International business travels in the Asia-Pacific region (APAC) can give you an opportunity of your lifetime–you can see a new country, meet your clients or partners face-to-face, build a stronger team and improve their communication. This is especially great for global companies who have clients and/or employees all around the world. It’s undeniably true that written messages or video conferences sometimes can’t foster a deeper understanding of each other’s roles and challenges. But meeting face-to-face can change that.
Also, did you know that 20% of all travels in the world are business travels? This number includes business conferences, congresses, and exhibitions. At these events you can make various connections and have a great time. Nothing beats meeting people in person.
So, let’s see how your team collaboration can become stronger during business travel.
The importance of face-to-face interaction
Have you ever been to one of those video meetings where half the teams don’t turn on their cameras? Someone is always complaining about a bad internet connection, and someone is changing backgrounds all the time, until for unknown reasons gets stuck with a potato mask covering their face. It’s legendary, hilarious, but also frustrating at some point.
It can be a very unpleasant feeling talking without knowing if somebody is listening or not seeing your colleague’s face. Thus, no matter how advanced the technology is in today’s digital world, face-to-face interactions remain irreplaceable.
Virtual meetings and communication tools have their place, but they can’t replace the depth of connection that comes from in-person interaction. International business travel will let people meet in real life, in one time zone, and that way they can foster trust and camaraderie.
When teams travel internationally, especially in the APAC region, they share experiences that can’t be replicated in the office. How many times has it happened that you grow animosity toward someone, but after meeting them in person you become fond of them? Or has it ever happened that you go on a business trip with someone you barely know, just some person from the office, and you come back as friends? That is the power of meeting in person and spending a couple of days on a trip together.
Whether it’s going to a foreign city like Singapore, having a drink, or solving unexpected challenges, these shared experiences create strong bonds. This sense of unity builds better collaboration when team members go back to their regular work.
Travel management for business teams
Proper planning and organization can make the difference between a productive trip and a chaotic one. You can use some of the business travel solutions and platforms that can help you organize your trip better, more so if it’s your first time to Singapore or any other part of the APAC region. Plus, when a business plan is written down on a platform, you can share it with your team members so you can all be on the same agenda.
Every trip has three stages–before, during, and after. Let’s see how you can prepare for all of them.
Pre-trip planning
So, for the starters, you can define the purpose of the trip and set clear objectives. That way you can make sure that all activities during the trip are aligned with its purpose.
Also, don’t forget to create a detailed itinerary. Make plans for meetings, site visits, and downtime. A well-written itinerary will keep the team on track and maximize productivity.
Budget planning is another essential part of the business trip. Sometimes the company has a clear budget and you need to squeeze your expenses in it, and sometimes the company is counting on your abilities to find the best financial solution. Anyway, whatever the case, make sure the trip budget aligns with the company’s travel policy.
And for the end, don’t forget to take with you all travel documents needed. That includes passports, visas, travel insurance, and others (other documents may depend on the APAC country you’re visiting, so ask in advance what you need and how to provide it).
During the trip
Communication is the key, so do all you can to stay in touch with each and every member of your team. Use open lines of communication such as apps, emails, or collaboration tools.
You know how time management is important once you go on a business trip and realize that you are too relaxed and behind schedule. That’s why we had that itinerary written before the trip, and we hope you included some leisure time in as well. Trips can sometimes be unpredictable, and the best is to assume something can be challenging enough to demand a larger part of your time, so plan it beforehand–and you’ll always be on schedule.
The best part of any trip is getting to know other cultures. For instance, you’ll get to know some of the rich Singapore local customs and traditions, and maybe you can try some of them. That is definitely a nice touch in building a positive relationship with local partners and colleagues.
Don’t be shy and ask where the gym is. Ask about walking tracks. Do some exercises for your back before going to bed–after spending all day at meetings and at the laptops, your back will send you a thank you note. Meditate if you like. You need to stay healthy and safe. On that note, depending on the APAC country you’re visiting, ask about local health guidelines or necessary vaccinations.
Post-trip follow-up
Post-trip briefs can be interesting, especially when you all start remembering anecdotes and shared laughs. It’s all part of the experience, so let your team roll out some steam before going to the official debriefing. Talk about learned lessons and identify areas for improvement so you can plan future trips more effectively.
Collect and submit all receipts and expense reports promptly. Document key takeaways from the trip, including meeting minutes, action items, and made contacts. This data will be relevant for future reference.
Also, gather feedback from team members about their experience. You can use it to improve travel management practices for some future trips.
Using eSIM card for perfect connectivity
The most troublesome issue when traveling to the APAC region is to stay connected. With the internet all around us, we got used to being in touch with others at any time of day and night. But once you and your team go on an international business trip, you’ll no longer be connected–not on the internet, nor to each other. One of the solutions is to ignore the lack of net access and stay connected anyway, but that course of action is hardly recommended due to the high price of roaming.
You can change SIM cards, of course, but that pulls another set of challenges. You might find yourselves swapping little plastic cards, having more phones and phone numbers than it’s healthy, and be in danger of losing precious data.
However, eSIM (embedded SIM) can offer a modern solution for modern teams. It’s a digital SIM that allows you to activate a cellular plan without a physical SIM card. This technology is particularly beneficial for international travelers to the countries of the APAC region, and more info is always welcome on the subject. What eSIM does is it helps people switch between different carriers and data plans easily.
What are the benefits of eSIM cards?
First of all, there is convenience. You no longer need to physically change SIM cards. This definitely saves time and the risk of losing or damaging a SIM card is reduced.
Flexibility is another feature of eSIM cards. You can switch between carriers and plans based upon your needs. This is especially useful in the APAC countries where certain carriers have better coverage or rates.
And by choosing local carriers, you are avoiding expensive roaming charges. As a plus, many eSIM providers offer competitive rates for international data plans.
The last but not the least benefit is that eSIM cards are environmentally friendly. With no need to use a physical SIM card, the plastic and electronic waste is reduced.
Connect your team with eSIM
When using eSIM cards, you and your team can stay in touch as if you’re in your own country. But to maximize its effects, it’s important to plan ahead. Here are some steps to help with seamless connectivity for your team:
- Check device compatibility–Even though most modern smartphones, tablets, and laptops come with eSIM capabilities, you still need to check. Keep in mind, since this particular technology was introduced in 2018, every device produced before that time won’t be compatible.
- Choose a reliable SIM provider–Do your homework and find a provider for the APAC region that has the best offer, whether it’s in the price or in the coverage. You can do so by looking at customer reviews and competitive pricing.
- Activate plans in advance–There’s no use having eSIM and activating it when it’s too late. Too late, meaning that you’re already landed in Singapore, for example, and are trying to find the rest of your team in a huge airport in a foreign country. So, be smart and activate the card before you go traveling.
- Provide training–It goes without saying you should know how to use eSIM technology. It also seems pretty much straight forward, right? It’s still a SIM card. Still, what seems logical now, might not last when you actually start using eSIM, so make sure to provide some training. Show your team members on how to switch plans, troubleshoot issues, and manage their data usage.
Writing effective meeting minutes
Meetings are a crucial part of international business travel, but what happens if you weave from your scheduled meeting plan, or more people speak at the same time, or someone has a thick accent? All these aspects can prevent you or any person from your team from following the meeting. The best solution in a situation like this is writing meeting minutes. That way, key points will be documented and you can come back to this transcription as a point of reference. Well-written meeting minutes can help keep everyone on the same page.
Why meeting minutes matter
Did you know that originally the Latin minute doesn’t relate with the flow of time? It means ‘something small’. But do you know how many words can be spoken during one minute? Certainly not a small amount, especially if several people are talking at once. That’s why writing down what happens in a meeting is important.
Meeting minutes hold team members accountable by documenting assigned tasks and deadlines. They provide a clear record of decisions made, discussions held, and issues raised during the meeting. Also, writing it down can be a valuable reference for team members who couldn’t attend the meeting or need to revisit specific points.
Tips for writing effective meeting minutes
If you want to have a human aspect recording the meeting, you could use some advice. For better visibility, here are some major points that can help:
- Be prepared–before the meeting, take a look at the agenda so you could understand the purpose of the meeting and the key topics for discussion. That way, no matter where the meeting goes in the heart of discussion, you can be focused on the most important points.
- Record key details–Imagine asking people to speak slowly so you can record everything. That’s simply not doable. But you can focus on key points such as date, time, location, and attendees. Write down the main points discussed, what decisions are made, and action items assigned.
- Stay objective–Make sure to write objectively and avoid any personal opinions or interpretations. Stick to the facts and use clear language.
- Use bullet points–With them, minute meetings are easier to read and scan. They help break down information into digestible chunks.
- Review and distribute promptly–After the meeting, review the minutes for accuracy and make sure they are complete. Share them to all who should have them.
These are all great advice, but they become redundant if you want to try Artificial Intelligence tools for recording meeting minutes. With AI programs, the process on how to write meeting minutes is a completely different story. There are tools that can record the meeting word for word, and also those who can even record video meetings, transcribing them for future use.
So, unless you find a very enthusiastic team member willing to do the recording, feel free to try some of the tools.
Business travel is a valuable opportunity
When you go on a business trip to Singapore, or anywhere else in the APAC region, for that matter, sometimes the primary concern is to do business. Find the client, arrange the meeting, conclude the contract. But any business success can leave a bitter taste if you and your team are not on the same page.
So make sure that you work together. Use every tool available if you think that can help, and leave them (and yourself) enough leisure time. After the rest, everyone will be more willing to come to work, and in a better mood.