How to Organise a Group Business Trip

There are many reasons for group business trips – whether it is for a team-building day out, weekend holiday, attendance at a trade show or a series of site visits. If you’ve been given the task of organizing the trip then you may well feel a bit daunted by the task – particularly if there are a large number of people going. But there’s no need to panic: as long as you budget well, get your priorities right and above all plan well in advance, there is no reason why it can’t go smoothly. Here are some of the steps to include in your checklist:

A business trip requires planning

• Get The Details: The first thing to do is make sure you have all the correct details for the trip before you start making any specific plans or bookings. What date do you need to be travelling on? Where will you be travelling too? What is the purpose of the trip? How many people will be going? How long will you be staying? Are there any important items you will need to bring with you? Will any of the travellers have special requirements relating to disability, diet and so on?
• Budget: Anyone organising a business trip will have a set budget to work with and your company won’t thank you if you go over this. Therefore, you need to confirm exactly what it is and then set aside a certain amount for every facet of the trip. For example, you will need to know what you are going to spend on accommodation, travel, entertainment, marketing, food and so on. You will probably also need to set a little ‘emergency’ money aside in case of any unforeseen events.
• Leave Enough Time: It’s a good idea when arranging a group business trip to plan for an early arrival. Don’t forget that it’s entirely possible you will be held up en route. This many not matter so much if it’s just a social trip (such as a group holiday), but if you are attending a trade show or an important conference then you will no doubt have things to set up when you get there. Being late could leave you rushing around trying to get things sorted out at the last minute. Leaving much more time than is necessary is a way of avoiding this kind of stress and ensuring a successful trip.

Giving yourself enough time is important

• Arrange Travel: If you’re going to be transporting a group of people across the country then the best way to do it is probably to hire an executive coach. Not only should you be able to get a good price if you book in advance, it also means you are keeping everyone together so there is no chance that any of your party can get lost on the way to your destination. Have a look at coach companies in your area to compare prices and get your ticket booking confirmed. You should keep receipts of this so there is absolutely no confusion.
• Book Accommodation: Chances are, if this is an overnight business trip you will be staying in a hotel or travel lodge of some kind. The one you choose will of course depend to a large extent on your budget and the purpose of the trip. If it’s a conference or trade fair then you should be staying close to the venue so you can be transported there easily. If the trip is more for recreational purposes then your choice will probably be focused more on what there is to do in the surrounding area and whether there is plenty of entertainment for groups of people.
• What to Take: It’s important to make a check-list of all the important items you absolutely have to take on the trip. For example, if there are materials you need for presentations or speeches then all of this should be loading onto a disk which has also been backed up. If you’re going to a trade fair then you will probably have plenty of marketing materials to take with you, such as posters and banners.
• Itinerary: Once you have all the details of your trip arranged, put them all down into an itinerary and give a copy to everybody attending. That way, they will know exactly what is going on and where they need to be at any one time. It will also confirm the time of departure so there are no excuses for being late! Lastly, it’s a good idea, as group organizer, to give everyone your phone number so if they do get lost or run into difficulties they will be able to call you let you know what’s going on.

Summary: If you’ve been given the task of organising a group business trip then you need to leave plenty of time to make sure you get every detail right. This article looks at some of the most important things to consider.

An article by Chris Jenkinson who writes for Britannia Coaches, he recommends a trip to France as a great group business trip for UK businessmen. He thinks the Dover cruise transfer is an ideal way of entering France.

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