Business travel can be challenging, with tight schedules, unfamiliar locations, and last-minute changes. Fortunately, the right apps can help smooth out the journey, making everything from booking flights to managing expenses more manageable. Below, we explore some of the best apps for business travellers to enhance productivity and reduce the stress of travel.
Travel booking and planning apps
Efficient travel planning is key for business travellers. Several apps simplify the booking process, ensuring seamless travel arrangements.
- TripIt: this app consolidates all your travel plans—flights, hotels, car rentals—into a single, easy-to-use itinerary. Simply forward confirmation emails to TripIt, and it will create a master schedule, complete with directions, weather updates, and maps.
- Hopper: for those looking to save on flight costs, Hopper predicts the best times to book flights. The app notifies you when prices are likely to drop, helping you secure the best deal.
Expense management apps
Managing expenses can be a hassle, especially when travelling for business. Expense management apps help streamline this process.
- Expensify: this popular app allows users to easily scan receipts, track mileage, and create expense reports. With features that automatically categorise expenses and integrate with major accounting software, Expensify is perfect for managing business travel expenses.
- Concur: often used by larger organisations, Concur simplifies expense reporting by integrating travel bookings with expense tracking. Its intuitive interface makes it easy for business travellers to submit expense reports directly from the app.
Communication and collaboration apps
Staying connected with colleagues and clients is crucial while on the road. The following apps facilitate communication and collaboration.
- Slack: this well-known communication tool helps you stay connected to your team, no matter where you are. Slack’s mobile app supports direct messaging, file sharing, and video calls, ensuring that business travellers can collaborate effectively.
- Zoom: video meetings have become a staple in the business world. Zoom’s mobile app allows users to join meetings from anywhere, making it ideal for business travellers who need to participate in calls while on the move.
Navigation and local information apps
Getting around in unfamiliar cities can be daunting, but these apps provide navigation assistance and local insights.
- Google Maps: as a must-have app for any traveller, Google Maps offers accurate navigation, real-time traffic updates, and public transport information. Its “Explore” feature also helps you find nearby restaurants, cafes, and other local points of interest.
- Citymapper: for business travellers visiting major cities, Citymapper provides detailed public transport information, including buses, trains, and even ride-sharing options. It’s particularly useful for navigating large urban areas with complex transit systems.
Language and currency apps
Language barriers and currency differences can add complications to business travel, but these apps can help overcome them.
- Google Translate: Google Translate offers real-time translation in over 100 languages, including offline capabilities for when internet access is limited. Its voice translation feature is particularly useful for quickly communicating with locals in different languages.
- XE Currency: keeping track of currency exchange rates is crucial for international business travel. XE Currency provides up-to-date exchange rates and allows you to quickly convert between currencies, even when offline.
Wellness and productivity apps
Business travel can be taxing on the body and mind. Wellness and productivity apps help travellers maintain balance.
- Calm: long flights, time zone changes, and busy schedules can make it hard to unwind. Calm offers guided meditation sessions, sleep stories, and breathing exercises to help you relax and stay focused.
- Evernote: for those who like to jot down ideas on the go, Evernote serves as a digital notebook that can sync across multiple devices. It’s ideal for organising notes, creating to-do lists, and saving important documents.
Let apps make your life easier
With the right apps, business travel doesn’t have to be stressful. From booking flights and managing expenses to staying connected and finding your way in new cities, these tools can help you navigate your journey more smoothly.
By making use of these apps, business travellers can improve productivity, reduce travel-related stress, and ensure a more enjoyable travel experience.
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