ASK THE WOMAN ROAD
WARRIOR
Please send your questions for publication to info@womanroadwarrior.com.
(Questions may be edited.)
Safety Questions
Jodie Asked: Do you have a list of top
safety tips?
 General
tips: Program ICE (In Case of Emergency) in your cell
phone contacts list. Carry no more than 2 credit cards:
a flashlight and minimal jewelry. Leave a copy of itinerary
with spouse/significant other and admin.
Air travel: Regardless of how often you fly have an exit
strategy of one sort or another predetermined. Doesn't matter
how many times you've been on that particular type of airplane
-- always count the number of rows to the nearest exit from where
you are sitting.
Hotel: avoid hotel rooms that are located on the 1st floor,
near an elevator or the fire escape. Before entering your
hotel room know where the fire escape exits are and how many doors
away from your hotel room the exit is. Always conduct a room
sweep before settling in: look under the bed, in the closet,
make sure the phone works, the doors and windows are secured. If
you don't feel safe in a room, CHANGE (don't be concerned with
many times it takes before you feel comfortable). Avoid signing
your name and room number for hotel (for example, restaurant) or
health club charges. Leave a note in your room or with a
colleague if you are going out at night by yourself – be
sure to include where you went, the time you left and what you
were wearing.
Personal safety: If you're traveling to a city for the first time,
spend the extra money for a car service instead of a cab (especially
if you're in a city where English is not the primary language). Learn
to trust your instincts – if you feel the least bit uncomfortable
remove yourself as quickly as possible from the situation. Your
first instincts are right more times than not and it's when they
are not followed that you can find yourself in a jam.
Jeanne Asked: When I travel to developing
countries I carry a lot of cash. What is the best way to
carry cash?
Don't
keep all your cash together once you arrive in the country. Keep
most of your cash in either the room or hotel safe, and when you
leave the hotel to conduct business, carry a minimal amount with
you. Carry your currency in different places (some in your
wallet, brief case, and suit or jacket pocket); if you lose it
from one place, you'll have it somewhere else.
Bev Asked: Aren't credit card receipts
with just last 4 digits "safe"?
Yes,
credit card receipts that contain just the last 4 digits are “safe”. You
should avoid, if you can, typing in your credit card when trying
to access your email remotely by establishing a service in advance. Also,
don't leave credit card receipts or statements in your hotel room.
Christine Asked: Do you have any specific
advice for international travelers?
Program
ICE (In Case of Emergency) in your cell phone contacts list. Carry
no more than 2 credit cards: a flashlight and minimal jewelry. Keep
additional copies of your itinerary, passport and visa (if necessary)
at home, with your admin and in your briefcase.
Avoid or be careful in American brand restaurants (McDonald's etc)
and other places frequented by tourists for pickpockets and thieves. Don't
carry a lot of cash – it attracts attention. Use your
credit card whenever possible. Keep your passport in a safe
place. Store your passport in the room or hotel safe when
you do not need it. If you are taking a taxi and don't speak
the local language, have the concierge give you a piece of paper
with the name and address of your destination so you can hand it
to the driver. As an extra precaution, you can get printed
direction so you can follow the route. Refrain from offering
your political opinion to strangers – you are in another
country and respect their customs and traditions.
If you're traveling to a city for the first time, spend the extra
money for a car service instead of a cab (especially if you're
in a city where English is not the primary language). Learn
to trust your instincts – if you feel the least bit uncomfortable
remove yourself as quickly as possible from the situation. Your
first instincts are right more times than not and it's when they
are not followed that you can find yourself in a jam.
Norbert Asked: What would be good things
to have in a travel kit to improve safety?
Flashlight,
extra batteries, copies of ID/passport, itinerary, cell phone charger
(both wall and automobile).
Aimee Asked: Do you know any websites
that provide recommendations for restaurants and/or hotels
that are good for *single* travelers?
Kimpton
Hotels (www.kimptonhotels.com)
has their Women in Touch Program and Wyndham Hotels (www.wyndham.com)
has their Women on Their Way Program both of which can provide
some help for the female and single traveler.
Lorena Asked: Do you have tips to improve
partnership with a Corporate Security Dept.?
Find
a champion in the Corporate Security Dept that you can work with
to help build your plan. Ask that individual to be on your
steering committee and become an integral part of your task force.
The Security Dept. typically has a well documented disaster recovery
plan and your plan should be part of theirs.
Sue Asked: I book my own travel arrangements;
what do you suggest re: those tips you've been giving to
travel managers. Also, I take a picture (with my cell phone
camera) of my license plate when I rent a car.
To
keep costs down and find the most travel options frequent the large
travel websites such as Expedia when making reservations. Also,
sign-up and become a member of any and all airline, hotel and car
frequent travel programs. The only way you can avoid standing
in lines at airports to check in for a car rental is to be a member
of their program. Airlines will allow members of their frequent
flier programs to check in on-line, meaning no waiting at the airport
kiosks check-in desks if you carry your luggage on the plane. If
you are checking your luggage, be sure to include a copy of your
itinerary in your checked luggage.
Lisa Asked: What kind of back up communication
methods are there? You mentioned Blackberries. What else
is there?
A
good communication plan has what is known as a calling tree. That
is where one person (with a backup) is responsible for contacting
one or multiple individuals within a group or department. Communication
methods include: landline, cell phone, email, blackberry
and home phones.
Phyllis Asked: My business travel agency
can create reports showing cities/hotels where travelers
are. But once I know where they are, what's the next step?
- Communicate with them and make sure they are safe and all accounted
for
- Determine viability of getting them home – if can’t
get them home by normal means (for example by air travel), are
other methods available. If you determine getting them
home isn’t an option at the moment, then you’ll need
to make hotel accommodations.
- Book method of getting them home
- Constant communication with traveler(s), within work team and
management (lines of communication should be predetermined before
crisis occurs). This continues until everyone is either
home or crisis is resolved
- Determination that crisis is over and normal behavior should
be resumed – definition of when a crisis is over should
be predetermined and someone has to make this determination.
- Post mortem is conducted (this is a critical piece of any travel
emergency response plan)
Fallon Asked: from the travel manager's
perspective, are there specific strategies for dealing with
airlines when you have a passenger stranded?
When
you are dealing with any type of unique passenger situation with
the airline, always move the problem to a supervisor or a manager. The
sooner you can start talking with a person of authority the quicker
you can start seeing results. Also, if the stranded passenger
is at the airport, have them talk to an airline supervisor or a
manager as well. They can sometimes get quicker results being
at the location than you can offsite. Don’t forget
to ask to switch airlines or have the passenger fly into a different
airport – an individual’s options increase the closer
she gets to home base.
Nicole Asked: What do you recommend using
for currency in particular countries where credit card use
is not very good, like in Columbia?
First,
get as many items prepaid (hotel, transportation etc) as you can
before you arrive -- if you book your travel using a packaged tour
you won’t even have to worry about incidentals. I
would bring travelers checks and keep as little currency as possible
with me when I leave the hotel. I also would not keep all
my currency together in one place – for instance, keep some
in your wallet, some in a pocket and still others in a suit or
jacket pocket.
Lisa: Just an FYI re: hotel card
keys / readers, please note some hotel chains have a policy
of entering the guest room at least once a day for safety
purposes. I.E. if you did not answer your wake up call, security
will want to check your safety.
Katie Asked: any tips on what to say
to the friendly traveler seating next to you on the airplane
that asks what hotel you are staying?
NEVER
give your hotel information out to anyone you just met on the airplane. A
couple ways around this: Tell them company policy prohibits
you from giving out this information; you don’t know where
you are staying; you’re staying with a friend; or the honest
approach (which always works best) you do not give out this type
of information. If you would like to connect with this person
during your trip, exchange business cards and make a plan to contact
each other and get together at a later date.
Terri Asked: Comment: If you are requesting
another room, do not let them cancel the room you already
have until they are sure another is available.
Best
way to avoid this situation is to contact the front desk from the
room that you are vacating, request another room and have the bell
captain bring the new room key to you and escort you (if you want)
to the new room you will be occupying. This approach also
helps you if the next room doesn’t meet your standards – you’ve
got someone else making the next phone call or getting the next
key, plus it can provide another level of safety if you are uncomfortable.
Connie Asked: Women should travel with
a small rubber door stop - the wedge type. It's better than
a chair under the door handle in a hotel room.
Good point – you can get these at any hardware store. Just
remember that you are using such a device, especially in case of
an emergency.
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General Questions
WRW: Do small pre-sealed
cosmetic sample packets containing lotions, gels, etc…have
to be put in the 1 Qt Ziplock Bag or can they be carried on the
plane with no problems in carryon luggage? Kathleen
Although there is not an "official" TSA ruling regarding
these items, throw them in the 1 quart Ziplock bag to be on
the safe side. Since, each airport and TSA representative
within the airport interprets and enforces these rules differently
don't give them reason to question what's in your carryon. If
one thing in your carryon comes into question then everything has
to be searched and that only slows you down -- which is the last
thing any business traveler needs.
Dear WRW: We are going
on a month long trip with lots of stops and different airports. I am going to buy some
large hardsided luggage to protect some of the things we are bringing
back. We will have 4 large wheeled suitcases with us, 2 softsided
and 2 hardsided. With the prices ranging from $150 to $1,300
I am just not wanting to pay for a name but for quality, ease,
and warranty. I have been looking at Titan and wondered
if you had any insight or experience with hardsided wheeled luggage
of any brand.
The biggest issue with hardsided wheeled luggage is the weight. Airlines
are looking for additional revenue streams and are therefore cracking
down excess baggage weight as well as dimensions. Hardsided
luggage already carries more weight than their counterpart so that
is something you need to take into consideration when traveling. Also,
since each plane trip requires checking your luggage avoid putting
valuable items that may get 'misplaced' during the inspection process
which could occur outside of your presence.
I have not used the Titan brand but if the luggage comes
with a warranty and a replacement guarantee (within 24
hours) then you should be in good shape.
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Safety Questions