CWT - Travel Tips

Travel Tips

Traveling to Switzerland

Editor’s note: Global business, and subsequently, global business travel, continues to expand rapidly. In response, CWT Traveler will provide to readers each month insights and tips on traveling from North America to other countries around the world. This month’s installment focuses on Switzerland.

Good to know:
- Like most Europeans, when writing the date, the Swiss begin with the day first, followed by the month and then the year (e.g., Sept 15, 2009 would be written 15.9.09).
- Good topics of conversation in Switzerland are sports, travel, and food.
- The standard greeting among the Swiss is the handshake, even for children.
- It is proper etiquette to rise when being introduced to someone.
- It is considered discourteous to talk with hands in pockets.
- Always address Swiss adults by “Mr.”, “Mrs.”, or “Miss” followed by their surname.
In business:
- Punctuality is key. Always be on time for both business and social gatherings.
- It is advised not to schedule business appointments in July or August. This is when most of the Swiss take their vacation time.
- Business is considered a serious activity. The Swiss do not like to mix humor with business, especially during negotiations.
- Deliberations usually progress slowly. High-pressure tactics are not recommended to speed up the decision making process.
- If possible, one side of the visitor’s business card should be translated into the language of the Swiss client. If unsure what language to choose, German is highly recommended.
- Business lunches and dinners are far more common than business breakfasts. Business dinners usually begin early, restaurants rarely stay open past 11:00 p.m. in Switzerland.
Sources: travel.state.gov, “Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands: The Bestselling Guide to Doing Business in More Than 60 Countries,” by Terri Morrison and Wayne A. Conaway. Published by Adams Media of Avon, Massachusetts.

Travel policy—why to comply

With an effective and well-thought-out travel policy in place, compliance to the policy can benefit not only the company as a whole, but individual travelers as well.

Safety
- By booking travel via the approved channels, travelers can be efficiently located and assisted in the event of an emergency during travel.
- Sticking with approved hotels and ground transportation providers can help travelers ensure they are using only legitimate, respected vendors with company approved service/safety standards in place.
Convenience
- By using the appropriate payment methods (which may include corporate credit cards or direct billing to the vendor), travelers may find the expense reimbursement process to be more streamlined.
- By booking via the approved channels, travelers will have access to any after-hours traveler support numbers included as part of their travel program—in the event any last-minute re-scheduling or re-routing is necessary.
- Booking hotels via the approved method can help ensure travelers get all additional amenities that may have been negotiated into the corporate rate; for example, free breakfast, Wi-Fi, and parking.
Savings
- Organizations work to balance traveler comfort with cost savings to define acceptable classes of service for air and hotel travel. Abiding by these rules as outlined in the travel policy is an effective way for travelers to control costs on behalf of their company.
- Booking via the approved channels enables the company to more accurately report on travel volume with selected suppliers and to negotiate better discounts.
- By taking simple steps such as booking airline tickets well in advance of travel, travelers can help their organization achieve significant savings.
Many companies post corporate travel policies on their intranets, outlining which travel expenses are acceptable for reimbursement; which air, car, and hotel vendors are approved for use; acceptable dollar amounts for expenditures such as meals; and more.

Sources: Carlson Wagonlit Travel, BTN

CWT Traveler

Travel Tips

Traveling to Switzerland

Travel policy—why to comply