High Tech Luggage Solutions for Business Travellers
Every business traveller knows the pain of constant packing, unpacking, trying to fit everything in, deciding what to leave out, and the discovery that a vital piece of technology is still enjoying a pino grigio at the airport bar while you’re half way to Dubai for the most important presentation of your life. At InsureMore, our business travel insurance experts have not only perfected the perfect policy, they’ve also thrown in some high tech solutions to help business travellers.
The old adage “work smarter not harder” applies to your packing habits as well, and if you employ the help of a few clever up to the minute luggage solutions and cover yourself with some good travel protection, business can be a pleasure, even when you’re on the move.
Powerbag Business Class Pack
When is a backpack not a backpack? When it’s a cleverly designed Powerbag made especially for your laptop. This essential piece of luggage is not just stylish and functional, it is also fitted with an embedded battery that can charge devices super fast. It’s ergonomically designed to feel like a feather on your back and also has a super smart and secure inside pocket, ideal for your passport, phone and business travel insurance papers.
The Grid It
The Grid It is so useful it will have everyone wondering why they didn’t invent it themselves. Cables, chargers, adaptors, camera and phone will never have to fend for themselves in the Wild West of your luggage again. This sleek and slim organization system is made up of a polypropylene base with an array of elasticized tabs of different sizes, into which you can slip all your accessories. Genius.
The Luggage Tracker
While it may sound all very “Get Smart”, this device actually works on a pretty simple principle. You pop the chip-integrated GSM TrakDot in your bag, attach it to an app on your phone and you’ll be able to pinpoint the real-time location of your luggage. Although not much consolation if it tracks your bag to a slow moving carousel in Barbados and you’ve just landed in Sydney, it sure makes claiming on your business travel insurance easy if you know where it ended up!
If you travel for business, make it your business to travel smart by investing in these simple, stylish and oh-so-smart luggage innovations.
How to Make Business a Pleasure When Travelling Abroad
InsureMore’s business travel insurance has been designed specifically for the business traveller, by people who know what you need and what you don’t. It stands to reason, then, that they also know a thing or two about travelling. Here, our experts offer a few tips on how to make business travel a little easier.
No matter how glamorous it may seem, if you’re a frequent business traveller you’ll know that it’s not all champagne receptions in exotic cities and relaxing sojourns in the pointy end of a plane. Oh. We’re sorry Richard Branson and Donald Trump; correction, that IS your life. You may be excused. For everyone else, here’s how to make your business travel just a little more of a pleasure.
Book Good Flights
Travelling for work is not the time to take a budget flight with a nine-hour stopover in a tin-shed terminal in the Middle East just to save a few pennies. Book the most direct flights so you can arrive in good time and well rested.
Get Annual Business Travel Insurance
When it comes to travel policies, business people who travel more than once in a year should definitely invest in annual business travel insurance. You’ll not only save money, but it will be one less thing you’ll have to organise before you leave.
Pack Light and Pack Smart
Yes. Pack light and pack smart. You won’t need that fourth pair of shoes. Really.
Choose the Right Time
While it’s not always possible, if you can, avoid times like school holiday periods or peak tourist seasons.
Join an Airline Club Lounge
The value of a quiet haven away from the hustle and bustle of an international airport goings on can’t be overstated. It may well be the best business investment you ever make. You’ll be able to wait for flights in relative peace and there’ll be provision for you to recharge your laptop and do some quiet catch up on work.
Plan Ahead with the Hotel Concierge
If you contact your hotel before you leave home, you can ask them to arrange airport pickups, restaurant bookings and even get your laundry done. Arranging all this before you leave home will save valuable time if you’re only in a city for a day or so.
One last tip: enjoy some downtime. Unless you really are Richard Branson or Donald Trump, you won’t have a chauffeur driven limo to whisk you around, but do take the time to stop, explore and smell the roses – no matter how briefly.
3 Ways to Stay Connected and Protected When Doing Business Abroad
As the leaders in providing business travel insurance, here at InsureMore we’re pretty focused on doing just that. But we know that staying protected is not just about a good business travel insurance policy (which, by the way we can help you with). Here, our experts touch on a few other, very important things that can help you stay connected and protected.
If you travel abroad for business, it’s a fair bet that one of your most important considerations is staying in touch – aka “connected” – not only with colleagues and business associates, but also with family and friends back home. But all the latest gadgets in the world are as much use as a screen door on a submarine if you can’t get access to the Internet. Just as important is the ability to keep costs down for your business travel. Protection against huge data roaming bills (with a good plan) and some simple hardware can do the job.
Wi-Fi Router
We don’t mean tearing your office router out of the wall and stuffing it in your laptop bag to take with you. You can get a portable Wi-Fi router for a very reasonable price from any good electronic store, and it means you won’t be at the mercy of dodgy public or hotel hotspots. (As an aside, when it comes to travel insurance, business people should check that all their electronics are covered to a reasonable value.)
Ethernet Cable and Adaptor
In a perfect world you wouldn’t need to think about taking a length of ethernet cable travelling with you. However, it’s not a perfect world, and it’s not unusual for less than salubrious hotel guests to liberate this vital piece of technology and take it with them! For the sake of such a miniscule space in your luggage, a one metre long ethernet cable and relevant adaptor for your laptop could be a lifesaver.
Data Roaming Bundles
To avoid horrific data roaming charges while abroad (and before you ask, no, these are NOT covered by your business travel insurance!), your options are: disable data roaming on your phone and rely on text messaging; invest in a dual sim phone; purchase a local sim (the most preferable option); or negotiate a data roaming bundle with your regular provider. If you are absolutely wedded to the idea of using your existing connection, a prearranged bundle can go a long way towards keeping costs to a minimum.
If you’re doing business abroad, these three very simple tips will not only keep you connected, but also protected! You know it makes sense.
Top Apps For Business People on the Move
Here at InsureMore, it’s not all business and no pleasure. Aside from be able to advise you on the most effective business travel insurance policy, our team of experts has taken the time to research some handy apps to keep your business travel ‘appy! You’re welcome!
We’ve all heard the catchphrase “there’s an app for that”, and it seems that these days there really is a smart phone app for even the most obscure purposes. Belly Button TickleGram anyone? Or how about a very helpful Moo’ing Cow? But it’s important to know that not all apps are designed for teenagers to while away their busy days. More and more apps are being developed that are changing the way we do business. Travel insurance isn’t the only good friend you can have while doing business on the move.
Dropbox
Chances are you’re already using Dropbox – if not, why not? It’s the very best way of getting instant access to important documents and files anywhere, at any time. But did you know that with the Dropbox app for iPhone your files will be automatically synced to that device as well. Dropbox not only centralises your work, it also provides a great backup system. (Tip: upload the details of your business travel insurance for instant access.)
Mighty Meeting
The name may be corny but the functionality of this free app certainly isn’t. Mighty Meeting allows you to upload, store and then retrieve business presentations anywhere in the world. You can play the presentation either through your hand held device or connect and play through a big screen. Even if you’re not at a meeting, you can send the entire presentation to a colleague’s iPhone and let them get all the credit! A handy whiteboard function enables the user to make real-time updates – including creating graphs and charts.
Field Manage
Helps you manage – in the field! This app helps you keep track of your team’s schedules no matter where you, or they, are. If you’ve got workers out in the field, on the road, or doing business abroad, the app will allow you to allocate jobs and monitor their progress using a high tech geolocation function. It’s also got plenty of extras, including the functionality to allow you to quote, invoice and even take payment via your mobile phone.
While we all know by now the most essential item when doing business abroad is travel insurance, business people all over the world are getting ‘appy and reaping the rewards.
Handy Gadgets for the Business Nomad
Thanks to almost unimaginable leaps and bounds in technology, these days, staying in touch on a business trip abroad is no more challenging than plugging in and turning on. At Insuremore, our business travel insurance experts are just that – experts, and experienced travellers themselves. Along with comprehensive business travel cover (of course!), they’ve chosen their top three must-have gadgets for the new breed of business nomads.
All over the world, in airports, on trains, in hotels and even on the beach, business people are staying connected. With a suite of high-tech gadgets and a comprehensive business travel insurance policy, the world is not only your oyster, it’s now your office as well.
Language Translator
When you’re travelling for pleasure it’s fine to give the locals a laugh with your attempts at making yourself understood, but when it comes to doing business, a misunderstanding can cost dearly – and selling a container load of inventory for a million pesos instead of a million pounds isn’t something that’s going to be covered on your travel insurance! Business people shouldn’t leave home without a pocket global language translator. With an average of 12,000 pre-programmed phrases and 450,000 individual words, these invaluable devices are surprisingly affordable – although you’ll pay a lot more for the nifty speech-recognition models.
A Versatile Power Kit
Without power, you’re well, without power! Even the most up to the minute digital devices are rendered useless if you can’t recharge them. The key is to purchase one of the new intelligent portable chargers that can be used for all your devices. There’s nothing worse than trying to unravel a tangle of cords and chargers in the bottom of your bag – only to find the one you want is missing. One size can fit all!
The SpareOne Mobile Phone
This little gadget might look a bit like a kids toy, but it’s one of the most useful phones on the market for travellers. Winner of a Consumer Electronics Innovation Award, this pocket rocket can be used anywhere in the world and is powered by one AA battery. It even has a built in flashlight! Just pop in a local sim card and you’ll be talking turkey in no time.
There are a myriad of gadgets and gizmos to make your mobile office more streamlined. Just remember, though, to choose the correct business travel insurance policy to cover your electronic devices should anything get lost, stolen or damaged – lest you find yourself reduced back to a humble pen and paper!
