• Friday, March 29, 2024

tec

9 Travel Tools to Help with Planning a Business Trip

By: Eastern Eye Staff

Intro:

The person who plans corporate travel for their company varies. Corporations designate a team to take care of it; it ensures that they can keep up with the volume. Small businesses, solo operations, and start-ups often take care of it on an individual basis.

Planning travel is not a chore, especially if it’s planned ahead of the takeoff date.

Moreover, you already have most of the tools you need for planning.

The following are nine travel tools to help with planning a business trip.

1. Phone

In 2022, travel agents still exist. Sometimes it makes sense to use your office phone to plan an upcoming business trip.

Whether you call your company’s corporate travel planner, travel agent, or hospitality customer service, the phone remains a helpful planning tool.

2. Computer

It makes sense to use the phone to book travel. To research it, head to your computer. The most efficient way to research availability, prices, and options is online via a desktop.

Computers have the best computing power. Laptops remain the next best computer version. Every business traveler requires a reliable laptop for work and travel.

3. Software

A computer coupled with the software makes planning corporate travel easy. Thanks to their computing power, you can run your company operations on a desktop or laptop.

Common software includes:

  • Customer relationship management
  • Accounting
  • Marketing

Travel software is also available.

Most trip planning software remains free. You can also find extensions for some browsers for free and nominal fees.

Those who plan trips frequently and for large groups benefit from obtaining software maintained by a service provider.

4. Smartphone

When you plan last-minute travel, pull out your smartphone. In 2022, a smartphone can make a full-length movie. Therefore, it can help you plan corporate trips too.

On your smartphone, you can see:

  • Room availability
  • Flight takeoffs and landings
  • Rewards programs
  • Traffic warnings
  • Maps
  • Your calendar

Therefore, use your mobile gadget to plan your trip easily. Then, keep it charged and take it with you to track potential delays.

5. Apps

Applications make smartphones must-have gadgets and trip planning tools. If you have favorite desktop software, you can download the mobile version as an app.

In addition, some apps only have smartphone versions. They focus on the frequent traveler who needs access to up-to-date information promptly.

6. WiFi

If you need to plan a trip in the middle of getting to and from your office, ensure that your smartphone has access to reliable WiFi on top of your data plan.

In some areas of the country, a data plan becomes spotty, even though providers have installed several towers. Sometimes it’s best to use WiFi instead of your data plan.

7. Online Resources

Although business travel experienced a hiccup in 2020 and 2021, forecasters believe that it will rebound in 2022. Online conferencing platforms provided a great alternative. However, humans remain social creatures.

In addition to software and apps, plenty of online resources exist too. These sites provide statistics and helpful information.

Business travel experiences seasonality. Convention and trade show seasons take place from January through April and September through October. Thus, it’s important to book early.

Another online resource to consider is Hotel Engine. It helps business travelers find short- and long-term accommodations across the country.

8. Rewards Programs

Sometimes you have several good rooms and transportation options. Therefore, you almost need to flip a coin to pick them. Instead, pick the hotel, airline, and transportation based on the best rewards programs.

When all things seem equal, use the rewards program as a planning tool. Remember that the hospitality industry knows that corporate travelers offer lucrative income.

9. Reviews

When planning corporate travel, reviews become tools. It helps to know what previous travelers said about a car rental location, hotel, or airline.

Staying at a new hotel comes with some risk, even if it’s part of a chain. If the line at an airport car rental company is too long consistently, it’s best to pick another.

Therefore, take a look at the feedback that fellow travelers post.

Conclusion

It’s possible to plan corporate travel efficiently. You already have the tools that you need. Use your computer, smartphone, software, and apps to get the ball rolling. Then, round them out with online resources, rewards programs, and reviews.

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