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Avoid a data disaster on the road-
5 tips | |
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Reliable
information can make or break your next trip,
whether it's the ability to cultivate a business
contact, ensure accurate company records or keep
you safe.
In other words, your PC data is
priceless. You just can't afford to be without it.
Consider: |
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Travelers are relying on accurate
information to ensure their security, according
to a survey by American Express. In an age when
terrorism is a persistent threat to air travel,
who can blame them? |
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Most companies have strict policies
regarding the use of a corporate travel agent
and company charge card, according to a
Runzheimer International poll. In other words,
meticulous record-keeping is now more essential
than ever. |
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Some 25% of all business travelers
miss having access to their internal company
systems, British market research firm
Continental Research recently concluded. It's
not hard to guess why: having the latest
information keeps them
productive. | |
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Put
another way, information is more than power. It's
the thing that powers your business trip. That is
why I have outlined the steps below to help you
avoid losing one of your most precious assets
while on the road.
Take it from someone who
has left his office without synching his laptop
and PC, who has wiped out days worth of work
because he neglected to install a backup system
and who even has lost clients because he ignored
the importance of good, reliable, actionable
information.
Don't make the same mistakes I
have. Here's what a career on the road has taught
me about computer data: |
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1. |
Start every
trip with a synch. Making sure your PDA
and PC are on the same page is pretty easy.
Generally, you just slip the handheld into its
cradle and the computer does the rest. Synching
one PC to another isn't as straightforward. I've
tested every conceivable synching tool,
including the one that came with my computer
operating system, and they can be tricky. But
they're definitely worth learning, because once
you leave the office, I guarantee you'll be glad
you updated your laptop. |
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2. |
Don't trust
your computer. Memory sticks that plug
into your laptop, such as those from
manufacturer DiskOnKey, are absolutely essential
to the integrity of your data. And with some
units now carrying up to 4 gigabytes of
capacity, you can easily fit your essential
files on it. Andrew Steele, a media consultant
to charities and nonprofits in Great Britain,
routinely does a double backup. It recently
saved his trip. "I had a laptop power supply
fail," Steele recalls. "So even when the laptop
battery was finally exhausted, I could carry on
without embarrassment on borrowed
machines." |
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3. |
Stay in touch
with the office. There are several
useful remote connectivity applications that let
you connect to your computer or network from
afar, including GoToMyPc, PCAnywhere and
Microsoft Windows XP's Remote Desktop
Connection. I like these options because they
allow you to "catch up" on any information that
you may have forgotten to synch up before you
left on your trip. My biggest gripe with these
programs is that they tend to be slow —
particularly with a dial-up connection — making
large data downloads impractical. But if you
couldn't synch up before your trip, they can be
a real lifesaver. |
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4. |
Collect
information — and back it up. Normally,
road warriors are good at collecting business
cards, sales leads and receipts. But does it
always make it from their folders to their PDA
or laptop, and back to the office? Not
necessarily. Believe me, I know. My
record-keeping was so inadequate when I started
traveling on business that I missed numerous
charge-card payments, and I ended up losing
money because I couldn't get reimbursed.
Fortunately, there are products such as
ExpensAble, which allow you to create expense
reports as you incur the expenses. I have never
used the product, since I'm now an independent
contractor — but I wish it had been available
when I was still employed by a
company. |
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5. |
When in doubt,
switch to paper. This is an obvious
piece of advice, but it's so obvious that we
sometimes forget it's even an option. We've
become so dependent on our PCs, phones and PDAs
that we don't remember: "Hey, wait a second, I
could still write this information down." My
partner used to make fun of me when I printed
out the names and addresses of people I was
visiting when I left on a business trip. Why do
that when everything was on the computer (and
backed up on a memory stick)? Well, there are
still some things paper can do that a PC can't.
Like operate without batteries. So when my
laptop ran out of juice and I switched to paper,
I didn't look like a dummy anymore. Not
entirely, at
least. | |
| When
I was a rookie business traveler, I wish one of
the more experienced employees in my company had
offered me these simple tips about information.
They would have saved me time and money and maybe
helped me do my job better. But alas, it took many
years on the road — and a few clients lost —
before I could come up with these five tips.
Here's hoping they'll save you a few headaches on
your next business trip. |
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