about getting a safe if your room doesn’t already have one. If there’s anything valuable that you need to keep safe, you can always ask the hotel to keep it behind the reception desk for you. Aside from this just be sensible. Try to stick in public places, and try to avoid going out too much at night on your own.
Tourism
Okay, yes, you are going abroad for business, not pleasure. But if you’re there a while you might have some time to yourself. If you’re somewhere you’ve never been before this is the perfect opportunity for some tourism. Make sure you have a camera, a map and a guidebook with you. You can wander around doing all the tourist stuff and soaking up the atmosphere of whatever beautiful city you’re in. You can get a taste for a new culture as well as a history lesson at the same time. By taking this approach, you can kill two birds with one stone so to speak. You can enjoy a holiday and a business trip all wrapped up into one. You might want to think about doing as much tourism as you can in one day. You don’t know if and when you’ll have time to do so again.
Packing
Don’t forget about the packing. Of course, you won’t forget to pack. But you might forget to pack the right stuff. As well as clothes you’ll also need to pack any business related possessions that you’ll need for the trip. Your phone, laptop, and briefcase will be essentials. You might consider packing spares in case anything goes wrong. Don’t forget important documents and any branded merchandise you can hand out, like pens and keyrings. You’ll need to pack in a light and efficient manner. Remember you will have a luggage allowance, and if you exceed it you’ll be looking at extra cost.
Featured image credit: ShutterStock
