5 Tips for Unwinding on Your next Business Trip

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Ah, business travel. Just the words can conjure thoughts of chaotic back-to-back meetings, restless nights in a strange bed and pure exhaustion. But it doesn’t have to be that way! While tight schedules may be unavoidable, if done correctly, you may experience less stress and dare we say it – actually enjoy your business trip!

Keep the below tips in mind to help you relax and unwind on your next business venture.

1. Unplug – Yes we know, it is business travel after all, but limiting the amount of screen time you have is a surefire way to unwind. If you can spend some time completely off the grid – fantastic! If not, try to minimize your electronics use and go enjoy local sights or spend time reading in the hotel lobby (or visiting you hotel spa, we won't tell!). 
2. Plan your time wisely – With so much to do in such little time, time management is essential. Prior to leaving, make a list of the high priority things that need to get done, meetings and presentations of the like. Schedule them into your calendar while also blocking off several slots for “you” time – like unplugging, taking a coffee break, visiting the local tourist attractions, etc. Avoid over planning and leave some wiggle room!
3. Get adequate rest – Getting enough sleep goes hand-in-hand with planning time wisely. Don’t sacrifice shut eye just to attend one more meeting or event. For you to be at your best during business hours, this tip can’t be ignored. If you’re one of the many that have trouble sleeping in a hotel (or any new environment that is unfamiliar to you) this is especially important. Step away from work and play early, and find something to help calm you down from the day’s work – consider taking a bath, doing some mindfulness exercises or watching TV. 
4. Take care of your health – Whether you’re traveling for business or for pleasure, nutrition and health can be overlooked. But in order to unwind, eating well and taking care of your body is key. Proper nutrition can increase your energy levels and focus and scheduling in a workout can help get your blood pumping, boosting endorphins and reducing stress levels! 
5. Enjoy ground transportation – Your time on the road is invaluable, spending it behind the wheel on your way to or from a NYC airport isn’t the best option. By reserving your airport transportation with Dynasty Limousine, you’ll be able to use your time in transit to catch up on flagged emails, prepare any notes/presentations or simply, shut your eyes and relax – so you’re able to arrive to your destination feeling stress-free.

Business travel may be a frequent occurrence in your line of work and we wouldn’t want you to dread it. Book your airport transportation with Dynasty Limousine! We handle pick ups and drop offs at all major New York Airports including LaGuardia, JFK, MacArthur as well as most private airports like Farmingdale Executive Airport. Call and request a quote today: 631-587-8500! 

#TravelThursday - Tips for Business Travel

Long Island's Premiere Limousine Service 

P: (631) 587-8500

There’s much more stress than meets the eye of business travelers you see in the airport - dressed in suits, armed with briefcases, traveling for business can be a job in itself. With Millennials twice as likely to seek business trips than the previous Baby Boomer generation, business travelers are on the rise.

Does your job require you to work on the road? Whether you are a beginner or a pro, these tips will help you the next time you need to travel for business.

Use Technology and Plan Ahead
Technology doesn’t just help you view the latest tweet or most liked Instagram picture. You can count on travel apps to help before, during, and after your flight. You can view your airplane's seating plan in advance or book a table at your favorite restaurant for when you land. Lost your hotel room key? There’s an app for that too!
 

Limit Your Luggage
Travel is stressful enough - add the chance of losing your luggage when you have a strict schedule to follow, and it’s even worse. Try limiting your luggage to only a carry-on but do make note of your airline’s carry on requirements. For example, if you use an oversized carry on (especially on a full flight), spoiler alert - they may still make you check it. As such, pack only what you need and wear any bulky clothing onboard.
 

Join a Rewards Program
If you frequently use the same airport, rental-car company, or hotel, the staff members are more likely to help you and give you a more high end treatment. Maximize your points with each service and you may receive some small perks, if available. This can include, early boarding, priority hotel room, and some first-class upgrades. The higher the level you reach, the more rewards you earn.
 

Stop The Germs
Who wants to get sick before a big presentation or meeting? Germs have no escape on an airplane, but if you are prepared, you can stop the germs cold (pun intended). Carry on a small bottle of hand sanitizer and a tube of Bacitracin. Put a small amount of the Bacitracin on your finger tip and coat the inside of both nostrils - doctor’s recommend this to ward off any potential germs in the air. Use the hand sanitizer to always keep your hands clean.
 

Hire a Car Service
Whether you are traveling for business or a client is traveling to you, car service is essential. Hiring transportation will help you or your client get to your location in a quick and timely fashion. Let the driver concentrate on the road while you finish up e-mails, phone calls, or any other work that needs to be done. Need a car service that’s available for pickups and dropoffs across Long Island and at all major New York airports? Call Dynasty Limousine.
 

Dynasty Limousine will provide you with a luxurious experience, no matter where you’re going. Leave your airport and corporate transport to us - we understand our clients desire to relax and enjoy their travel. Call and request a quote today (631) 587-8500!

The Airline Lost My Luggage - Now What?

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The good news? Lost bags are actually getting rarer. In 2015, the nation’s largest airlines misplaced only 3.24 bags per 1,000 passengers (compared to 7 per 1,000 back in 2007). The bad news? Losing luggage still occurs.

While we hope this doesn't happen to you - knowing what to do should you find yourself in this situation is necessary:

Before you board:

• Take a photo. You may know what your “black suitcase” looks like, but trying to describe it to a tee to a stranger may be a little difficult. The more details you can give the agent surrounding color, shape, size, and other details - the better (aka: photos help).
• Include your name inside your bag. You probably have an ID tag attached to your bag, but in case it falls off or goes missing - it’s a good idea to have your contact information listed inside as well. A business card, note, or additional ID tag on top of your clothes will work fine.
• Purchase a tracker. For those looking for some serious peace of mind, purchase a tracker to help track your bag while traveling. Trakdot, for example, is a palm sized device that fits in your checked luggage allowing you to track it from point A to point B.

After you land:

• Report it immediately. Most “lost” bags are actually delayed and airlines can track them within a few hours. Regardless, you’ll still want a paper trail. Go straight to the airport baggage office to file a paper report and keep a copy for yourself. Also, get a phone number so you can follow up with someone just in case you feel left in the dark.
• Ask for reimbursement. Generally, you’re entitled to getting back “reasonable interim expenses” while without luggage. Though what you consider reasonable and what the airline considers reasonable may not align. Delta, for example, will pay as much as $50 per day for five days - provided you save your receipts and you’re buying the necessities.
• If your bag is gone forever, set a claim. So it’s been a few hours, days, weeks, and the airline has declared your luggage officially lost. Now’s the time you’ll need to set a claim. And though, per government rules, domestic travelers can receive up to $3,300 - many receive far less. According to the US Department of Transportation, “Airlines consider the depreciated value of your possessions, not their original price or the replacement costs.”

While losing luggage is certainly a stressful process, getting home doesn’t have to be. Skip the hassle of public transportation and arrange for Dynasty Limousine to handle your airport pick up needs. We’ll navigate the roads surrounding LaGuardia or JFK so you can relax and follow up with airlines as needed.

#TravelThursday - Acing Your Business Trip

Long Island's Premiere Limousine Service

P: (631) 587-8500

Despite the rise of video conferencing, meeting in person is not an extinct activity. Whether you are a seasoned business traveler or are preparing for your first venture, stuffing your suit and other important belongings all in one bag just never gets easier.

Good news - Business travel does not need to be intimidating! By packing carefully and planning ahead you’ll be well on your way to acing your business trip:

• Ditch the excess baggage: Only pack what you need and avoid checking luggage when possible. Clothing wise, choose a color palette and stick with it. Make sure all pants, skirts, and shoes can work with multiple outfits, if not leave it home. If checking a bag is necessary, be sure to keep all the essentials in your carry on (important documents, laptop, device chargers, business appropriate clothing, medications, etc.). This way even if your bag doesn’t make it, the important items will.

• Collect your points: If your company’s policy allows you to keep the miles you earn on business for personal use - enroll yourself in a frequent flier program. First, do some research. Some airlines and hotels have a lot of partnerships and you could be earning miles even when your head hits the pillow.

• Bring hard copies of documents: Utilizing apps like TripIt to help organize your itineraries and confirmations is great, but it’s also a good idea to print a hard copy of any important information (phone numbers, emails, confirmation numbers). If the power goes out or your battery is dead it’ll come in handy.

• Organize your receipts: Plan ahead for completing your expense reports. Bring an envelope to help keep track of all your receipts. Label the envelope with the date of the trip, client name, travel city, etc. and write notes on the envelope to remind yourself later. Now when you come home, you have everything in order - vs. pulling out a handful of crumbled receipts and straining to remember which each was from.

Business travel may be a frequent occurrence in your line of work and we wouldn’t want you to dread it. We know your time on the road to the airport is invaluable, so spending it behind the wheel may not be the best option.  By reserving a car service with Dynasty Limo, you’ll be able to use your time in transit to catch up on flagged emails or prepare any notes/presentations so you’re able to arrive to your gate feeling stress-free. Call us today (631) 587-8500!

#TravelThursday - Technology Edition

Long Island's Premiere Limousine Service

P: (631) 587-8500

As you know, there are smartphone apps for just about every aspect of travel. Looking for a GPS app that shows real updates of traffic and accidents? Done. Need a last minute hotel tonight in your location? Easy peasy. But other than apps in particular - check out how smartphones themselves have changed the way we travel:

In-flight social networks - Have you flown Virgin America recently? Their in-flight social network lets you use your iPhones to connect with other passengers at the gate or in the air! What’s the reason for this? This system was designed with the business traveler in mind, hoping they could take advantage of some downtime in flight and make some new professional connections.

Unlocking a room - Who needs to worry about room keys anymore? Starting this week, guests at ten Starwood Hotels around the world will be able to use their smartphones as room keys. Guests can check in using the Starwood app, get their room number, hold their phones up to the door, and the device’s Bluetooth connection will activate the lockpad. The technology will be available in all 150 Aloft, Element, and W Hotels by early next year. 

A smartphone carry on - Enter the world’s first smart, connected carry on! From your smartphone, you can lock and unlock it, track its location, be notified if you are leaving it behind and find out more about your travel habits with data tracking. Plus, you can charge your phone or other devices several times with the build in battery charger - boom. This indiegogo project started last month and will close on November 24th - and its already raised $785,946 of its $50,000 goal. Preorder yours today!

Perhaps we should start figuring out an app of our own! 

Next time you’re going away on business or planning a nice relaxing getaway, book your transportation with us! At Dynasty Limousine, our goal is to provide you with a luxurious experience, no matter where you’re going.  We understand our clients desire to relax and enjoy their experience, so we leave nothing to chance. Call and request a quote today (631) 587-8500!

#TravelThursday - Travel Apps for Business Travelers

Long Island's Premiere Limousine Service

P: (631) 587-8500

 

 What’s the purpose of travel apps? Well, for starters they solve a problem you likely didn’t realize you even had. You now can cut down on journey times, find the nearest coffee house, or simply show how to ask directions in the language of the country you are visiting - all with the push of a button (or tap of a screen rather).

Before jet setting off on your next business trip, keep a few of the below in your pocket to help you travel smarter:

 

Google Translate (Android, iOS)

Featuring 80 languages for written and spoken translation - Google Translate is a FREE, easy to use, comprehensive app to help with any language barriers you may face.

 

Duolingo (Android, iOS)

Speaking of language barriers - need to brush up on some Spanish before your next business trip? This FREE app provides quick and effective lesson plans in six different languages. 

Find.Eat.Drink (Android, iOS)

Adding a layer of food-snob appeal - this app gives you recommendations for nearby restuarants, bars, or shops from local chefs and bartenders. These pros help you make an informed choice, while also helping you sound like an expert to clients and colleagues in the process.

Hotel Tonight (Android, iOS)

Overbooked flights, weather problems, sometimes a hotel room is needed at a moments notice. That's where Hotel Tonight comes in. This user-friendly app helps find last-minute hotel rooms at STEEP discounts. 

Waze (Android, iOS)

Unfamiliar with the area? Waze has 50 million+ members contributing to up to the minute information while on the road - including accident alerts, cheap gas stations, speed traps, and more. This real time navigation app helps you avoid traffic jams while offering hands-free voice controls for solo drivers.

Uber (Android, iOS)

We know Dynasty Limousine can't be everywhere - so for when we're not around, there's Uber. This taxi e-hail app is great for securing on-demand ground transportation and is available in over 40 countries.

 

As you prep for your next business trip, remember to give us a call for your airport drop off and pick up needs. Dynasty Limousine has a full line of Clean, Modern Lincoln Town cars and 8-10 passenger stretch limousines available for both Airport and Corporate Transport. We are available for pickups and drop offs at all of the major New York Airports. Have employees flying into NY from out of town? We operate 24/7 and are available for transportation to corporate events as well.

#TravelThursday - Business Travel Tips

Long Island's Premiere Limousine Service

P: (631) 587-8500 

Image courtesy of stockimages/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

While we know preparing for meetings and seeing clients is foremost in the minds of most business travelers, safety on these trips should be priority as well. Before jetting off to your next company conference, keep the below safety tips in mind to ensure you and your traveling companions arrive safely (and with your possessions intact):

Keep Essentials on You at All Times - Never leave your ID, credit cards, money, or any important prescription medications in a bag you can’t readily access. These items should be kept on your person, or in a small purse/bag at all times. In airport theft situations, having the necessities on you prevents you from dealing with loss of money and ensures your health is taken care of.

Pack Wisely and Stay Alert - Travel with as few bags as possible and never leave them unattended. If you travel with a purse, keep it close to your body, or consider using a money pouch under your clothes instead of carrying a purse/noticeable wallet. All valuables should be in a bag kept nearest to you. Consider attaching an electronic proximity alarm to your bag of valuables, this way if a thief attempts to run off with any bags, a loud alarm will sound.

Secure Reliable Transportation - Booking car service with a company you can trust is a huge part of getting to and from your destination safely. Dynasty Limousine has a full line of Clean, Modern Lincoln Town cars and 8-10 passenger stretch limousines available for both Airport and Corporate Transport. We are available for pickups and drop offs at all of the major New York Airports. Have employees flying into NY from out of town? We operate 24/7 and are available for transportation to corporate events as well.

Do Your Research on Hotels - Reserve a room at a hotel in a safe area, near where you need to go for business. A larger/major hotel is more likely to have safety and security features like smoke alarms, fire sprinkler systems, security boxes, 24-hr attendant, etc. Also, request a room above ground level, as higher floors are less accessible from the outside to strangers. Rooms below the seventh floor generally provide easier access to the ground floor in the event of an emergency and are more accessible for fire equipment.

Crimes can happen at random, but there are a lot of things that can be done to prevent your chances of becoming a victim. Being aware and alert to what you can do will go a long way in making your next business trip both safe and successful!