Ditch the itinerary printouts
When you arrive at the airport or car-rental counter, are you frantically searching through printouts for confirmation numbers and reservation details? If so, stop it. Why not have all of your travel information in the palm of your hand?
Apps like TripIt make it possible. Simply have your assistant (or imaginary one ‘eh, hem … you’) forward flight, hotel, and other confirmation to your account. Then this nifty app combines your travel details into one organized itinerary (including weather, maps, driving directions, and more). Best of all – it’s free and convenient!
Step off the plane and into a power lunch
Ever wonder why some business travelers look impeccably groomed and others look like they barely survived the Hunger Games? Here’s the secret: You can slip on “wrinkle free” clothing or carry a wrinkle remover ($14.00 USD) that does the heavy lifting.
Garment spray is like an iron in a bottle. It removes the wrinkles from your clothes in minutes, controls static cling, and leaves your clothes refreshed with a clean scent. Meanwhile, most wrinkle removers are safe for all fabrics, non-sticky, residue-free, and leave no spots behind. The 2-oz. size also meets carry-on guidelines.
Upgrade your travel naps
Do you need a shoulder to lean on in the airport waiting area? Tired of sleeping on the “oh, so clean” airport benches? If so, it’s time to upgrade your neck pillow.
Ditch your trusty neck pillow for a structured and bendable, physician-designed NapAnywhere ($59.00 USD) head-support device. If you consider yourself ahead of the curve, then this little gem (designed specifically for frequent fliers) is what your nap has been missing.
May the ‘power’ be with you
I used to find myself scouting out the best seat in the airport waiting area–close to a charging station. Never again! I travel with a MacBook Pro, Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014 Edition) tablet, and HTC M8 smartphone. These three devices, more often than not, need more juice.
That’s where MyCharge– a portable power bank– comes into play. No more rationing power outlets. Even better, if I’m not flying Virgin America (which has standard USB plugs and power outlets at every seat) I am always charging my devices at 35,000 feet.
Protect the tech
Did you know? A notebook computer is stolen every 53 seconds in the U.S. (Source: Gartner Report). So, imagine how fast your laptop — and precious customer data it contains — might fly out the door if you left it unattended in the airport, hotel room, or even in a conference room.
This is where laptop security gadgets like the ClickSafe® Anywhere Lock ($69.99 USD) are useful. Instead of hauling your laptop to go grab a latte or hiding it under the hotel bed – travel with a lightweight, 3-inch-to-6-feet self-coiling cable that can withstand wire cutters.
Print documents on-the-go
Don’t rely on business centers to handle on-the-go printing needs. Far too often, when traveling for business, you will encounter non-working machines, aimless web surfers, and inkless printers. Instead, travel like a pro with a pocket printer that prints full-size letter and legal-sized pages in a compact, travel-friendly design.
For example, The PocketJet 6 ($265.00 USD) from Brother is fast enough to carry out most print jobs on the go; with a speed of 6 pages per minute.
Consolidate carry-on bags the smart way
Even traveling light can be cumbersome. A small carry-on bag and one personal item can be hard to tote. I’d often find myself putting my personal item (i.e., weekender bag – stuffed with my laptop and purse) on top of my rolling luggage. More times than I can count – it would fall off and to the side.
Thankfully, I found a novel way to secure my extra bag (saving my shoulder and back). A bag bungee ($15.00 USD) is perfect for wheeling your way through airports. The double bungee system, from Travelon, holds a second bag securely in place and frees your hands.
Never lose your luggage again
Earlier I mentioned that millions of bags are lost every year. Beat the odds with Trace Me™ Tags ($19.00 USD). Unlike paper tags that can get lost or damaged, this tag claims it will stay on your bag and provide the airlines with a quick, easy way to reunite you with your luggage.
Simply register your tag’s unique serial number on the Trace Me website and secure the tag to your bag with the included stainless-steel wire. After being notified that the bag has been found, Trace Me will email or text you the location of your bag along with instructions on how it can be recovered.
Keep valuables safe
Just so you know … you will find that sticky fingers exist anywhere – from a five star accommodation to a hostel. So be prepared to keep your valuables on lock down. Travel with a lightweight and portable safe.
Protect your MP3 player, smartphone, camera, cash, credit cards, jewelry, keys, passport, sunglasses and other small valuables (that you don’t want to leave home without).
With products like the 5900 Portable Safe ($19.25 USD), you can easily lock up valuables with a cable wrapped tightly to the safe or wrapped securely around a fixed object. Meanwhile, the cable doubles as a carrying handle.
Manage expense reporting on the go
Long gone are the days of logging expenditures through Excel. Instead of carrying around a pocket-full of receipts, track and record your T&E expenditures with a few simple clicks of your smartphone. Then watch the costs as they occur, in real time.
Road warrior and jetsetter-approved apps, like Expensify, are a business traveler’s dream come true. This handy mobile app offers features like SmartScan, so you can snap a photo of your receipts and the app will do the reporting work for you.
Here’s a great online tutorial from Expensify to help you get started.
Infographic
Business travel is serious for American companies. Visa Business shares an inside look at why small business owners are traveling and how they do it well.
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