Travel Efficiency
Being able to quickly navigate an airport is one of the most critical skills you will need to have in order to be a traveling consultant. There are many unavoidable red tape and security protocols all airports have and they continue to grow more strenuous as time goes on, so you are going to want to take advantage of every tip and trick in the book to be able to get in and out as fast as you can, or you will be spending a lot of your life standing in line behind a family of four on their way to Florida who keep getting sent back through the metal detector.
- Never check a bag. Your usual trip should be three nights and four days. There is no reason you should need more than a single carry-on size bag and your laptop bag. Checking a bag creates extra time overhead when getting to the airport and requires you to be there earlier. It means you have to deal with an extra kiosk which is one more additional line you could have avoided. Once you land, you will have to wait for your checked bag to arrive and you have to deal with the risk of the airlines possibly losing your bag. The time loss and risk is not worth checking a bag and should only be done so if you absolutely have to bring an item with you that is not allowed to fly. If you have a special type of shampoo you need, make a trip to your local superstore. You can purchase empty travel size containers for under a dollar which you can then transfer your liquids into prior to your trip. Remember, if you are traveling with a team, you do not want to be the one everyone needs to wait for as you deal with your checked bag.
Other items that you will need to pack will be three days of business clothes (you should be wearing the first day’s clothes on the morning you leave). Things may get a bit creased in a small bag but hotels will have an iron waiting for you in your room. If you are rushed for time, giving creased clothes a good steaming in the bathroom shower always works well. You will probably need a few gym clothes and a pair of running shoes if you plan to work out. It helps to keep a few laundry bags as you will not want your stinky workout clothes mingling with your work clothes on the trip back home. I’ve survived many years of traveling with just these core basics. All my technology and books travel with me in my laptop bag.
- Pick an airline, stick with it and be loyal to it. Traveling with the same airline will not only earn you points for personal travel, but the higher loyalty status you earn, the easier and more comfortable traveling becomes. You will be allowed to board the plane earlier, pick better seats closer to the front with more leg room, be able to get off the plane sooner and, from time to time, score an upgrade to first-class. In the scenario your flight is cancelled, you usually end up getting bumped up higher in line for the next flight out which helps avoid getting stuck at the airport for hours on end or, even worse, over night!
- On a similar note, never book the last flight out on a Thursday night unless your client obligations absolutely require you to. In the case that your flight is cancelled, and it will happen from time to time, it gives you a few more flights later on to get bumped to without getting stuck at the airport overnight.
- Car loyalty have similar reward perks programs like the airlines. The most convenient of the rental car perk is getting notified directly to your phone as to where your car is waiting for you. Gone are the days of even needing to talk to someone at the counter. Just walk right to your car and head right out. On the way back in, there is no need to wait for a customer service rep to sign you back in. Just be sure to leave the keys in your car and your receipt will show up in your email as soon as they scan it, which usually happens before you reach your gate.
- Hotel loyalty also comes with a nifty app. You should be able to check in before you walk through the door and have a key card waiting for you. Newer apps on your phone may allow you to open your hotel door, so needing a key card might not be necessary. This is especially helpful on the long travel Mondays when you just want to get to your room and finally relax. Or in my case, change clothes and get a workout in before dinner.
- Airport pre-check and clearance is worth the cost. This program does come with an initial cost and an interview with security but usually lasts for five years. Ask your employer if this is something you can expense, or check with your credit card as some may allow you to credit the cost as a perk. This clearance allows you to go through security screening through a special fancy line which usually has significantly less people and is usually faster. Once you get to the metal detectors, they will often let you keep your shoes on as well as let you keep your laptop in your bag when it goes through the X-Ray machine, rather than have to take it out in its own bin, wasting time and risking damages.
Are you interested in starting a career in consulting? Be sure to read the full book Jack of all Trades Master of Some; An Introduction to Consulting available on Amazon.