First Business Trip

smigaldi said:
At least I know that Ghery understands.
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Yup. And my 3 day weekend this weekend is 1 1/2 days. I head for SEA about 3 tomorrow afternoon for the start of a 10 day trip. Meetings in Copenhagen next week, followed by Paris the begining of the following week. I'll get home late on the 27th. Oh, and I'm coming down with a cold. I am NOT looking forward to landing in Copenhagen Monday afternoon. :no:
 
Now you are talking about my neck of the woods!

I do concur about visiting the USAFA.
Factoid- the USAFA is the #1 visitor attraction in Colorado.

1) Go flying! I can hook you up with several friends in the area...Heck- who knows, maybe I'll even be in the area!
2) Take a real mtn flying course! Again, I'll give you the names of some local pilots.
3) Rent my plane for a couple of hrs! (I just delivered it back home last week!)

Lets PM and I'll fill you in on a few other things to do while in COS...
 
As others stated Nick, find out up front about if it is a straight per diem or what exactly they do cover.
Agree with the idea of doing your expense report first thing in the morning if that is the route you go.
Since this is your "first" trip, don't over due the expenses if you want to go on another. Some companies/bosses look at this as kind of a "test" to see if you go crazy with it or not.
A wise old salesman told me, if you make money on your expense account you are a thief, if you lose money you are a fool.
Also ASK, if you get an expense account if they have a particular "form" for you to turn it in with. The forms alone can take you hours to fill out.
If you think you might be going on more, MAKE SURE you sign up for Frequent Flyer stuff on the airline, that is in YOUR name, so it is a "perk".
Have some fun!!!

Mark B
 
When I traveled all the time I often had to take staff members with me. Most of them had never done much business travel. I developed the following rules to help shepherd them along.

Gib's rules of business travel:

  • Spend the company's expense money like you would if you were paying for it yourself. If you are in the habit of eating at Ruth's Chris every night, then go for it. If not, then don't start doing it on the company's dime.
  • Never eat where you sleep. This includes hotel restaurants for breakfast, but especially room service. Eating alone in your hotel room is just too pathetic, I don't care how tired you are.
  • Never lock a rent car. Only bad things happen when you do, like locking your keys inside. Don't leave any personal effects in the car and there's no reason to lock it. If someone steals it the rental company can bring you another one.
  • It is not a requirement to call your wife if you're going to be home late. It should be expected that you'll miss a flight, get delayed, have bad traffic, or that any other number of things will prevent you from making it home on time. You don't need the added stress of wondering if your spouse is ticked off about it. (this was prior to the current cell phone epidemic)
  • It is stupid not to call your wife if you're going to be home early. Since your spouse never expects you to be home early, it could be tempting to surprise her by showing up carrying flowers and wearing nothing but a smile. Don't yield to temptation. You might not like what you find when you get home.

But if you're single I suppose Ken's rules work OK too.
 
gibbons said:
Spend the company's expense money like you would if you were paying for it yourself. If you are in the habit of eating at Ruth's Chris every night, then go for it. If not, then don't start doing it on the company's dime.
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If you're in the habt of eating at Ruths' Chris every night I a) want to be dating you, b) want to be your cardiologist, and c) want to be your beneficiary!
gibbons said:
  • Never eat where you sleep. This includes hotel restaurants for breakfast, but especially room service. Eating alone in your hotel room is just too pathetic, I don't care how tired you are.
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This is so true. Get out of your room. I will say that some hotels have decent restaurants, and if you don't have a car you may be left with no choice. Find out ahead of time if they'll allow you to expense a taxi ride to a restaurant if the hotel has a restaurant.
gibbons said:
  • Never lock a rent car. Only bad things happen when you do, like locking your keys inside. Don't leave any personal effects in the car and there's no reason to lock it. If someone steals it the rental company can bring you another one.
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Never thought about it that way! I think I disagree, because the hassle of dealing with a stolen or vandalized car is probably more trouble than it's worth.
gibbons said:
  • It is stupid not to call your wife if you're going to be home early. Since your spouse never expects you to be home early, it could be tempting to surprise her by showing up carrying flowers and wearing nothing but a smile. Don't yield to temptation. You might not like what you find when you get home.
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Amen!
And I'd add to that:
Never share a room (even a suite) with a co-worker of the opposite gender. (Or the same gender, if either of you is out of the closet!) Can only lead to trouble! Single or Married, it does not matter! :hairraise::no:
 
I've been away for home for a total of something like six months in the last two years... if I have a rental car, I try to hit the nearest air museum and of course do some flying. I really got a lot done in San Diego last summer, as I was on a "normal" schedule for eight weeks: air show, air race, vintage auto race, trip to Palomar Observatory, kayaking in La Jolla cove, two air museums... and of course my tailwheel checkout and some fun trips in the Champ.
I'm in Chicago at the mo' , working nights for a week, no car... but I took a train and bus out to Rockford yesterday and was rewarded with a wonderful visit with some folks I knew only from another web board, and even got to fly their C-140 on skis. :yes:

Tomorrow I'll most likely go to the big museum in town, and before the week is out probably the Sears Tower and perhaps a trip to Meigs to lay a wreath or something. Might meet up with some other web-forum buddies who are also in town this week.

Anyway, the key thing is to turn off the damn TV and go out and do something... anything!
Take some time to study up on what there is to do where you're going; don't wait until you're in town to sit down and come up with ideas.

But doing some flying, even in a crummy rental, is the best, especially if you are far from home and unlikely to ever fly out that way from your home 'drome.

Got my fingers crossed for a possible trip to Dubai in the next year... I'll live on dates and water and use the fat per diem to try to do some flying there. :D
 
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After the first 5 years or so of emergency trips flying commercial lost a lot of it's allure. That was before I started flying myself. Now it's even less fun.
 
ScottM said:
During the day work, at night meet with customers, return to room and catch up on emails, sleep for about 4 hours, get up, get on phone call back to the home office, rinse and repeat until time to head to airport for return home.

Business trips are not fun, they are usually more work than staying in the office.
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That sounds about right. Of course you left out the indignities of air travel in the 21st Century, which makes business travel such a joy.

Nick if you're enthused now, remember, you'll get over that very quickly.
 
jtheune said:
After the first 5 years or so of emergency trips flying commercial lost a lot of it's allure. That was before I started flying myself. Now it's even less fun.
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??? Flying yourself is less fun than flying commercial?

If that's really the case, just go back to flying commercial!
 
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Some tips

Install TripAdvisor app to your smart phone. Use the "Best restaurants near me" etc features and "top things to do" lists.

Pick a hotel with on-site laundry, and more than just one washer/dryer. Yes being a cheap a**, but hotel shampoo (free from front desk) can get you thru the stay as substitute laundry detergent. Also, which I have done, is brought a ziplock bag of those detergent cubes, powder form, on trips, for laundry.

Rent a car, good for sanity. Unless parking/etc overly complicated aka downtown NYC or simply do not need a car. If 50/50 need a car, get a car

Try to get a hotel near restaurants/mall/bookstores, if it works for your work assignment.

(Paranoid) have closest ER/Hospital in your GPS or have awareness of location

Big thumbs up on on hotel bar and related comments. Just don't be stupid about it.

Don't forget to work out even if on reduced intensity on the road. Go walk, etc.

Don't go super cheap on hotels. You are on the road, away from friends/family already, no reason to stay in a 2-star hotel, and endure additional punishment. I am not saying $500 a night Ritz Carlton, but if Holiday Inn is $75 a night and Marriott is $120 a night, I am staying Marriott, especially if getting reimbursed/travel is paid for. Your stolen laptop, poor sleep, partying drunk dudes in the pool, etc will make the "cheap" hotel loose it's attractiveness.

use Flyertalk and tripadvisor websites for tips/ideas. City-Data forums for your destination city can provide a "local point of view" for things to do.

If international, get Global Entry NOW, I have it and it is a godsend.

Good Luck
 
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Keep track of your exchange rate from your bank - and adjust accordingly on the expense report.
Don't forget to ask for receipts.
Ask your coworkers what they are doing this weekend, as well as what's going on in general.
Drive the ring road, or ride the public transit ring to see what isn't in the guide sites.
Groupon, CL, etc for your city for cheapo opportunities and to find new places not yet listed
Different timezones? Make the appointments on your work calendar to call home
Always try the local cuisine, beer, etc - corollary, if the restaurant put its name on the menu item, order that.
It's easy to work 12-18 hour days - plan real time away from work.
 
work hard, play harder.

Depending on where you go and what you like to do - play can mean many different things.... just be smart and safe.

Hint- I've closed on more business deals during cocktail hour and on the golf course than at any direct networking event (Tradeshow, conference, etc.).
 
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