Many of us are faced with business trips abroad and sometimes things don’t go right, for example CBR reporter Joao Lima is constantly breaking things, while I manage to get lost everywhere I go.
Sometimes the hardest thing to do is to just keep in touch with the office, so to help you out, CBR has compiled a list of the must have travel apps for business.
1. TripIt
This app is a great way to keep your travel itinerary organised and in one place, no more carrying around pieces of paper with important information on.
You can use it for keeping flight schedules in, hotel bookings and meeting information. It also cleverly lets you forward all the confirmation emails you have to your TripIt account which then organises everything for you.
The basic is free but for the Pro version is $49 a year. It’s available on Android, iOS, Windows Phone, Blackberry.
2. iTranslate
We’ve all been there, you’re in a different country and you don’t speak the language, you just want to buy something, or explain why you were driving down the wrong side of the road.
So use iTranslate, it uses voices input and output and supports over 90 languages and it’s free!
You can also get it on your Apple Watch and it’s available on Android, iOS, OSX, and Windows.
3. Uber
You’ve heard of Uber, whether it’s for good or bad, the app which lets you hail Uber drivers and even ride share, can make sure you get the transport you need, when you need it.
You can book private cars and show up in style, all through its easy to use app and without the need to hand over any cash.
But to be safe I would make sure the country you want to use it in isn’t currently rioting against it.
Available on all platforms and it is free.
4. GateGuru
If you’re flying a lot then you need an app like this, let’s face it you don’t need the stress of running around an airport moments before your gate closes.
The app summarises your flight itinerary into an easy to use interface, this means you don’t have to sit around and wait for your gate to be shown, or worry about amendments to your flight schedule, you just know.
A cool little feature is the stats section which shows you how long you’ve spent in planes, airports and other places.
Available on iOS, Android, Windows Phone and it’s free.
5. Onavo
If you are curious about your data usage when you are abroad, then this is the app for you. Onavo works in the background and analyses your data usage and can help you find ways to make savings.
A breakdown is shown so that you can even track where your data volume goes, so not only can it help you to save money, but it can also help to keep your mind at ease if you are a security conscious person.
IT’s free but only available on iOS.
6. Evernote
Evernote has been around for a while and there is a reason, it’s extremely good. It’s a cloud-based service which helps you to store notes, photos, voice recordings and whole web pages online.
Other features allow you to enter, update and search for notes and it is great for helping you to store notes and photos when you are out and about.
Evernote is one of those apps which any business traveller will wonder how they ever lived without it – incredibly handy when you’re on the go. Evernote is a cloud-based service, which stores notes, photos, voice recordings and whole web pages online.
The basic package is free and it’s available on iOS and Android.
7. DropBox
An online private server and another cloud enabled app that lets you sync your files as you edit them.
You can instantly share and log data and ideas and add files to a favourites list so that you can view them offline.
It’s one of the most popular cloud storage services around and has tight integration with Microsoft Office. You get 2GB of storage for free and more if you opt for a Pro account.
Available on iOS, Android, Blackberry and Windows.
8. CiscoWebEx Meetings
This great app is a versatile tool that will allow you to have meetings wherever you are.
You can dip in and out of web conferences through its two-way video and camera switching facility and it even lets you attach files to a meeting space, so you can share in real time and pitch spreadsheets face to face.
You can get a free version that support three people per meeting but for more you need to pay for an upgraded option (£15 a month). The basic gives you standard video quality and 250MB of storage.
Available on iOS and Android.
9. Skyscanner
Skyscanner is a brilliant flight search app, that will help you book cheap flights on the go. So next time your flight is cancelled and you think it’s the end of the world and that there are no other flights, then use Skyscanner.
The app is multi-award winning and searches millions of flights from hundreds of airlines in seconds to help you find the best option.
Available iOS and Android and it’s free.
10. Concur
Now for the important stuff – expenses. You’re out and about, travelling and want a drink or a bite to eat, well you can keep track of all your expenses.
You can take photos of your receipts and edit your expenses in Airplane mode as well as import data from credit cards.
You have access to a whole host of tools to keep your expenses in check and to make sure you get them back at the end of the trip.
Available for iOS, Blackberry and Android. It’ll cost $8 per user per month for a small business.