Frequent business travelers know all to well the stress that can come from corporate travel. Meeting planners add the stress of event planning on top of that. So why not use all the tools available to streamline the process? Cheap or very inexpensive apps lie just a click away to aid road warriors juggling flight concerns, navigational issues, meeting agendas and tight budgets.
These top 10 apps address all kinds of issues meeting planners might encounter while on the road.
For the flight:
1. TripIt
Flight, hotel and car reservations can begin to create a pile of paperwork difficult to navigate of tricky to locate in your full email inbox. TripIt simplifies this process by converting all your confirmation emails into a trip itinerary. The trip itinerary syncs with a calendar that you can share with selected contacts you may be in charge of managing. Even if you end up offline, you can still access your information. The Pro version for $4.09 a month might be worth it for those that regularly fly, since it adds the ability to receive real-time flight alerts, search for alternative flights and a notification when a better seat is available.
Price: Free unless purchase Pro version ($4.09 a month)
2. GateGuru
If you want to keep track of your flight’s gate status, but don’t want to pay for Trip It’s monthly Pro version, you can receive some of the same benefits from GateGuru. The app summarizes your flight itinerary, as well as lets you know of any amendements to the schedule. It can also track how many hours you’ve spend in airports, planes and other places.
Price: Free
For navigating the city:
3. Uber
Hailing a cab, making sure you have enough cash and hoping you don’t get overcharged is now no longer a headache for travelers using Uber. The app lets you book a ride with a professional driver, track the arrival time and pay by phone. The app’s rating system allows you to only choose proven cab drivers so you don’t run late to that upcoming meeting.
Price: Free
4. Opentable
You need to find an impressive restaurants to take your clients to pronto. Opentable can point you in the right direction with reviews and information. The app also can pull up menus and take reservations.
Price: Free
5. Around Me
Looking for a gas station or a quick coffee fix? AroundMe searches your vicinity for various types of businesses, such as banks, hospitals, gas stations, coffee shops and more. The directions feature will tell you which way to go so you don’t loose precious time lost.
Price: Free
