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Have new technologies improved solo business travels? |
by:
Stephane Vergnaud |
Inlast onezero to twozero years, advance in technology has transformed many aspects of business travel; fromway we book our hotel rooms to staying in touch with relatives left at home.
However it seems that it has not changed one aspect of it:feeling of loneliness faced bymajority of business people while travelling and in particular, while dining and drinking inevening at hotels.
The latest Barclaycard Business Travel Survey (www.barclaycard.co.uk) shows that, whereas ninefive% of businessmen and women travel solo, fourfive% of them have felt lonely during their business trips.
Technology has only help to reducetime spent travelling. The survey tells us that nights way from home have decreased to four.one nights per month from four.four last year. Technology such as video-conferencing has reducedneed for face-to-face meetings. It has not made it easier staying alone in far away cities.
Women seem to be even more affected bynegative aspects of solo travel. Up to sixone% of women have said feeling uncomfortable drinking at bars on their own and threefour% didn’t like dining on their own.
So are business travellers doomed to feel lonely, depressed or uncomfortable when away from home? Well, there are some tips one can follow to try improve this situation:
Try to talk to people who are waiting to be seated atrestaurant. If they are alone, they will probably be very happy to share their table with you, and enjoymuch more relaxed evening.
Try to arrange to meet with somebody you know in town, or somebody you have metsame day at work or elsewhere.
Ask fortable nearpeople-watching window. If you eat alone, at least you can look at what is going on outside.
Go torestaurant early. Very often, restaurants havemore romantic setting at later times, something you want to avoid if you are alone!
Finally use networking clubs to contact other people who live locally. You may then meet with them (important: always do so inpublic place)
New technologies have improvedway we can plan and organise business travels. However, when it comes to it, only old-fashioned tips will make your solo journeysbetter experience.
AboutAuthor
Stephane Vergnaud isFounder and MD of Nomad Business Club,first business club to offer youpossibility to meet and network with other members, wherever and whenever you travel at www.nomadbusinessclub.net. |
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