Business Travel...Life of a Rock Star

How many of you business travelers out there have been told you “live the life of a rock star”? We eat fancy dinners; attend shows with clients, first class upgrades, and awesome hotel rooms are how we roll. At least that is what many non-business-travelers believe about us. The truth is business travel can be brutal and most of us can’t wait to sleep in our beds at home and eat a home-cooked meal. When we are on the road, we have to be “on” all day and into the night managing our teams and clients.

I have been traveling for business for the past 20 years almost weekly and I couldn’t imagine being in a 9 to 5 job. It gets in our blood. I also believe the reason I’ve been happily married for 22 years is because I travel so much! More than a few times if I’m home for a few weeks in a row, my wife will ask me if I’ve “got somewhere to go”.

Throughout my travels over the years I was “that guy” who would talk your ear off if you sat next to me on the plane, and eventually I became “that guy” who was a complete jerk, wouldn’t talk to anyone, got mad at the person behind the counter if I was delayed and hated being on the road. Over time I’ve found the balance and even though traveling is more brutal than ever, I try to make every trip enjoyable with the least amount of stress possible. Life is too short to get pissed off over a cancellation, delay, bad weather or crappy hotel room. I also think it’s important to arrive as pumped as you can to your destination, because it’s going to reflect in your attitude towards your clients and co-workers.

So here are a few tips and ideas to make your future travels more awesome:

• Take a Chill-Pill – Let’s face it, you are going to experience delays, cancellations, bad weather and maybe even some bad food along the way. Try and take a deep breath and go with it. What is the point of getting furious at that poor person behind the counter or on the phone who has to face us all when the inevitable happens? Don’t be “that guy” or “that girl” that pulls out the old “do you know how much I travel? Do you know who I am? Do you know how many people from my company use your (fill in the services here)?” All that does is make you look like an idiot to the rest of us (okay it is a little entertaining watching you freak out). Also being nice in those situations actually will get you better results in the long run. Take a really deep breath, know you will get there, and go with the flow.
• Book early morning flights – You might have to get up at the crack of dawn, but your odds of getting to your destination have increased dramatically. If there is a delay or cancellation you have a better chance of getting on a later flight and still arriving in time to fit your schedule. Plus you don’t blow a whole day in the air and you can be more productive after you arrive.
• Loyalty Rocks – Whenever you can, choose airlines, hotels, car rentals, and credit cards that you can use the most. Status does play a big role especially if you have any issues traveling. I might get delayed or experience cancellations when I travel, but when I call my dedicated “big dog” line, I’m taken care of quickly and the client service is usually way better than the standard 800#. Find a few good “point” programs and stick with them.
• Get “Pre-Check” – every time, every flight. For US Citizens how fantastic is it to keep your shoes on and not empty your bag when going through security? Go online and sign up for your “Global Entry” Card through the “Global Online Entry System”. You get a “known traveler ID” which you use when booking your flights (add it to your profile). You then get Pre-Check in any airport that offers it. Oh and when going through customs on your way back to the United States from another country, you by-pass all those crazy lines when leaving the airport. It’s worth $100.
• Club Pass? Your choice, and if you drink like a fish and like to do shots of wine and eat crackers it might be worth it. The last time I was in a club it was like “night of the living dead businessmen”. Silence everywhere except for the tick, tick, tick of lap-tops. I’m all about maximizing the experience of my travel, so I choose to belly-up the bar near my gate, hotel, or restaurant. The atmosphere is way more lively and energetic. So eat dinner, have a drink, and meet a few interesting people.
• Ask for a better room – Sometimes just asking for a room upgrade, car upgrade, or even a seat upgrade gets you one.
• Get a shoe shine – They do a great job, it’s relaxing, and you feel great with those shiny shoes when you are done.
• Pack some clothes you can relax in – After a long day if you are going for a casual dinner or heading for a drink, put on some clothes that you can chill and feel comfortable in. Helps to switch your brain from work to relax mode.
• UBER – It does make getting a ride so much easier. It’s like a taxi you order from your phone. Your credit card gets charged automatically (you can include a tip) so no need to take out your plastic or cash. You just set up once and you are done. Download the app.
• Say “Hello” – When you sit on a plane you don’t have to talk someone’s ear off, but you are practically holding hands so you might as well just say “hello”. Most people get it when you don’t want to chat after a long trip, but be nice. You never know who you are going to meet. KARMA.
• Sunshine on my shoulders – You can beat jet lag by getting out in the sun as soon as you land. It helps to readjust your clock. Drink lots of water as well and go easy on the booze when you fly.
• Balance – You don’t have to work your entire trip. Bring a good book, magazine, watch a movie, or listen to some music that you like.
• Work out every day– Even if it’s a little. You don’t have to make a huge deal out of it. Try some push-ups sit-ups, walking, whatever gets your heart pumping. You will feel great.
• Enjoy what you do – If you are working for a company and you don’t like what you do, traveling is exponentially worse. You always have a choice. If your boss doesn’t appreciate the miles you rack up and the work you do, move on. It always great to arrive somewhere and know people are excited and appreciate the fact you showed up!
• Stay in touch – Call your spouse, significant other, kids, and Mom often. They miss you!

What do you do to make your travel more enjoyable? I’d love to hear your ideas!

Safe Travels…

About Jim

Jim Koza is an agent of transformation. Jim helps organizations in diverse industries take their sales and marketing teams to the next level both nationally and internationally. Jim would love to hear from you and is always up for a strategy conversation, life or business coaching, or even idea swapping. You can contact Jim at exec2u@gmail.com or follow Jim at @jameskoza.