Finding Compatible IT Standards When Traveling Overseas

`Business Travelers
Business Travelers
Image Credit: Nick Harris

 

Traveling business people are at a disadvantage when traveling overseas. This is particularly true if they don’t speak the local language, or if different technology and business standards prevail in the nation in which they are traveling. It’s possible to be just as efficient and effective as you are when you’re home, when doing business in a foreign nation. But to succeed in this regard, you’ve got to do your homework and make sure that the deck is stacked in your favor. To achieve these goals, here is some advice from people who do this every day.

  • Make the Most of Your Money. It’s possible to lose a lot of money when sending currency overseas. This puts you at a disadvantage in ways that are obvious. Let’s say you are transferring money to Australia. There are a lot of companies which will do this for you, but not all of them charge the same for their service. You can compare currency companies at a variety of sources. It’s best to seek out a service which reviews these companies’ actual rates. By saving money in this regard, the technology access you can afford overseas will increase in quality.
  • Research Local Network Standards. If you are conducting business or doing a presentation overseas, you want to make sure you have access to all of the information you need to do what you do. Local network standards can get in your way if there are outages or access inconsistency. To counteract this, bring hard copies of any vital information, to make sure that you have what you need even if you can’t access the cloud.
  • Know Who to Call in an Emergency. Research local IT companies that offer service to people who speak your language. Research these in advance to find reviews of companies that work well for people in your industry. It also pays to contact these companies in advance, so they know who you are and are at least nominally prepared for the kind of issues that might come up for you when you arrive.
  • Have Team Members Prepared at Home. If traveling in a place with inconsistent communication access, it’s important to have several channels of communication available in case one fails. Establish these with your team members back home and make sure they are able to relay vital information and communication to you if there are problems.
  • Research Your Venue. Most major nations have office spaces available equipped with all relevant international technology access. It may be worth your while to invest in one such venue for meetings and work you need to conduct overseas. Don’t rely on your hotel, or on business spaces provided by others which you have little knowledge of. This can be a recipe for disaster.

There are plenty of other IT considerations that business travelers need to think about. But oftentimes it’s the little thing where things get messed up. Focus on these issues, and you should have a trial-free travel time, doing business overseas.