She/he is the most important person in the organization. So, ensuring their seamless experience is the biggest priority, unless you want to risk your promotion.

But then for that “seamless experience” you shouldn’t over-spend either; else risk getting incessantly bugged by the finance people.

So, you’re basically walking on a thin rope.

That said though, planning and assisting a business trip for your CEO, or any top executives in your organization for that matter, doesn’t have to be such a nerve-wracking task.

If you know the right approach and basic how-to, it’s quite simple.

Here are 5 tips you should follow:

1. Plan in Advance (But NOT Too Advance)

Business plans change faster than you can even say ‘B’. You know it!

So, while travels should always be planned in advance so to minimize the expense and the booking hassle, here it shouldn’t be “too advanced”. Balance it out.

Have complete confirmation of the kind of business trip that this will be and all that it demands before making any commitment with the money.

What’s the exact destination? Will there be any formal or informal meeting? Do you need to hire car rental? What the schedule of your CEO and others on the trip will be like?

Have all these answers before taking any step. Advanced planning is important. But nothing is worse than spending non-refundable $$$ only to know later that the business trip has been called off.

2. Take The Responsibility

Meaning, trust your judgments and decisions. You’re tasked for this job. In the name of being “considerate” or “perfect”, do not bug your boss or other people in the company before taking any step.

You’ve got the basic information around the trip. Work with that. Decided for yourself which is the right airline, hotel, rental car, meeting space and more.

And once you have taken the decision, stand firm and trust it. Take full responsibility. Act like a leader. Even if something goes wrong, own it, learn and move on.

3. It’s a Business Trip – NOT a Luxury Vacation

Yes, it feels good to stay in high-end hotels and eat in posh restaurants. But then this isn’t a luxury vacation. It’s a business trip. And that’s exactly how it should be treated.

So, to make your finance department happy, go easy on the budget.

Avoid any unnecessary spending. A budget hotel, if picked right, is equally good. You don’t need a BMW rental. You don’t need to book a whole auditorium for the meeting when there are only 7 people.

Know how to cut back on the unnecessary cost. Save wherever you can. Of course, make sure not to compromise on the comfort value of the travelers though.

4. “Save Time” is the #1 priority

Wherever you can, save the time of your CEO and other accompanying executives. Avoid any delays and stand-bys.

Get the earliest flight even if it costs a little higher. Make dinner reservations at the right place where there’s less delay. Eliminate the time-wasted in processing; pay in advance.

Remember, in particular in large organizations, time is money. So, when you save time, you’re saving money in the long-run.

Moreover, skipping the standbys and delays is essential for a seamless and satisfying traveling experience.

5. Recommend This To Your Management

Organizing and planning business trips are not easy. Even if you’re good at it, you can never be best. There’s a lot more to take care of in such trips, also, at the same time, paying equal attention to cost optimization. Aside from the regular bookings, it includes credit-card management, data management, travelers’ security and more.

It’s too much to for anyone who’s isn’t specifically qualified for it.

This is where corporate travel companies come in. Recommend your management to hire one.

The right corporate travel agencies can take you a long way in not only streamlining such business trips for an exceptional experience but also save you a lot of money in the long-run.

Conclusion

These are five simple tips to help you plan a perfect business trip for your CEO.

Sure, things can go wrong. In fact, they will go wrong. And that’s okay! Such trips require a lot of attention. The company’s management will understand it and they will cut you some slack on minor errors.

The key is to not stress and act like a leader. Take responsibility and act smart. Everything will fall in the right place.