Tech Road Warriors: Tools to be Successful

In airports, train stations and hotels across the country, road warriors turn to mobile devices to meet their travel technology needs.

Business travelers are among the top users of mobile devices, sometimes checking a smartphone up to 34 times a day. However, as busy professionals become increasingly dependent on mobile tools to be productive on the road, mobile apps play a bigger role in their travel routine.

Travel apps such as Kayak and Expedia are on their way to becoming the primary means of booking hotels, a sharp contrast to the days when making reservations required calling individual hotels to find vacancies. Video apps make it possible for co-workers and partners to connect. ooVoo enables one-on-one or group video chats, keeping travelers connected to the home office or with clients. Springpad allows business travelers to stay organized with digital notebooks, accessible via smartphone, tablet or computer. 

Social media has played a significant role in the evolution of business travel. With the popularity of LinkedIn, Facebook and other social media networks modern business travelers can engage with prospective customers or stay connected to their families and friends regardless of where they are on any given day. Twitter’s real-time updates deliver up-to-the-minute new. Services such as Yelp help crowd source decisions about the best hotels, restaurants and car rentals, while tools like Twigmore take reviews even further by tapping into a user’s existing social networks to find friends who can offer insight on specific destinations.

For business travelers, having the proper travel accessories is essential. A portable power pack ensures that a smartphone or tablet is never without power at a critical moment, while a Bluetooth headset keeps users hand-free while driving or telecommuting. And, though unfamiliar cities can be daunting, GPS ensures that getting lost is never a problem, even when going for a run or finding your way to the next meeting.