Culture today revolves around modern communications technology. Thanks to smartphones, tablets, laptops, and Bluetooth, it’s possible for us to work, live, and travel at the same time. For the mobile business traveler, working on the road is a way of life. Whether you’re a business traveler, or an employer seeking to take your business mobile, read on to discover all you need to know about the mobile workforce.
Business Travel and the Smartphone
For business travelers, smartphones are the equivalent of an extra limb, and they’re just as necessary. A massive 84% of business travelers report using smartphones for business during travel. Tablets follow at a close second, and laptops are rapidly losing their place in the daily life of the business traveler. Why? Advances in smartphone technology have given smartphones most of the bells and whistles of the basic laptop computer, with double the portability. Business travelers can find local hotels, restaurants, and transportation at the touch of a button while keeping an avenue of communication open to co-workers and clients.
Useful Apps for the Business Traveler
Mobile apps have made business travel and indeed travel in general, easier than ever before. Smart technology enables the frequent journeyer to travel with an in-pocket office. If you’re traveling on business for the first time, try downloading the following four apps before setting out:
1) TravelPerk: TravelPerk provides users with a seamless end-to-end travel management experience. From the app, you can book flights, hotels, trains, and cars. You can also receive real-time travel restrictions across the globe and change any aspect of your trip anytime with refunds of up to 80%.
2) FlightAware: Between security and weather, it seems like flights are delayed as often as they’re on time. FlightAware uses real-time departure and landing info to help keep business travelers in the know and on schedule. If your flight is canceled, the app will suggest alternative bookings, and will even analyze weather patterns to predict potential delays.
3) Sign Easy: Sign easy is an absolute must-have for frequent business travelers. The app lets you sign documents and PDF files on the go, eliminating the necessity of finding a fax machine while on the road.
4) Mynd Calendar: Mynd calendar app is a smart calendar that enables one-click conference calling, and syncs with real-time traffic data to let co-workers and clients know if you’re running late. Mynd can even log the number of daily miles that you travel, a useful tool for travelers keeping billing records.
5) XE Currency: The XE currency app enables mobile currency conversion, tracking live exchange rates and allowing easy access to currency trends charts. For frequent travelers, keeping a currency exchange app handy can help to prevent exchange mistakes, optimizing dollar value.
Staying Connected
Staying connected to a home office while on the road can be a nuisance when long-distance toll charges are involved. To avoid these charges, business travelers can use VoIP routing, which enables virtually cost-free long-distance calling. Another handy modern communications tool for long-distance travelers is mobile call forwarding. Mobile call forwarding allows business travelers to receive calls made to regular office lines while on the go. With a good mobile forwarding system, travelers can program automatic call forwarding to help them stay connected, no matter where in the world they are.
