With business travel resuming across the U.S., now is a good time to start thinking about how you can put your mental health first.
Before the pandemic, a survey of more than 500 business travelers found about one in five felt stressed about upcoming trips.
The 2019 survey, published by corporate travel booking platform NexTravel, also found more than a quarter had trouble finding time alone to recharge while away for work.
And it’s no wonder – work travel can often interrupt routines, sleep patterns, and can cause stress from all the booking and timing of flights, hotels, and ground transportation.
While the pandemic put a pause on most work travel, it looks set to return fairly quickly in the U.S.
Many workers have found video conferencing can only go so far, with negotiations, maintaining staff productivity, and finalizing deals often preferred to be in-person.
The question is, how can business travelers prioritize mental health on future business trips?
How to make every business travel trip stress free
That’s where Blacklane comes in. Taking the stress out of travel is exactly what Blacklane’s founders had in mind when they started the global chauffeur service in 2011. As frequent travelers themselves, they saw a need for a smarter and easier way to book and manage rides.
In 2020, Blacklane supported chauffeur partners during the pandemic by spreading rides among them and creating two new services — one for city to city trips, for example from New York City to Boston or Philadelphia, and one for on-demand rides. This helped many chauffeurs to be ready to take on rides as business resumed.
Let’s see how Blacklane’s services could help alleviate the stress of your next upcoming business trip.
A business trip to New York City
Say you’ve just flown into La Guardia airport on business and you need to get to your hotel accommodation in Manhattan.
You decide to rent a car while you’re in town because you’ve heard there’s a shortage of yellow cabs in the city. Normally, a great idea. Except, you could face a lack of availability. In 2020, many major car rental companies sold off large portions of their fleet and canceled new vehicle orders to stay afloat.
You manage to find a rental car in the end and start driving to the city, but you get stuck in traffic along the way. You also haven’t been to NYC for a while, so you struggle a little with navigating your way to the hotel.
The hotel has valet parking, which is great, but adds extra time to your day.
After your two days of meetings, you drive back to the airport, happy with the progress of your trip but tired and a little stressed from the constant planning and navigating.
Get peace of mind with Blacklane
Let’s look at the same trip using Blacklane chauffeurs for your ground transportation.
Before you leave for your trip, you book a Blacklane chauffeur to pick you up from the airport. Your flight was delayed, but that’s OK. Blacklane chauffeurs track your flight and allow 60 minutes complimentary wait time, so you don’t have to rush.
You spot your chauffeur right outside your gate, with your name on a sign if you’d requested it, ready to take your luggage.
They open the door for you and you slide into the back seat. You get asked whether the temperature is OK, and whether you’d like any music?
You opt for silence, so you can collect your thoughts and plan for the day ahead. Your driver is a local, so knows how to navigate the city for you.
You get dropped off at your hotel and after a quick refresh, you plan to head out to your meeting across town.
With Blacklane’s on-demand service, you can hail a chauffeur in the city within minutes. You do so, and by the time you’re ready and outside your hotel, a chauffeur dressed in a crisp black suit is waiting for you.
After your meeting, you go and explore the city and when you’re ready to head back to the hotel, you simply hail a chauffeur from your app.
You’ve already booked your Blacklane to take you back to the airport at the end of your business trip, but you’re running a little late. That’s OK, Blacklane chauffeurs offer 15 minutes complimentary wait time on all pre-booked rides.
You head back home, relaxed and confident in your trip.
Blacklane is a global chauffeur service that’s been carbon offset since 2017. Upgrade your business trips with either pre-booked or on-demand chauffeured rides by downloading the app today.
