Companies and startups have been making it easier for employees to travel to the United States. They automate corporate travel management to keep work travelers relaxed, safe, and stress-free during business trips to the USA. But employees can make business trips to the US successful only by understanding and following some simple rules. 

Here are some of the rules work travelers like you should follow on a business trip to the US.

7 Rules You Must Follow While Traveling to the US for Work

1. Understand American Business Culture

The business culture in the USA is mostly individualistic. Professionals make partners feel comfortable by cultivating informal business environments. However, the business negotiations and deals in the country take place under tight legal control.

Most American companies settle disputes through lawsuits. Hence, professionals minimize risks by reading documents completely and avoiding making assumptions. Before traveling to an American city for work, you must spend some time understanding the distinct business culture of the country.

2. Stick to Schedules

Punctuality is an integral aspect of American business culture. You cannot create a good first impression with the client, business partner, or coworkers in the USA without sticking to schedules. While planning the US business trip, you must make an elaborate travel itinerary.

The itinerary will make it easier for you to track meeting schedules and access other pertinent information. But you must reach the meeting venue at least 5 to 10 minutes before the schedule. Also, you must remain patient if the person you are meeting is running late.

3. Dress Properly

In the US, the dress code varies across events, industries, and regions. For instance, professionals often wear suits while attending client meetings and internal meetings. But they wear more casual attire while attending business lunches or dinners.

You must remember that the way you dress will directly impact the first impression. You can impress others during meetings only by following the appropriate dress code. It is always advisable to opt for a classic business suit when you find it challenging to understand the appropriate dress code for an event.

4. Learn How to Greet and Say Goodbye

Handshake is one of the important business etiquettes in America. You must shake hands with a person you are meeting for the first time. But you must greet the person verbally with a hello, good morning, or good afternoon. You can greet the person with hi, hey, or hello if you are familiar with the person.

At the same time, you can bid adieu to the person after the meeting simply by saying ‘goodbye’ or ‘see you later.’ But you must remember to address the person by her first name or title according to the way she addresses you while introducing herself.

5. Avoid Certain Topics

Working professionals in America set the tone of the meeting by starting with small talk. They keep participants relaxed by choosing small talk topics like local news, international news, sports events, or current weather. But Americans always avoid bad news while initiating small talk.

Hence, you must not discuss the lewd comments made by celebrities or recent layoffs by leading companies. Also, you must not offend any participant by commenting on her appearance or personal life. Your choice of small talk topics will directly impact the continuity of professional relationships.

6. Put Your Smartphone Away

You can make business trips successful only by building and sustaining business relationships. Hence, you must stay focused and avoid distractions during meetings. In the digital age, most professionals get distracted by messages, notifications, and phone calls.

You can engage in conversations without any distractions only by switching off your smartphone. However, there may be circumstances when you have to use a smartphone during a meeting. In such cases, you should not disrupt the conversation by using a smartphone in a private area.

7. Control Business Travel Expenses

You should remember that the United States is one of the most expensive business travel destinations. The average daily costs of business travelers have been increasing consistently in American cities. Hence, you must stick to the preset travel budget and focus on controlling the business travel expense.

You must refer to your company’s travel and expense policies to incur expenditures that will be reimbursed after the business trip. Also, you should compare the prices of various products and services to enjoy the work trip without incurring out-of-pocket expenses.

Conclusion

Your company makes it easier for you to plan and organize US business trips by implementing travel management software. But you can make an international business trip successful only by following several business travel etiquettes. You must learn how to build and sustain professional relationships in the USA while planning the business trip.