Whether you are self-employed or an employee of a company, a business trip requires a certain amount of organization. From planning meetings to choosing a hotel and booking transportation, we have some tips for organize a business trip.
Take into account all the constraints of business travel
Has your boss entrusted you with organizing the next business trip? To be sure not to forget anything and to make this business trip a success, you must start by taking stock of all the elements and constraints to take into account before leaving.
What is the objective of this professional trip?
By determining the purpose of business trip, you will be able to take the right steps: reserve a meeting room or a place for a trade show, organize meetings, choose locations, days and dates…
What is the destination of the business trip?
Depending on the city or country of destination, you will be able to book transportation (nearby airport or train station),choose the hotel and work rooms, anticipate catering, and possibly plan free time between two business days. You will also be able to plan the time difference, the travel time and the type of transport (plane, car, train, etc.), adaptation to customs and local currency, the type of clothing to take and the administrative documents to be provided.
What are the duration and budget of the business trip?
Managing 2-day business trips is not organized in the same way as for a longer stay. In the same way, the budget envelope will not be the same. Have information about duration and budget will optimize time and manage expenses to save both time and money.
What are the requirements of the professional who goes on a trip?
Also take the time to find out the expectations of the person who will be traveling. This will allow you to determine the hotel standard and options, for example. Try to find out if he wants to reserve a restaurant, have breakfast at the hotel, or if he has a preference for seat on the plane or train. If the person is used to traveling for work, ask them if they have a subscription, loyalty cards, or even accommodation habits for their stay.
Anticipate transport and accommodation reservations
Accommodation and transportation represent the biggest expense in the budget for a business trip. Depending on the destination, this can also be quite a challenge, and reservations should be made as far in advance as possible. You will then need find transport and accommodation the most economical, to limit travel and accommodation costs, but also respect the budget envelope.
Travel management
Depending on the different work and meeting spaces planned during the business stay, you will need to find the modes of transport the most suitable and practical. Take the time to identify the different meeting places, in order to find the nearest airport or train station. If traveling by car, be sure to check that business travelers will have no difficulty parking.
Finally, you will still have to manage the booking plane tickets from the airline, train ticket, or car rental. Also remember to determine the comfort level of the trip (business class, second class, etc.).
Don’t forget to take into account travel times and possible connections to ensure a comfortable and optimized trip.
Hotel reservation
Once transport has been organized, you will need to choose and book accommodation. Here again, it will be necessary to take into account the different workplaces, in order to limit travel times between the hotel and the offices. But this is not the only criterion to take into consideration:
- What is the expected level of comfort (4-star hotel, apartment, etc.)?
- How many people will stay in the same room?
- Does the company have a travel policy that includes an agreement with a hotel chain?
- Does the professional have a loyalty card in an establishment?
The success of a business trip then lies in the small details. Remember to find out about the options (luggage storage, breakfast, etc.), in order to anticipate additional expense reports and unnecessary waste of time.
Good to know: to limit professional expenses as much as possible when organizing business trips, it is always more interesting to book directly on the hotel’s official website, rather than going through online travel agencies. In fact, these OTAs take a significant margin on each reservation, which inflates prices.
Gather all the necessary documents for your business trip
Once everything is booked, you will need to be organized so as not to forget anything. It is therefore strongly recommended to gather all supporting documents and professional documents and personnel which will be necessary to travel peacefully.
Depending on the means of transport, remember to bring your ID and/or passport, as well as your plane or train tickets. Depending on the country of destination, you may also need to have a visa, in which case you will need to anticipate the demand before your professional mission.
Practical advice: gather all your documents in a folder, so you can easily find them. And for even greater security, we recommend that you keep a copy of your documents on digital media, or even several. This could be particularly useful if you lose your pouch!
Finally, as part of a business trip, it is always appropriate to have business cards on oneself, so that they can be easily transmitted to colleagues during professional meetings.
Prepare the suitcase: think about the professional without forgetting the staff
The last thing before going on a business trip is to prepare the suitcase. If you are organizing the trip for your colleague or superior, you can then draw up a small checklist for them so that they don’t forget anything. The challenge is to successfully combine personal business and professional essentials.
First choose the type of luggage, remembering that the most practical thing is to to pack light (cabin suitcase, hand luggage, etc.). Then, if the trip is by plane, remember to check the airline requirements (sharp objects, liquid containers, baggage size, etc.).
In your suitcase, remember to take everything you need to work: documents, computer, phone, tablet, as well as all the chargers that go with it. On the personal side, go to the essentials by taking into account the weather and the equipment already present at the hotel (hairdryer, towels, shampoo, etc.). The objective is then to choose outfits suitable for events(meeting, gala, etc.) without overloading the suitcase.
La Cadet residence: your ideal hotel in Paris for a business trip
If you have the opportunity to take part in a business trip to Paris, the Cadet residence stands out as the perfect accommodation. Located in the 9th arrondissement, not far from Roissy Charles de Gaulle airport, Saint-Lazare train station, Gare de l’Est and Gare du Nord, the hotel offers you a fully furnished apartments and studios, perfect for a short or long stay.
Right in the city center and very well served by public transport, the aparthotel allows you to maintain your independence, while enjoying the comfort of hotel services. You will then be able to work and rest at your convenience, and join all the Paris business districts easily.
Between two meetings, or after a busy day of work, you can also visit Paris and discover the Opera or Montmartre district, just a stone’s throw from the hotel.
The organization of a business trip requires a lot of rigor and anticipation. To ensure a quality professional stay in Paris, book your room now at the Hôtel de la Cadet Résidence.
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