Traveling for work is a luxury few employees experience. If you’ve been selected as one of the lucky few to leave their offices behind for the open road, you’re likely quite excited about the possibilities. However, with the freedom of traveling jobs also come the responsibilities of upholding a company’s image and mission. The following are tips you should know before taking a first business trip to bypass the common mistakes others have made.
Stick to Spending Limits
Unless you work for a mega corporation that allows you to wine and dine clients in luxury, you’re likely restricted by a travel spending limit. Companies typically limit the amount employees can spend on everything from meals to fuel. Before taking your first business trip, review your company’s policy and make note of any spending limits.
Exceeding spending limits during your business travels will raise a red flag with the accounting department and may prevent you from being selected for future trips. Rather, by meeting spending limits or remaining below them, you’ll be viewed as a responsible traveler, thus impressing your employer.
Keep it Professional
After a long day of conferences or meetings with clients, you may want unwind with a few drinks at the hotel restaurant. While, for most business travels, it’s perfectly acceptable to have a few drinks with colleagues or clients, keep the socializing professional. Stick to a one or two drink limit and keep the conversation within professional bounds. Even if others are drinking excessively, keep your consumption under wraps. You don’t want to be known as the office lush by having a few too many drinks or by saying the wrong thing in after-hours social situations.
Reap the Benefits
If your employer reimburses you for traveling expenses, take advantage of this arrangement by charging travel costs to a personal credit card that offers benefits. If you’ll be traveling frequently, using a credit card that offers mileage points or other benefits can be a great way to earn points without spending your personal income.
However, only pay travel expenses with a credit card if you’re confident you’ll use the card responsibly. This includes remaining within the acceptable company expense limit and always paying off the card balance after receiving expense reimbursement. Also, find a rewards credit card without an annual membership fee to keep your costs at zero.
Verify Details
Before departure day, verify all trip details. From the hotel reservations to meeting specifications, never embark on business travels without first verifying that all plans are in place. Few things are worse than traveling all day only to discover your reservation was lost at an overbooked hotel. Also, review such details as company auto insurance policies and who should be contacted in an emergency in case issues arise.
Having a job that allows you to travel frequently is a major perk. By upholding your company’s traveling policy and making the most of this opportunity, this is a luxury your employer will likely continue offering you. Do you have tales from a traveling job or have advice for others employees who will soon be traveling for their jobs?
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