January 2007

As I am starting to plan the various trips I will be taking this year, I thought it would be a good time to discuss the best ways of using frequent flier miles.

You have various options for using frequent flier miles- and the nice thing is there are more and more available options for redemption. In many cases you can now redeem your miles for hotel stays, car rentals, and even merchandise.

If you are trying to get the best value for your miles- your best values will usually be for using your miles to redeem for business class tickets. When you compare the cost of purchasing these tickets to the number of miles required for redemption you can get great deal.

If you do not have a lot of miles but you like to travel in style, another good option is to use your miles for upgrading from an economy ticket to a business class ticket. Be careful though, not every class of ticket can be upgraded. Very low fares usually do not qualify for upgrades with miles.

It used to be the case that even if you had enough miles you may not be able to get a seat on the flight you wanted. Airlines have noticed this and are starting to do something about it. If you use Air Canada Aeroplan for example, they have now introduced a program called ClassicPlus Flight Rewards which allows you to use more aeroplan miles get a seat on any flight. For more information on this, scroll down to the ClassicPlus Flights Rewards section on the Aeroplan help page.

For myself, I usually tend to use my miles for travel in economy, this way I can take twice as many trips for the same number of miles.

When you have finally decided what you are going to redeem your miles for I strongly suggest to call the reservation number of the airline. There is usually a fee when you do this, but you are sure of what you are getting. When I have redeemed miles for travel on airline websites directly I have had problems with missing reservations.

This is the fourth and final part of my tips to help your international business. This post is going to address what is the most common problem I see in international dealings- failure to understand foreign business practices.

If you have gone through the first three parts of this, how to address cultural differences, how to address language barriers, and how to address foreign regulations, you are well on your way to more successful international business.

The last part of this is critical though. You may understand another culture, be familiar with the regulations in their country, and speak clearly, now you just have to understand how to conduct business.

My first tip is to let the other person set the pace. In some countries there is an extensive process of getting to know the other person before business can even be discussed. In other countries it is important to have a coffee, in others it could be a glass of vodka.

Secondly, try to find out what is important to them, and why. In some cultures this may be discussed openly while in others it is not. One time I was working on a contract for a phone company in the Middle East. It was very important for the top management to have training in Canada for their employees, and that there would be a lot of competition for the limited spots. While I understood it was important I only found out when the students came for their class that each student who made it actually got a raise in salary for having been on the class. No wonder it was so important.

Lastly, put yourself in the other person’s shoes. The reason international business is difficult is because it is complicated and risky. Anyone wanting to pursue an international transaction is probably doing so because they cannot find what they need locally (or if they can it is very expensive). The risks must be addressed properly because they apply to both parties. If you are selling something you need to be sure you are going to get paid, and if you are buying something you need to make sure that you will receive the goods. If either party does not live up to their end of the deal, it is incredibly difficult to resolve things. Anything that you can do to reduce the other side’s concerns is important.

I took a business trip this week, and as I was just traveling for four days to two destinations so I decided to only take one small carry-on. Normally when I travel I check in one bag and carry on only my laptop bag.

Well, this week has been an awakening for me, as it must be for most business travelers.

The fact of being limited to 3oz containers got my shaving cream confiscated by security prior to my first flight. They were nice about it and said that it is happening a lot to business travelers. So I had to buy another can of shaving cream at my first destination.

No big deal I thought, I’ll just buy a travel-sized can. But the pharmacy I went to only had standard shaving cream. So I used it for two days then had to throw it out prior to my second flight.

Once again, at my second destination I could not find a travel size can so again I bought a regular can, used it for 2 days, then threw it out before coming home.

Wow. I have gone through three cans of shaving cream in under 5 days. This must be a new record.

That was not my only experience with the liquid ban this week. Being the experienced traveler and shopper that I am, I had found a place to get great deals on alcohol in the US. I did get a great deal- one litre of smirnoff vodka for only fifteen dollars. Alas, I also got that confiscated.

I think next time I am just going to check my luggage.

New offer: Until December 31st, 2007 you can earn 10 miles each time you use a Tropicana or Quaker product.

It’s a bit of effort though.

The way it works is as follows:

1. buy a specially marked package of Tropica or Quaker product-
2. find a 12 digit pin number on the item
3. go to breakfastcentral
4. type in your aeroplan number- then the PIN

you will receive 10 Aeroplan miles per item for this.

I don’t know- it seems pretty complicated for 10 Airmiles. I don’t think I will be doing this.

For more details go to breakfastcentral

When you are dealing in an international environment- one of the big complexities could be the fact that you are not only dealing with the regulations of your own country but that of the other country to.

If you are a manufacturer for example and you want to export your product to Europe you will need CE and RoHS certification. In my field of telecommunications, certain countries require homologation tests on your equipment, and there are many variations of these requirements.

The first and most important thing to get done when you plan to address a foreign market is to find someone who understands the regulations in that market. You may get all of your information from a customer, a distributor, an agent, a local lawyer, a goverment regulator, or maybe even the foreign country’s embassy.  It is no use trying to do business in a foreign market without understanding the constraints or additional costs you may face.

Once you understand the regulatory environment for your product or service, you still have another thing to address- the foreign commercial regulations. These include any banking or legal regulations which you will need to understand. For example, most countries allow for payment of goods or services with Letters of Credit. However, some places will not guarantee on this Letter of Credit. Other countries may not be allowed to pay for things other than in their local currency. This may or may not be a problem, depending on whether there are any restrictions on the export of currency.

All of these issues are not meant to dissuade you for working on international business, rather they illustrate the added level of complexities you will need to thoroughly understand.

Well, I just got caught. I am at the airport in Montreal, leaving for a business trip, and today I decided only to take carry on luggage.

This is usually an advantage because when I arrive at my destination I don’t need to wait around for my luggage- and as this is is a short trip, just a couple of days, I really don’t need that many clothes and personal items.

Personal items, that’s where the problem is. When passing through security I got my shaving cream and gel confiscated because the containers were too large. The lady was very nice and said that it is happening to a lot of business travellers.

I guess I have to make sure to buy the smaller travel size items.

Al least they let me keep my deoderant…

Air Canada is offering the chance to get additional Aeroplan miles as part of their Winter Bonanza program.

Until March 15th you can extra Aeroplan miles for travelling to various destinations. The offer is for some flights within Canada, some flights to the US, and there are some European destinations, as well as Hong Kong. You get an extra 50% if you are travelling in first class, and an extra 25% if you are travelling economy.

If you are planning a trip this could be a nice extra.

For full details on this offer- click here.

I do a lot of travelling for business and as such I get asked by friends and family to help find the best deal for their trips.

Lately I have been using Kayak to find fare information. This has to be one of the best travel websites I have seen in a while. Kayak will compare fares from over 120 websites. I am planning a couple of trips this year, and the prices that I have found from this website are significantly better than anything else I have seen.

Ease of use is incredible the big thing that it offers that the other major travel websites don’t is that it is a sidebar which is incredibly easy use.

Try out this site, you will not be disappointed.

This offer is for a limited time (until February 9th) and it is only for Uniprix Option+ products, but if you are an avid Aeroplan mile collector (as I am). And, you were planning on making some purchases at the local pharmacy, the chance to get double Aeroplan miles may be of interest. More details of the offer can be found on the Aeroplan website.

You will still get 1 Aeroplan mile per dollar spent on any other items you buy, but 2 per dollar on the Option+ brand, which is the Uniprix house brand. The items under the Option+ family range from shampoo, paper towels, vitamins, anything you could usually find under a no name brand. You can see more about these items at the Option+ section of the Uniprix website.

I have one small criticism of Aeroplan. The reason I know about this offer is that I am subscribed to the Aeoplan newsletter. I just received this newsletter today, which is five days after the promotion has started. It would be much better to get this information out before the actual offer begins.

If you are travelling to a foreign country, in many cases there will be language barriers to overcome. We must remember, especially if English is your first language, English may not be the first, or in many cases, even the second language of the person you are talking to. So here are some tips about how to address these language barriers:

• Speak slowly. I have sometimes found that when I am travelling internationally I speak in English at a pace which I would consider very slow- but it is the best way to ensure complete understanding. Remember that the person you are talking to is likely understanding you- translating your language into their own- interpreting the information, thinking about their reply- and translating it back.
• Do not use any slang- even if you are speaking the same language you may not be understood. For example, I could ask where the nearest “dep” is- if you are an english Montrealer you will probably understand me, but not if you are from anywhere else.
• Say exactly what you mean. That is, don’t use any sarcasm or other hidden meanings- in most cases they won’t be understood.
• If you think something is misunderstood, repeat it. 
• Learn some basic phrases in the language of the country you are going to. It is good to know basic greetings and thank you’s, as well as Sorry, I dont speak .

I hope this helps in your travels!

Just a reminder, time is running out for Canadian travellers flying into the United States to ensure they have the right documents.

Beginning a week today, Canadians will need to present a passport when arriving by air from any part of the Western hemisphere.

If you haven’t got your passport… better get it soon.

read more | digg story

Any time that you are doing business in another place you will find differences between your home and the place you are doing business.

When you then try to do the same thing in another country it becomes more complicated. Cultural differences are one of the most obvious differences. Before you are going to travel to a foreign country, try to learn a little bit about the country’s history, culture, and religion. Wikipedia can be a good starting point. The idea is not to become an expert in the other country, but to familiarize yourself with the basic do’s and don’ts.

Here are a few tips- I will use my experience of Arab Muslim countries since that is what I am most familiar with.

• The first thing you will notice is that in a Muslim country it is common for things to take more time then a westerner will be used to. This is because people genuinely want to develop a personal relationship. The relationships you make then tend to last for a long time. Do ask about someone’s family once you get to know them a little.

• In many Muslim countries there is a call to prayer five times a day, and as religion is a very important part of life, it is not uncommon for people to pray five times a day. So don’t be surprised if your meeting is interrupted for a few minutes while this is done.

• In these countries, Friday/Saturday, Thursday/Friday, or sometimes just Friday are the days off. People tend to work in the morning- take a long break in the middle of the day (when it is very hot), come back after supper and work late into the evening. I have had meetings start at 8 p.m. and last until midnight.

• During the month of Ramadan there is no drinking or eating from Sunup until Sundown- so things tend to go more slowly during this time of year. Adjust your expectations accordingly.

• Alcohol is also forbidden by the religion, however, depending on the country, alcohol may be available for foreigners. My recommendation- don’t drink alcohol even if it is available. If you are dining with a strict Muslim this will be considered offensive.

Going a little bit off from the travel path, I will be discussing the complexities of international business for the next few posts.

International business is much more complex than doing the same business domestically. My experiences in North America are significantly different to my experiences in the Middle East, which is different than Europe, which is different than Africa.

So, in an international business environment- what are the main complexities to address? I think there are four main ones:

1. Cultural differences

2. Language barriers

3. Foreign Regulations

4. Business Practices

Each of these will be discussed in posts over the next week, along with tips on how you can address these issues.

I have done a lot of business dealings in many different countries. This post is not related to travel, but it is related to business.

My tip for the day is that the single most important thing to remember in international business is to understand that when you deal with a foreign company, what is important to you (or your company) is not necessarily what is important to them.

The more information you have about what is important to them - the better chance you have of your business dealings being successful-  because the more you understand what is important to them, the more you can sympathize with and inspire trust in the other person.In international dealings, trust is the key.

Here in North America we are used to complex legal arrangements because it is relatively easy to go after someone if they do not fulfill an agreement. However, in international environments the contract itself is less important then the trust between the parties for resolving any issues that will come up during the agreement. This is because if either party does not want to fulfill their end of the agreement- they can easily just stop doing what they are supposed to. At that point, if you want to take the legal route it is very complicated and expensive to begin proceedings in another country, and it is usually not worth the effort.

The fact is, in many projects or contracts you will encounter situations which are not catered for in the legal document so it is extremely important to have a good relationship and understanding with the other company you are working with. It is less important to have something written down then it is to understand what is important to the other company and to have a mutual understanding of how to work together.

Since I am planning my first business trips of the New Year- I thought I would share a couple of tips about business travel.

1. Always have some cash. This is especially important when you are travelling to other countries for two reasons. Firstly, not every hotel or restaurant takes credit cards. Secondly, even when they do, you may have problems with international transactions. I typically carry 100-200 dollars on me at all times when I travel.
2. Speaking of credit cards, have more than one of the major cards on you because you never know when somewhere will not take it. I always have a Mastercard and a Visa card on me. I was reminded of this recently when I went to a restaurant near where I live in Montreal and I tried to pay with my Mastercard. Unfortunately this particular restaurant only accepted Visa.
3. Always arrive early. On my last trip to Colorado the main highway from Denver to Vail was closed on the morning I was supposed to return to Denver due to a snowstorm. Because I checked out of my hotel six hours before my flight, I had the chance to drive a totally seperate route around the storm. This route took me a full six hours and I just made it to the plane on time- but if I had left the hotel in the afternoon I would have never been able to make it.
4. Look around tripinform.com. You will find many more ideas on this site

Here are a couple of ideas related to planning and booking your next vacation, as submitted by one of my faithful readers:

1. I try to always book hotels directly on their own website once I have been to expedia to check out hotels and prices in the area I’m going to. The BIG advantage is that your credit card is not charged until you check out of the hotel. All the travel companies charge the credit card immediately.
2. Another tip is to use google earth to see exactly where the hotel is especially for holidays as “on the beach” can be a stretch. This way I choose the location first and then find hotels in the vicinity. Also I always check a hotel in a new location with Tripadvisor.com as they normally have comments from guests that are current.

Thanks to my father for these tips.

As I mentioned in a previous post, British Airways lost our luggage for three days on my last trip to Scotland. When we came back to Canada we submitted a claim for the clothes we had to buy while waiting for our bags to arrive. This was submitted on the BA website and we got back a standard e-mail response.

Well, as we have waited sixteen weeks now and having never received any response, we decided to call the Baggage claims phone number listed on the website- 1-800-828-8144.

They told me to fax a copy of all relevant information to Customer Service at the following Fax: +1 347-418-4241.

You should try these numbers if you are in North America and have had problems with British Airways.

I am looking forward to see if it works…

Having done a lot of international travel, my first question before planning a trip to a foreign country is do I need a visa?

Here are the steps you need to follow in order to get your visa.

1. Find the Embassy of the country you will be visiting located in your own country- these days, many of them have websites so it should be easy to find.
2. The website will have a section called Consular services- or something similar. Go to that section to find out the exact requirements you will need
3. Print out the requirements. It is very important to follow them exactly. If you submit your package with any single omission it is likely that it will be refused.
4. As an additional precaution- call the Embassy to verify the requirements. Fee structures sometimes change without notice.
5. Submit your documents to the Embassy with the appropriate fee. Note that most embassies do not accept cash or personal cheques.

Some countries, such as Russia, will require a letter from a tour operator. If you are not going on an organized tour, don’t worry, check around your local travel agents and online to see how to get such a letter. They are usually available for a fee. I have used the website Visa to Russia to get invitation letters sent to me for visits to Russia.

Other countries, such as Libya, will have special requirements such as requiring your passport to be translated. For this kind of service it is best to call the embassy to ask how to get it done. The last time I had it done someone met me outside the embassy and with an an official stamp, made the translation- for a fee.

Prior to my last trip to Moscow I was in line at the Russian Consulate in Montreal and the person in front of me was very frustrated, telling me that this was the fourth time they had come back. The only reason that this would happen is if something was missing from the package. Once again you must have everything required or your application will be refused.

For those of you wanting to enjoy your travels off the beaten path, iExplore (www.iExplore.com) announced today the list of Top Ten World Travel Destinations as determined by the vacation purchases of its adventure and experiential travelers.

Take a look at the article to give yourself some ideas of the many possibilities.
I have had the good fortune to visit a few of the places on the list. Unfortunately in my case the travel has mostly been for business but I have had the chance to ride a camel around the pyramids in Egypt, and take a safari in South Africa, both experiences I would highly recommend.

See some of my photos from South Africa here

Happy New Year everybody!

To start off  the new year, there was a good article in Smarter Travel today called Five Frequent Flyer resolutions for 2007

 The two resolutions I especially liked were:

• I will reevaluate my frequent flyer affiliation. This is something that all of us need to do periodically. I used to be a big fan of British Airways, but with the problems I have had with them, I am now leaning back towards Aeroplan. I also recently joined the Delta Skymiles program as I happened to take a couple of flights with them.
• I will choose the credit card which makes most sense for me. As I have mentioned previously, In my own case, my choice is the MBNA Starwood preferred guest Mastercard. This is available if you are Canadian. You get Starwood points which can be transferred to most airline mileage programs- and it has no annual fee. The only problem is that you cannot convert miles earned on the credit card to Aeroplan. As I have been dissapointed with British Airways, I am on a hunt for a new credit card on which I can earn Aeroplan miles.