Business Travel Etiquette 12 Tips:
1~Dress to to Honor, Finesse and Impress~ Our attire makes a statement about how we respect our own personal brand and the brand of our corporation, customers,clients and colleagues. Just like the powerful messages of unspoken soft social skills, We should always stand when meeting another person.Standing shows respect for the other person as well as for your self. One thing we should never wear in tight spaces is fragrance. Save that for your friends, and fun nights out…as overzealous spritzing can be overwhelming in planes, trains, and other tight spaces…..
2~ Cell Civility~ Think short, sweet, and discreet. No loud and lengthy diatribes or dissertations. A simple, wheels down safe and sound is best. What may be an even better idea is to text, tweet,snapchat, or Facebook it, with a thank you and grateful mention to the airline. Something like, “Wheels down” or :Thank you #Southwest for a beautiful flight”, is perfect.
3-Taking Care of Business~ Both ‘onesies’ and ‘twosies’ are best done at the airport, not when you board the plane -take off patterns and line departures can be delayed if we are utilizing the airplane bath like a day spa.
4-Duffel Shuffle~We know you packed your piano in there, so please be careful of side swiping my fellow passengers faces, and or funny bone when moving down the aisle. Make sure to stow the bag near your seat, not closer to the front. Everyone on board will thank you for this.
5-Boarding Area isn’t our Living Room. Please make sure to use only one seat -being mindful not to sprawl out over 3 or 4 with your body and belongings. Also remember to relinquish your seat to an elderly person, if there aren’t any other seats available.
6-Middle Seat Manners~ Be grateful you aren’t in it. This means giving grace, latitude, and all rights to both armrests for the individual who is.
7~Taxi/Uber/Lift~ Chat them up, they are a wealth of information and like to share it. If I do have a call or interview, or an important matter to take care of, I always ask if it’s okay if I make a call. It may seem silly to ask, but I feel it is showing respect for the driver.Be sure to tip them, no matter what the tipping rules are.
8-Happy Hotel Stay~ Be careful not to slam doors, talk loudly, or have your television, speaker phone, or music volume too loud. Remember to tip your hotel house keepers $3.00 to $5.00 per day. Tip each day so that it goes directly to the appropriate person. Perfect placement is by the bathroom sink with a note saying thank you housekeeping.
9-Build Personal Relationships~ Traveling is a wonderful time to strengthen personal relationships, even when you are away. Some ideas are calling home to read a bedtime story on Facetime with your family, or snapping a pic of an interesting landmark with the tag, “wish you were with me”. (Other ways to build relationships while traveling – Go old school and send a snail mail, on the hotel stationary or post card from the city you are in.)
10~Build Business Relationships~ This is a great time to organize a ‘tweet’ up, or catch up over a quick coffee – or even have dinner face to face. When you bring in the senses of sight, smell, taste and touch, people feel like they know and trust you more. .So be a smart traveler when building relationships in different cities, spaces and places.
11-Share Social Goodness~ Tweet, Instagram or Facebook the places that have made an impact on you. This will tip off fellow business travelers and colleagues to navigate great places when they hit the road and skies. Don’t forget to include the businesses that offered you great service. Be sure to tweet the hotel and other places and spaces that you loved, giving them a double gift.
12~Don’t Over Pack~ But if you do make sure it’s extra decorum, humor, and tolerance – As they are the trifecta of making you a memorable person, thus cracking the window open for new relationships. Because as my mantra goes “The person with the deepest, widest, and most global relationships win.” #PatriciaRossi
