For executives managing international pipelines, the decision to extend a business trip rarely comes down to cost alone — it comes down to whether the opportunity is real.
You’ve been at this conference for 2 days, and you’ve been trying to get 10 minutes with someone, but with no success.
Then, just as you’re about to leave, they FINALLY have some time for you, and they suggest you meet them at their office tomorrow. It’s potentially a big deal because it could be your chance to talk to the operations manager who might be involved in working with your company.
How much would it cost to change your flight?
You don’t want to pass on a meeting that could be so useful simply because you want to go home, but you also don’t want to spend another night in a hotel for a 20-minute conversation that’ll end with the other person saying, “Send us something over.”.
84% of business decision-makers tend to see tangible business value from business trips where clients/prospects are met in person. – American Express Global Business Travel
It’s easy to mistake someone’s enthusiasm for progress, especially after a conference, so before you extend your trip, there are some things you should know.
Which Meetings Are Worth Staying For?
“Come by the office tomorrow” tends to sound really promising when you’ve just spent an entire conference trying to get someone’s attention. But what exactly are you coming to the office for? You should be clear on that before you change your flight because it could be nothing.
Let’s say you met a distributor who wants to carry your products.
You told them about the range, and they seem interested, but you have no idea about how much stock they can carry or what would happen if a customer sent it back because you haven’t discussed that. As of right now, you don’t know whether you can come to an arrangement that makes sense, and you need to have some idea of that.
Ask if you can cover those points at tomorrow’s meeting, and their response should tell you something already.
Also, check who’s going to be there.
If the person says the warehouse manager will be at the meeting and show you around, that’s definitely something you can work with. But if they’ll be out all morning and nobody can tell you how they handle returns, then you’ll leave the meeting with too many question marks.
Seeing the place could be helpful because you may notice that returned merchandise sits beside goods that are about to go outside, and you can ask the staff how they keep them separate. That’s something you’d never ask during a call, and it’s important if you’re trusting someone with your stock.
In short – get a clear answer about what you’ll talk about at the meeting, and what you’ll see. The meeting could still end up being a flop, but at least this way you’ll have some idea of what you’re in for tomorrow.
How to Plan the Day After the Conference
Changing your flight is pretty expensive, especially if you’re doing it at the last minute.
Before you decide to do it, make sure it’s worth it.
Send an Agenda Before You Book
It’s usually best practice to send a quick email beforehand in which you’ll ask questions that you’re looking for answers to and to generally get a better idea about the details that can raise the quality of the meeting.
If they can’t answer that yet, that’s completely fine – at least you know where you stand before you decide whether you want to pay for another night and a change of flight.
Leave Enough Time Between Locations
You might be in Fredericksburg for the conference, and the meeting is in Washington, D.C. And you might also have a visit in Arlington scheduled, and another appointment downtown. Look up how long the journeys take, especially if you’re going as part of a larger team.
In that case, Washington DC bus rental services, like those offered by US Coachways, could make your life a lot easier.
And it’s imperative you go with a reputable bus rental company simply because in business, reliability is everything. A delayed/canceled service could disrupt the entire business trip – something you want to avoid at all costs.
Get a Firm Time and Address
“Drop in sometime tomorrow” isn’t what you want to hear.
What you want here is a firm time and address, so ask for that. You don’t want to barge in while they’re on a call or spend an hour waiting in the lobby. Also, check whether you need ID or someone to meet you downstairs, and make sure you save your contact’s number because you never know.
Be clear about when you need an answer from them so you can organize your flight, and if they’re still not sure whether they’ll even be there, that’s your cue to leave your plans intact.
It’s not worth changing them.
Conclusion
That extra day could end up being more useful than the entire conference, or it can end up being a waste of time and money.
If you’re staying longer, make sure you have a very good reason to do so. If someone’s interested in your company, that’s great, but interest doesn’t justify paying for another night in a hotel and changing your flight.