4 Tips for Cutting Travel Costs and Saving Time

Travel— whether it’s across town or across the country — takes considerable time and money. American Express’s 2008 Global Business Travel Forecast predicts that the cost of business travel in 2008 will rise, with airfares up as much as 10% and hotels in the U.S. up by perhaps 8%. Add to this the extra time to clear airport security and the inevitable departure delays and you have a business headache. Oftentimes, business travel can be eliminated, saving energy and resources.

1. Use teleconferencing.

While in-person meetings can’t be beat for most situations, teleconferencing today is the next best thing. It can be used to address a large number of people and is certainly less costly and less time consuming than traveling.

Basic teleconferencing by telephone (an audio connection) can be very inexpensive and easy to arrange. Some options:

- FreeConferencePro (freeconferencepro.com)

- Constant Conferencing (constantconferencing.com)

- Budget Conferencing (budgetconferencing.com)

- Telepresence is an in-person meeting experience combining audio, video and interactive elements to give participants a sense of being in each other’s presence. To learn more, visit Telepresence World (telepresenceworld.com).

2. Use alternative transportation.

Think about the time and money involved in your trip. Does it make sense to use transportation alternatives? While not practical in all areas, for many businesspeople it can be smart to explore alternative means:

- Use public transportation instead of driving. This cuts down on costly gasoline, tolls and parking fees and in many cases allows you to get more work done while traveling.

- Use the train instead of the plane. For some trips (particularly in the Northeast Corridor), an Amtrak ride may be quicker door-to-door than flying.

- Fly instead of driving. If the length of the trip by car is more than four or five hours, it saves time to fly. Use the AAA’s Fuel Cost Calculator (fuelcostcalculator.com/TripGasprice.aspx) to see what driving will cost so you can then compare it to the cost of a plane ticket. And you don’t have to take your shoes off!

3. Schedule better.

In the military, logistics is the science of planning and carrying out the movement and maintenance of forces. Logistics can also be applied to business travel, to get to and from destinations with the least cost in the shortest time.

When planning business travel, factor in the increased air delays and traffic. Decide your destinations for the week. For example, list all the service calls you plan to make. Plot out your route so you’ll travel the shortest distance possible; then schedule appointments accordingly. Planning, planning, and planning will save you time and money.

4. Limit the scope of business.

If you can’t service distant customers without extensive, expensive travel, decide whether the cost of getting to them is worth the revenue they generate. It may make sense to seek new customers who are local and don’t require the same amount of business travel.

If you do have to travel, make the most of it by avoiding working when you are traveling — the whole experience is stressful enough without having to complete your presentation before you land. Use the time to catch up on leisure reading and movies. But if you do have to work, remember to pack paper and pen — they have a longer battery life than your laptop and are more multifunctional.