Something Special About Spike Island

If you are an infrequent traveler you may need some tips to keep the wife happy while you are jet setting around the globe. Many individuals do not realize the tolls that traveling can have on married life. Occasionally your travels are going to take you to a location that your spouse would love to attend. You may be servicing customers near your or your wifes childhood homes, you may be visiting a destination that she has always desired to be at, she may simply want to spend some time with you.

After you make the decision that the spouse will be going on the next business trip, you need to review your corporate travel policies. Many companies have fairly lax rules on spousal travel. However it could be possible that you have to pick up the differences in hotel room costs for the second person. Most companies however wave this fee if you are in good standings with them.

So the accommodation’s are settled what is left to meet the wifes expectations well you will more than likely have to make some adjustments in your travel plans. Unless you work for a company that is far more progressive than any that I have seen before, you will be picking up the tab for your wifes travel. So start looking at sites such as http://www.travelblogger.info and reviewing the travel prices that they provide. By researching early you have the opportunity to cut some significant costs from your bill.

This early research will also allow you to properly plan out your visits and time them with travel concerns. Always research all arrival locations for the cheapest airfare. A great example of this was my co-worker who was asked to go to Germany for some problem analysis. His spouse made the executive decision that she was going to also be going to Germany. After looking at tickets from the local airport to Frankfurt (typical landing point) he found the tickets to cost no less than $1395.00. He talked with me and I suggested he look at Berlin International Airport. The total for the ticket dropped to $611.00.

Now he had to clear this change of plans with our boss because it increased his driving time on the ground by 1 hr. But the $600 + dollars that he saved on airfare travel more than made up for the increased car ride time.

Speaking of the car. Make sure that the spouse is on the car rental agreement and insured. If your wife is like mine she is not going to be happy cooped up in a hotel while you are in facilities all day. She is going to want to get out and about during the day. Checking this minor point will save you loads of time and aggravation.

The final item of concern is your dining tab. Be exceedingly careful and research your corporate policy closely on this one. Typically you will be allowed to pick-up the room breakfast on the corporate account for the wife. However it is highly unlikely that you will be able to expense out her lunch and dinner meals. As a matter of fact I have seen one gentlemen dismissed on this account. Now he had other issues, but this is the corporate policy that he broke that achieved the pink slip.

So in short you need to research where you are traveling too, you need to research when you are going to be traveling, and you need to look in depth at your corporate travel policies and don’t assume anything. Corporations have been in business for many years and most of the expense details are spelled out clearly in their guidelines. Where there is headway ask your supervisor and they should be able to inform you of exactly what will and will not be allowed to pass on your expense report

Over the last eleven years of traveling the globe I have learned many different lessons about business travel. Whether you are a seasoned travel expert or a recent college graduate getting ready for that first trip, I am sure that you will learn a few things from my dissertation below.

Business travel is weary on the family and can cause hardships that are difficult to put into words. When you are out of town, life around your house carries on in every sense. Your grass continues to grow, your power continues to flow, your kids have recitals and ball practices, and your spouse has meetings. Don’t forget the small things and check in with your family members. Your not being around means that they have to do the things that you normally accomplish.

During your travel make sure to make time to take care of yourself as well. You will be eating at fine restaurants all over the world. You will get to sample local cuisines that you have never before had. Your body will suffer from the overload of food and beverages. Make time to go to your hotels gyms between work hours and dinner. Simply working out for 30 mins. each afternoon should keep you in fighting form for the meetings that you have coming up during the trip. It will also limit the perpetual expansion of the waste line from the foods that you are eating.

For meetings and arrival times, make sure to plan on showing up fifteen to twenty minutes before your meeting time. Showing up late to meetings is unacceptable for both your clients and for your company.

Always dress for success, never show up to your meetings in anything less than a Shirt, Tie, and Coat. Showing up in less than that attire for many companies is a sign of disrespect. While they may be sporting the latest in Golf apparel you need to sport something more along the lines of Donald Trump.

During the travel stages of your event plan on staying in mid-level accommodations. Never try to hit your company up for first class accommodations. The mid-level accommodation shows that you are willing to save the company money while not sacrificing your personal well-being. The mid-level accommodation will provide you with acceptable bedding and laundry services and a good night sleep.

As a final point keep in mind that you are representing your company. Conduct yourself at all times as if you were trying to win that coveted job spot. Because just as you interviewed for your current job. You are interviewing your company for future business with your clients.

Business persons and general travelers alike have to travel frequently to different parts of the world or within your own country. Many prefer to travel economy class to save expenses on airfare. You might in this case have to face the inconvenience of sitting cramped in small seats with very little leg space to move about. As an affluent business man or an executive on an important business mission, you may just get cramped, physically tired and mentally demoralized traveling in such inconvenience and may not therefore remain in the right frame of mind to execute your business transaction successfully. Inconvenience apart, your business stature cannot allow you travel economy class. The answer to this lies in traveling business class.

The seats in the economy class being cheaper usually remain overbooked, while quite a few of the costlier business class seats remain vacant for want of customers. As a result, flight companies offer certain attractive packages to lure customers to book for business class seats.

Business class is more comfortable than economy class due to ample leg space and greater maneuverability. The service and the cuisine in the business class seats are certainly better and more courteous. Again the package for business class seats takes better care of you in after-flight service. You are escorted form the airport and lodged in first class hotels commensurate with your business status. These packages may certainly be cheaper if you ask for the return ticket within a stipulated time.

If you are a frequent flier, you should stick to one airline for all of your travels. Once you are identified as a loyal and regular customer, you are offered higher rebates in your airfares and shown greater respect. That way you can sit relaxed in the business class seats, enjoy good and sumptuous meals, and be serviced more courteously. You can also do your homework or paperwork while traveling and have good nights’ sleep when your journey continues overnight.