Top ten travel tips - How to safely transport your enterprise through the recession

For many Welsh enterprises the intensifying recession and fragility of the national and wider global economies is presenting ever greater challenges. As the financial year draws to an end, savvy entrepreneurs will be analysing financial figures and considering ways of slim-lining business practices in 2009/10 to remain competitive. However, the business benefits of opting for public over private transport should not be simply translated as direct cost savings to the bottom line. For example, green entrepreneurs may consider the long-term benefits and return to their business by reducing their carbon footprint. Here Vanessa Schotes, Head of Marketing for Arriva Trains Wales offers some essential travel tips on using public transport to help keep vital cash in your pocket.

1 Manage Your Time

One of the biggest benefits of public transport is being able to use your time effectively while you travel. It can be almost like hot-desking, as you can use the journey to make phone calls and prepare for meetings.

2 Manage Your Costs

Time lost driving to business appointments and meetings can be costly. Improved public transport links means businesses now have more choice and incentives to reduce car usage. Cutting back on car rental or the number of leased company cars can help save on crucial outgoings such as fuel, insurance, maintenance and road tax charges.

3. Concentrate on your business

For entrepreneurs with larger operations, arranging business travel for the workforce can detract from the job in hand. By opting for a business travel account such as the service offered by Arriva Trains Wales, you can free up more time for you and your staff to concentrate on your business and let someone else look after the travel arrangements - at no extra cost to you.

4 Be on form

Spending less time on the road means that you and your workforce arrive more fresh and prepared for that important business meeting. For long distance business travel, many train operators offer refreshments as an added extra.

5 Make new contacts

Travelling on the train often offers the opportunity to network with like-minded people in an informal and relaxed setting. Who knows a new business lead could be sitting right next to you?

6 Go Green

Public transport generally allows for lower emissions of air pollution, and contributes to creating better air quality, noise reduction and decrease in emission of greenhouse gases which will boast the business’ green credentials. This can help the eco-entrepreneur open reduce the carbon footprint of the business.

7 Get organised

Increases in insurance premiums, hikes in road tax and reported growth in the number of speed cameras on our roads, can make running a car more of costly luxury these days. By getting organised and booking your train journey in advance, you can often pocket a real bargain on your rail fare.

8 De-stress

These days our roads are becoming more congested. Long tailbacks on the daily commute have become the norm for many and can increase stress levels. With our working life becoming ever more demanding, using public transport when you have to travel is a good way of avoiding those stressful traffic jams.

9 Work-life balance

A great proportion of entrepreneurs will remain self-employed for their whole working life and the number of hours clocked up developing and growing an enterprise will often exceed normal contractual work hours. Perhaps you can use your journey to take some time out - catch up on the latest best-seller or watch a DVD on your laptop.

10. Try something new

The successful entrepreneur is open to new ways of running their business and developing alternative ideas. Why not try something new and see for yourself how using public transport could help your business.

In public transport today, there is more choice than ever on how to get from A to B– more trains services, more bus routes and more airlines serving new destinations. Public Transport enables millions of people to journey across the UK each day. Overall, for entrepreneurs and the wider economy, public transport can offer a win-win situation.

For further information on Arriva Trains Wales, visit www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk or to find out more about the Business Travel Service call 0844 856 0688.

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