Business Travel

[Chicat]

So far in my career I’ve only ever traveled on my own company’s dime as far as business travel, so does anyone have any insight into the etiquette on traveling on a vendor’s tab?

My question is if I’m having some drinks at the hotel bar or want a late night snack, is it rude to charge it to the room? Should I pay cash? Or should I make them wine & dine me even when I’m just hanging out with myself and charge a bunch of shit to them?

For background, they’re flying me and my supervisor out to Denver to tour their stuff because they are looking for us to start buying them heavily there. So I feel like a few old fashioneds after the day is over is just the cost of doing business for them, right?

[azcat49]

My first thought is, how much do you like your job? Without an expense account or corporate card, you will get questioned on that. Usually if they sent you traveling they have meals set for you after the meetings but if they don’t you could surely use that as a reason you charged the meal and drinks to the room

[wyo-cat]

I would follow your company’s limits.

$x per meal.

Drinks, I’d eat the cost. Just to show respect to their wallet.

It’s been my experience that small gestures like that can go a long way.

[azgreg]

Buy yourself a nice suit and car and charge it to the room.

[dovecanyoncat]

Anything you do that predicates catch and kill costs requires meticulous receipts.

[Chicat]

LOL only Greg is fun.

[azgreg]

[Chicat]

I’ll likely end up following my Sup’s lead.

So if she buys a pay-per-view porno, I’m buying a pay-per-view porno.

[azgreg]

Is pay per view porn still a thing in hotels?

[EastCoastCat]

I’ve been a consultant for a long time so know a lot about billable travel. I submit expenses almost every week!

I also have a great story of a Client and myself spending all night in the “back room” of a strip club in Vegas and then trying to figure out how to expense a $8k tab, but that’s for another time…

Your company should have set limits for meals, hotels, air travel etc. Also good to align with whomever approves your expenses. As long as you don’t abuse the boundaries snacks, drinks, etc.. is fair game. You are away from home for a business reason so as long as it’s contractually agreed don’t feel guilty expensing those costs. Shit I even include tips for the hotel room cleaning ladies.

[Chicat]

Ah, but it’s a vendor who is footing the bill for our flight and hotel (and at least a few meals). So my question is about the etiquette around putting stuff on their tab when I’ve got some free time before and after their tour, like late night drinks at the hotel bar or breakfast the morning we leave.

I’m guessing that just out of consideration for their generosity in flying us out and putting us up I should pay out of my own pocket for bar tabs and expense meals/snacks to my own company. Just didn’t know if there were some rules you all had for when it’s a vendor who is picking up the majority of the expenses for a trip.

[dovecanyoncat]

I also have a great story of a Client and myself spending all night in the “back room” of a strip club in Vegas and then trying to figure out how to expense a $8k tab, but that’s for another time…

There's no time like the present ....

[Alieberman]

Don't know why Youtube wont embed anymore?

But "HBO pays for the Porn!"

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbB7GMYjqkg[/youtube]

[UAEebs86]

If this doesn't end up like the Seinfeld family in Elaine's suite at The Plaza I am going to be disappointed.

[CatsbyAZ]

Ah, but it’s a vendor who is footing the bill for our flight and hotel (and at least a few meals). So my question is about the etiquette around putting stuff on their tab when I’ve got some free time before and after their tour, like late night drinks at the hotel bar or breakfast the morning we leave.

I’m guessing that just out of consideration for their generosity in flying us out and putting us up I should pay out of my own pocket for bar tabs and expense meals/snacks to my own company. Just didn’t know if there were some rules you all had for when it’s a vendor who is picking up the majority of the expenses for a trip.

As someone on enough business travel lately, do not expense isolated rounds of drinks, such as those you buy on a flight or nightcaps in the hotel lounge. That's something I've witnessed (second hand) get asked about later. If drinks means that much to you, pay out of pocket. I've advised younger colleagues so. To include things like - don't count ballpark food/drinks as one of your expensed dinners if you go to a Diamondbacks or Padres game.

Now if you're a client on travel and the hosting business wants to take you out on their company card, feel free. The group tab won't trace back to you. And it's even recommended to do so if they are celebrating too. For example, if you're the representative for a business on travel to Houston to purchase $125k worth of boiler/condenser equipment from from their factory, you better believe the sales engineers will want to take you to a steakhouse.

[Chicat]

Ah, but it’s a vendor who is footing the bill for our flight and hotel (and at least a few meals). So my question is about the etiquette around putting stuff on their tab when I’ve got some free time before and after their tour, like late night drinks at the hotel bar or breakfast the morning we leave.

I’m guessing that just out of consideration for their generosity in flying us out and putting us up I should pay out of my own pocket for bar tabs and expense meals/snacks to my own company. Just didn’t know if there were some rules you all had for when it’s a vendor who is picking up the majority of the expenses for a trip.

As someone on enough business travel lately, do not expense isolated rounds of drinks, such as those you buy on a flight or nightcaps in the hotel lounge. That's something I've witnessed (second hand) get asked about later. If drinks means that much to you, pay out of pocket. I've advised younger colleagues so. To include things like - don't count ballpark food/drinks as one of your expensed dinners if you go to a Diamondbacks or Padres game.

Now if you're a client on travel and the hosting business wants to take you out on their company card, feel free. The group tab won't trace back to you. And it's even recommended to do so if they are celebrating too. For example, if you're the representative for a business on travel to Houston to purchase $125k worth of boiler/condenser equipment from from their factory, you better believe the sales engineers will want to take you to a steakhouse.

Good stuff Catsby. I’m going to have a conversation with our managing director about this but I’m anticipating letting the vendor wine & dine me to their heart’s content but if there’s a meal they’re not around for, I’ll use my company’s expense account (and any drinks or whatnot to be out of my own pocket).