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Jun30
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 Thanks to present technology, it is a lot easier to work with people in different time zones. Gone are the days when we would be completely unavailable. Now, even while we sleep, colleagues who are based elsewhere can actually make sure that we get an urgent message first thing in the morning.
With all the possibilities (emails, mobile phones and faxes, among others), we can now prevent bottlenecks from happening.
Another option that is also available are voice mails. This ensures that as soon as we are "back" on our desks or work area, we are immediately informed if there is something urgent.
However, this may be problematic for those who may need some vital information from someone in China because, apparently, the Chinese hate to use voice mail. Not only will they NOT respond to the message you have left, they will NOT leave a message for you as well.
Way to get around to it? Call them on their mobile phone. Most of them do not turn it off even when in important meetings.
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Jun30
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"Reducing work load is NOT the same as work-life balance" This headline which turned up during one of my google searches caught my eye. It made me think, especially after that "are you a workaholic" test result. I do agree with the...
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English may be the language of international business but we cannot expect everyone to conduct business in English. There are times when the buyer or client will insist on using their language during the discussion. Of course, you will not...
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I am a slave to technology. I am extremely dependent on all my gadgets that it counts for 50% of my productivity. Without my "toys", I am lost. Okay, I could probably wing it and do a McGyver if needed but...
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Today, I left work at 1pm. I was one of the first one out. By 4pm, the whole office was empty. Why? In this World Cup 2006 crazy country, today is a big day. Today is the day when Germany...
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Are you one of those who are in denial about being a workaholic? Not really that convinced that you are working yourself to the bone? The International Business Times may help you find out with a quiz which lets you...
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Jun29
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Business travellers doubling as parents to young and impressionable football fans, listen up. You may be in Germany for business but, hey, you can make your child happy by bringing a souvenir back to your child. A football fan item would...
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Business travellers who are in Germany during the World Cup need not worry about activities one can indulge in during downtime. Believe me, I have never seen the country (and the people, come to think of it) more alive than...
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Jun28
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One of the most important things that we need to bring whenever we are travelling for business is our business card. Business cardS, to be exact. We need to bring lots of them. A business card is more than just a...
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You have shopped around online for the best hotel rate. And you thought that you did choose the best price available, considering your needs and requirements. What you don't know is that the + or the ++ written after that...
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Some take cigarette breaks; others prefer to use the time to have coffee and talk with colleagues in the office kitchen. And then there are those who prefer to use their "free time" at work to do personal stuff online: check...
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Today is the first day of summer. And in honor of this, Four Points of Sheraton will welcome this season with the launch of their "simple pleasures" offer. What exactly does simple pleasure mean? You know, those little things that...
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First it was Hilton. They offered lobby check-in kiosks for their guests. Surely, all of us can appreciate how this extra service will make things a lot more convenient for us. After days of marathon meetings, the serviceability that this option...
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Smokers nowadays sigh and look back when smoking was still allowed on airplanes. The good old times when the no-smoking sign was only temporarily lit. I am not a smoker but most of my colleagues are. And I think a lot...
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Jun26
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Mercer Human Resource Consulting conducts the Cost of Living Survey every six months. This helps companies asses costs for international assignments. Not only are the compensation allowances for expatriate employees affected, business travel expenses (hotels, meals, taxis) are also greatly affected...
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Small and Medium-sized Business owners in the US, Canada and Mexico who spend less than USD$400,000 per year on Northwest Airlines and KLM can apparently reduce their travel expenses when they apply for Biz Perks. Savings can be made via earning...
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Jun22
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A couple of times, I have found myself facing excess baggage charges which amounted to an incredible sum. Had I known then what I know now, I could have saved myself (the company, actually) a lot of money. Rather than paying...
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A DELL Laptop exploded during a conference in Japan. Scary. But, apparently, laptops do sometimes burst into flames. The recent incident in Japan is not an isolated case. At least, not just for DELL laptops. Apple, Dell and Hewlett Packard laptop...
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We've all heard about hoteliers wanting to remain competitive by looking for ways to specifically cater to the rising number of women business travellers. As a female business traveller, I surely welcome the thought of finding more and more...
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Recently, Phoenix Marketing International conducted Hotel SCORES, a survey which involved 10,000 travellers from different countries. All those who participated in the survey have spent at least one night of paid accommodations in 2005 and are active members of at...
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Jun21
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By no means can I be called an expert in travelling to Moscow. So, when reader Vincent D. asked for advice, I had to surf my way around for the answer.He asked, "a colleague of mine told me that I...
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If Senator Chuck Schumer gets his way, we would soon have a choice whether we should look for other travel options or just cancel our flight... long before we are already stuck at the waiting area, waiting for that delayed flight....
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"InnerWireless®, Inc., the leading provider of in-building wireless systems, announced that Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group will install the InnerWireless infrastructure at their flagship property, Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong." For us, guests, this means that we can expect a big improvement in...
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Jun20
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While the focus of other airports is to upgrade the quality of their restrooms, the Helsinki-Vantaa International Airport in Finland has something greater up their sleeve to improve customer service and airport operations. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology will be...
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The Raffles Hotel in Singapore is one of the most elegant hotels in the world and is, without a doubt, the best hotel in Singapore. Apart from its beautifully appointed rooms, Raffles also offer business travellers the option of staying...
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Here is, imho, a perfect travel accessory for those who travel armed with every gadget possible. The Inflight Power Recharger Cable can be used to charge your mobile phone, pda, music players or game consoles while you travel just by plugging it...
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If you find yourself heading off to Asia anytime this year, you might want to take advantage of what Four Seasons Asia has to offer. You can earn 250US$ Resort Credit (for future personal use, perhaps?) if you stay a...
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A single-stay of 5-days or more will give you $50-off at any of the Extend Stay Hotels property in the US and Canada. If you plan on staying less than 5 days, you get $15 off. These offers are valid...
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When travelling on business, we always have to be aware of appropriate dress clothes. More so when the culture of the country we will be visiting is different from what we are used to. More often than not, our best...
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Everyone uses the public toilet at the airport at some point in their lives. And there is nothing worse than getting the urge to go and finding a filthy toilet that just screams bacteria and diseases. But, some times, what can you do?...
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I will be off to Japan with my colleague in a couple of weeks. In addition to being given this information, our very efficient contact at the head office, also informed us of the changes that happened at the Narita...
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Jun18
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Due to the increasing number of road traffic accidents due to the use of mobile phone while driving, more and more countries have been imposing a ban. A study has even declared driving while talking on the phone worse than driving...
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Jun15
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[photo courtesy of NYT]First, we were bombarded by online images of this standing-room concept for the Economy Class, proposed by Airbus. Just looking at this proposal gives me shivers. It really gives the term "cattle class" new meaning. And now......
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There comes a time when a visually impaired business person need to travel. And when that happens, extra care should be given in preparing the trip in order to ensure that the trip goes without hitch. I will not pretend...
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Like most Road Gladiators, I've had my share of rants about Business Travel. I've tried to discuss the other side of Business Travel, in order to correct other's impression that we lead hedonistic lifestyles. Others have been doing the same. But, the...
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Months before the World Cup kicked off, Standard & Poor, one of the world's preeminent providers of credit ratings, looked at the likely impact of the World Cup 2006 on Business Travel. In terms of business travel, Germany tops the European league....
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Germany is taking full advantage of the fact that they are hosting the World Cup 2006. Apart from the obvious, the misunderstood Germans (as I always call the genteel people in the land I will be calling home for...
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Jun14
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Months before the World Cup 2006 started, I warned partners from other countries to try and avoid visiting our office during the duration of the World Cup. As I expected, people are instead bent on being here during the World Cup:...
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I do not know how many articles I have read about the cost of losses in productivity because of the World Cup. Companies have been expecting the rise in the number of people calling-in sick. If and when employees do...
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BMI, UK's second largest Airline, has signed an exclusive deal with Hertz, one of the world's largest car-hire company. These giants are offering bmi passengers exclusive car deals via the bmi website and call center. Members of bmi's the Diamond Club will...
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Jun13
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Taking a Taxi in Tokyo, Part I was inspired by the four short visits I have made to this wonderful city. Not enough for me to understand the finer nuances the way expatriates or locals could. So, to give you...
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Jun12
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I have had my share of bruises due to (MY) mishandling of luggages. A black and blue shin from time to time is, more often than not, a result of the I-am-late-and-I-need-to-hurry-and-check-in-this-heavy-luggage situation. Thank God *knocks on wood* I have yet...
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As much as I love my career, I still cannot understand those with an unrelenting need for work. People who cannot seem to understand the fact that there is (or SHOULD be) life outside of work. Obviously, spending too much time at work...
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If you live alone and are constantly away on business, keeping your house secure while you are away is more challenging. You may have to invest in one of those pricey home security gadgets. Or... you could just "trick" would-be...
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Despite the fact that I am not (yet!) at the top of the company’s totem pole, I never really did get all stressed whenever a particular business travel/presentation scheduled is with my boss. Maybe because it is due to the...
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Jun 9
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If you need to figure out the approximate mileage you will earn for a particular itinerary, there are tons of tools available online to help you. One of the most efficient tools I have ever used is MileMaven's Mileage Calculator. Through the years, its...
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Following the footsteps of Southwest Airlines' recent blog entry on Funny Stuff, I am posting the funniest thing I have heard from a pilot. This is from a flight I took from Manila to Taiwan a couple of years ago. "Welcome...
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Recently, I was asked by Simone of SNC Destinations to write a few tips on Germany for those heading to FIFA World Cup. "The image of beer drinking, sauerkraut eating, dirndl/leder hose-toting, non-smiling people seem to be what is in...
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With Airline Alliances (like One World, Star Alliance and Sky Team), more and more destinations are within easy reach. Another great advantage for frequent travellers is the ease of earning more mileage rewards. Some have cited lower prices as another...
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Since I am currently based in Frankfurt, Germany and am a Miles & More member, I have subscribed to receive Lufthansa's Newsletter for their 'ready to fly?' offer. Every wednesday, I receive their newsletter by email with selected destinations at extremely...
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[photo source: gcal] As dictated by our company's coffers, a lot of us are becoming more careful about how we spend. Cost of flights and/or hotels are the main considerations when making a choice. However, there are times when there is NO sense...
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Jun 3
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Even if I have work to do or have my own reading material in my carry-all, I always leaf through the in-flight magazine as soon as I have my seat buckled on-board a plane. No, I do not read most of them...
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Thanks to present technology, it is a lot easier to work with people in different time zones. Gone are the days when we would be completely unavailable. Now, even while we sleep, colleagues who are based elsewhere can actually make sure that we get an urgent message first thing in the morning. 
