Business Traveller Flying to London? A London City Guide for Getting to the Centre

London. The vibrant, beating heart of the United Kingdom. It’s one of the world’s most popular destinations for tourists, and for business travellers too. The amount of commerce that goes through London is staggering, with a financial centre second only to New York, and service industries that cater for both the UK, European and international markets. As the world’s most multicultural city – there are over 300 languages spoken by a population of over eight million people (twelve million if you include the metropolitan area) – the opportunities for business are clear.

With the UK strategically positioned for the business traveller on the western edge of Europe, London is a global hub for air travel, providing easy access to mainland Europe, and a stepping stone to the United States. Primarily served by five airports – Heathrow, Gatwick, City, Stansted and Luton – London is easily reached from anywhere in the world. But with the exception of London City Airport – smallest of the five and located in East London, close to the business district of Canary Wharf – the other four airports are satellites evenly dispersed around the city. The most popular, Heathrow, is located to the west of London; Gatwick is situated to the south; Stansted to the north east; and Luton to the North West. Knowing this before you make your travel plans can be useful. Since the greater metropolitan area of London covers over 1,000 square miles, your final business destination may not be right in the centre. Researching which airport is closest to your destination can save you time, effort and money.

However, whether you’re a business traveller flying from within the UK or from overseas, your starting destination may often determine the airport you arrive at. Other factors, such as your chosen time of travel, budget and availability will also make a difference. For example, if you’re travelling with a major international carrier from a major city, such as New York, the chances are you’ll arrive at Heathrow or Gatwick (Stansted also receives flights from New York but is the smallest of the three). If you’re travelling locally from within the UK with a budget carrier you’re more likely to arrive at Stansted or Luton (though not exclusively). And if you’re travelling from a major European city, particularly a financial capital, such as Frankfurt, London City Airport is a likely arrival point (the airport was created specifically to cater for short haul business travellers, particularly between financial centres).

Each airport is served by comprehensive rail and road infrastructure, providing business travellers with a variety of options to enter London. All five airports offer direct rail travel into the heart of Central London, coach travel to the main Victoria terminus, and hire car, mini-bus, licensed black cab and taxi services by road. If you’re a VIP business traveller, chauffeur services are also available, and with the exception of London City Airport, each also offer direct helicopter transfer into the heart of the city.

London Heathrow Airport

The busiest of the five airports is London Heathrow. Located less than twenty miles from central London, Heathrow is situated to the west of the city within the M25 motorway metropolitan boundary. The fastest route into London is via the Heathrow Express train service, taking just 15 minutes from terminals 1, 2 and 3 to Paddington station (located on the western side of Central London). If your flight arrives at either terminal 4 or 5 it’s a further four and six minutes travel time respectively, and you’ll need to transfer on to the main London-bound service at terminals 1, 2 and 3.

The service is excellent, offering comfort and convenience, but does not always suite everyone’s travel budget. The standard ‘Express’ single journey ticket costs £21.00 (€25.00 / $35.00), but business travellers can get better value when purchasing a return ticket, priced at £34.00 (€40.00 / $56.00). The ‘Business First’ ticket is more expensive, with singles costing £29.00 (€35.00 / $48.00) and returns £52.00 (€62.00 / $86.00), but it does afford business travellers considerably more leg room, the privacy of a ‘single seating’ layout, and a fold out table. The experience is akin to that of air travel. All passengers across both pricing structures enjoy access to electrical sockets, USB ports and free Wi-Fi. The overall quality of service and passenger experience generates a ‘wow’ factor, and if your budget can afford it, is certainly the smoothest, quickest and most convenient way to travel into London from Heathrow. Trains run regularly every fifteen minutes in both directions, particularly useful for last minute dashes to the airport.

There are two further rail options available to business travellers, both considerably less expensive, though this is reflected in the quality of service. That’s not to say either is not a good solution for business travellers, just that there is a noticeable difference in convenience and comfort.

With a service typically running every thirty minutes, and a journey duration – depending on the time of day – of between 23 and 27 minutes from terminals 1, 2 and 3, Heathrow Connect is more than adequate for business travellers who are not in a hurry. Like the rival Express service, Connect also arrives at Paddington station, but unlike its faster rival stops at up to five other stations before reaching its terminus. The ‘inconvenience’ of this less direct journey is compensated for by a considerably less expensive ticket price. Single journey’s cost £9.90 (€12.00 / $16.00) while a return is £19.80 (€24.00 / $32.00). There is no saving to be made from purchasing a return ticket. While the convenience and comfort of the traveller experience cannot match the Express, the Connect business travel solution is an acceptable compromise that suits a greater number of travel budgets.

The third – and least expensive – rail option is the London Underground ‘tube’ network. Despite the network’s name the majority of the journey from Heathrow is overground, until the business traveller nears Central London. Starting on the Piccadilly Line, the service connects all five Heathrow terminals and provides frequent trains into London, stopping at a considerable amount of outlying stations before arriving in the capital’s centre. This continually ‘interrupted’ journey – there are seventeen stops between Heathrow terminals 1, 2 and 3 and Paddington Tube station (the nearest equivalent tube terminus for a fair comparison) – and takes approximately fifty minutes journey time on average, considerably slower than its more direct rivals. This journey comparison also requires the inconvenience of a transfer between lines.

So why would the business traveller consider using the tube from Heathrow to Central London? Simple. The frequency of service, the array of destinations, and the cost. At a cash price of just £5.70 (€6.80 / $9.50) for a single journey in either direction during peak hours (06:30am to 09:30am), financially the Underground is an attractive option. At nearly half the price of the Heathrow Connect, and at just over a quarter of the price of the Heathrow Express, this service is comparably good value for money. Further value can be found if the business traveller purchases an ‘Oyster Card’, the ‘cashless’ electronic ticketing system beloved by so many Londoners. Available to purchase at Heathrow London Underground stations, this useful option allows you to get tickets cheaper than for cash – in this case a reduction to just £5.00 (€6.00 / $8.30). Off-peak travel with an Oyster Card offers even greater value, with Heathrow to Paddington in either direction costing just £3.00 (€3.60 / $5.00) per journey. The Oyster Card can also be used for unlimited travel on buses and trains throughout London, with a maximum daily spend capped at £17.00 (€20.00 / $28.00) peak time and just £8.90 (€10.60 / $15.00) off-peak for a six zone ticket (destinations across London are divided into six main zonal rings. Travelling from Heathrow to Central London crosses all six zones).

The Underground is primarily a city-wide mass transit system, rather than a ‘train’ service. As such the level of comfort and convenience is substantially less than that of both the Heathrow Express and Connect services, and at peak hours can be considerably uncomfortable. Having endured a recent flight, business travellers who choose this option run the risk of having to stand up the entire journey if travelling during peak hours. If the carriage is full to squeezing point (as is often the case at peak time) managing your luggage can be a challenge. It should also be noted that the tube network – which, as the world’s first urban mass-transit system is over 150 years old – is often prone to signal failures and delays. If the time between your arrival at Heathrow (don’t forget to factor in clearing immigration control, luggage collection and customs) and your business appointment is tight, particularly during peak hours, it is not unfair to say that you are taking a risk if you choose to use the Underground.

Compared to using rail, travelling by road into Central London is far less convenient. Like every major city around the world, traffic congestion plagues the streets of London. The M4 and A4 route from Heathrow into London is always busy and in parts can be slow moving at times. No matter what your method of road transport, the business traveller is vulnerable to the risk of delays and accidents.

Buses and coaches are plentiful. The dominant carrier is called National Express. They operate services between Heathrow Airport and London Victoria, the main coach terminus in London. From here travellers can travel to many other destinations around the UK. The coaches run from Heathrow Airport Central Bus Station, which is located between terminals 1, 2 and 3. Its well sign posted so easily found. If you’re arriving at terminals 4 or 5 you’ll need to first take the Heathrow Connect train to the central bus station. From Victoria Station you can get to any other part of London with ease, via the Underground, plentiful buses, local trains and licensed black cabs / minicab taxi services.

A single journey tickets start from £6.00 (€7.20 / $10.00), while returns cost £11.00 (€13.20 / $18.00). Although you can purchase your ticket at Heathrow, it is advisable to do so in advance, and online. This will ensure you have a guaranteed, reserved seat on your coach of choice, and also provide you with the opportunity to select a time of departure and/or return that best suits your needs. Typically this service runs three coaches per hour to and from London Victoria coach station. The journey time can vary, dependent on the route taken, the time of day and traffic conditions, but you can typically expect your journey to take between 40 and 90 minutes.

National Express also offers business travellers a Heathrow hotel transfer service to and from the airport, known as the Heathrow Hoppa. With hundreds of services each day running around the clock, it’s a clean, comfortable and affordable way to get about, costing £4.00 (€4.80 / $6.60) for single journey and £7.00 (€8.40/ $11.50) for a return journey. This service is particularly useful if your business appointment is located close to Heathrow and you have no need to travel into Central London.

An alternative to coach travel is taking a bus. This can be particularly useful if you arrive at Heathrow late at night. Depending on the day of the week, the N9 night bus runs approximately every 20 minutes to Trafalgar Square in Central London, from 11.30pm to 5am. The journey time is approximately 75 minutes, subject to traffic delays. It’s a very affordable service, and as part of the Transport for London infrastructure a single journey can be paid for with an Oyster Card (£1.40 (€1.70/ $2.30) or by cash (£2.40 (€2.90/ $4.00).

If your journey into London requires the freedom to choose to travel whenever you want, to wherever you want, or you simply require privacy, then private hire transport is readily available at Heathrow. If you’re just interested in getting from A to B and back again, without any other journeys in between, taking a licensed black cab or minicab taxi may suit your needs. Travelling in an iconic licensed black cab into Central London will take approximately 45-60 minutes, subject to traffic delays, and can typically cost between £50.00 (€60.00/ $83.00) and £80.00 (€96.00/ $132.00). If you do find yourself delayed in traffic the journey will cost more, since black cab meters also charge for waiting time when not moving. Black cabs are readily available at all hours, and good sign posting at Heathrow means they’re easy to find. At a squeeze up to five business travellers can be accommodated, though if you all have large luggage it will be a problem.

An alternative private hire to black cabs are licensed taxi services. This could be a better option for the business traveller, particularly if a number of people with luggage are travelling together. An array of vehicle types are available, ranging from standard 4/5 seater saloon and 6/7 passenger people carrier cars, up to 15 or 17 seater minibuses and even coach taxis. An added advantage is you can book your vehicle of choice in advance and at a fixed price. With so many different companies offering these services, prices – and quality of service – can vary, but typically for a single journey the business traveller can expect to pay a fixed, advance price of £40.00 (€48.00/ $66.00) for a saloon car; £50.00 (€60.00/ $83.00) for an estate car; £55.00 (€66.00/ $90.00) for an executive car; £55.00 (€66.00/ $90.00) for a people carrier; £65.00 (€78.00/ $108.00) for an 8 seater minibus; £80.00 (€96.00/ $132.00) for an executive people carrier; and £165.00 (€198.00/ $272.00) for a 16 seater minibus. Savings can be made on all tariffs if a return journey is booked in advance.

Travelling by black cab or licensed taxi affords the business traveller the freedom to travel at his or her own pace, and can take the hassle out of a journey. It can be a very relaxing way to commute from the airport into London, particularly after a long flight, and offers the business traveller an opportunity to unwind prior to their business appointment.

If you need to arrange senior executive or VIP transportation, chauffeur driven services are readily available (booked in advance) between Heathrow and London. The vehicle type and the length of time you require it for will dictate the price you’ll pay. Chauffeur driven services are readily available to find online. The same is true of helicopter charter services which can transfer the executive business traveller from Heathrow into Central London (Battersea Heliport) in approximately 15 minutes. Flightline Travel Management is experienced at providing our customers with both modes of transport, and we’re happy to take your enquiry.

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Home Improvement Loan -Neighbor’s Envy and Owner’s Pride

Each one of us wishes to make our home look the best. Even small improvements in the home can make big changes. People undertake different home improvement projects be it for making it a better place to live or as a mere status symbol. You may have great home improvement plans in your mind. However, do you have sufficient funds with you? No, don’t look at your savings. You may have big savings in your account, but don’t use it for making home improvements, they can be used in handling any financial emergency in the future.

Why to use your own funds when you can take a loan to make home improvements? A home improvement loan can provide you with the funds you need to make the home improvements that you and your family has been eagerly waiting for.

Home improvement loan is tailored for the UK residents who wish to make improvements in their home. You can use the loan money to make specific as well as complete remodeling of your home such as heating system, new conservatory, new kitchen, rewiring or any desired home remodeling. When you will make improvements in your home, it will definitely help in increasing the value and add more equity in your home. This will help you in grabbing better and larger amount of loan in the future.

Home improvement loan providers in the UK can provide you with the loan amount up to £75,000. So, with a home improvement loan you can finance small as well as big home improvement projects. The rate of interest on the home improvement loan varies from lender to lender while the loan term may range from 3 to 25 years depending on your credit score and the amount you wish to borrow.

You get an option to apply for either a secured or an unsecured home improvement loan. Secured home improvement loan requires a borrower to put collateral against the loan. You can put your home, car or any property as a security against the loan. Advantages of secured home improvement loan are larger amount of loan, lower rate of interest, longer loan term and flexible repayment term.

Unsecured home improvement loan does not involve a borrower to put any security against the loan. Homeowners as well as tenants can apply for an unsecured home improvement loans. Homeowners by availing an unsecured home improvement loan can protect his property from the risk of repossession by the lender that happens in case a borrower fails to pay the loan money on time and in full.

Estimate the cost that will be incurred in undertaking the home improvement project before you start searching for the best home improvement loan deal. Plan in advance about whether you wish to do the improvements yourself or want to hire a contractor. If you wish to hire a contractor, you should also add his fees in the estimation of the expenses. All this will help you in determining the loan you need, to make the desired changes in your home.

Traditional lenders used to rule the finance market in the past. Lot of inconvenience was involved in the whole loan process. A borrower had to go out and meet each lender personally, fill in the long application form and stand in loan queues to submit their loan application form. And then wait for the lender’s decision, which used to take many days and sometime even weeks.

Entry of the online lenders has given a breakthrough to all the hurdles that existed in the old lending process. In the present scenario, the loan application process has been simplified for the convenience of the borrowers. A borrower just needs to fill in a small online loan application form that hardly takes 2 to 5 minutes. Fast loan approval, in-principle loan decision and low rate of interest are some of the features of online loans.

By the time you are through with the loan application process, you will start receiving lot of loan offers that you may find to be the best. Don’t hurry in making the decision, a little bit of research can help you save good sum of money that you can use in the future. Collect the loan quotes which is offered by most of the online lenders and compare them, look for the home improvement loan that is offered with the following features low rate of interest, larger loan amount, longer loan term and flexible repayment terms.

Make the required changes in your home to transform it into your dream home with a home improvement loan. A little bit of hardship on your part while searching for the best home improvement loan can help you save your hard earned pounds.

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Positive and Powerful Performance Management

Pete is the general manager of a west coast plant for a national company. He has had trouble meeting his revenue and profit numbers for the last year. His District Manager has asked him for a meeting to discuss action plans for performance improvement. Pete’s company is in a highly competitive market and margins are slim. He has been a general manager for eight years and is known as a tough, no-nonsense boss. He has always made money and reached company goal, but he never has achieved stellar results. This year has been particularly difficult. A bigger national competitor has purchased smaller local companies, lowered prices and he’s losing accounts. He has lost some employees due to turnover and has fired some of his managers for lack of results. Most of his salespeople are new and new sales have been slow in coming.Pete’s been working long hours and the stress is getting to him. He has wracked his brain with how to improve results quickly. He has already:
Threatened his management team
Cut expenses to the bone
Pulled in favors from a few key accounts
Fired people
Held service and sales contests
Demanded his management team work extra hours and delayed vacationsUnfortunately, results haven’t improved. He knew his job was on the line and he wasn’t sure what to do next. However, he would have a plan for his boss with timelines and new projections. He just dreaded the meeting. His boss took no excuses and would rant and rave at him and his team. Pete just hoped he didn’t stay an extra day.This is a typical scenario and challenge managers face today. How would you rate this manager as a boss? What do you think his managers would say about his leadership? He isn’t a bad person, and some in upper management would say he is a good boss doing the best he can and others would say fire him. What do you think his employees say?All Good Performance Begins with Clear Goals and PlansGood bosses know that people want to succeed. Goals motivate people to succeed. Earl Nightingale said it years ago, “The problem isn’t in achieving goals, people will do that. It’s getting them to set the goals in the first place.” Once the goals are set the key is the atmosphere you create will implementing the plan.A 100-year-old services company in the US wanted to improve sales to their existing customers. Their results were mediocre. They had tried a variety of incentives and meetings and nothing worked. By engaging them with the positive performance management strategies they began to make progress. Improvement began with a thorough assessment of sales management’s skills in communicating with existing customers. Tracking reports were created around well designed goals. Training was designed and implemented The goals were shared with all involved. With consistent communication on the numbers and goals, occasional incentives, follow-up coaching and regular recognition, results improved and were sustained.What changed? Did the employees decide to become better? Did they get fed up and decide to do it themselves? Did they go to management with a big goals and a new plan? Certainly not. The management changed, with some help. They refocused their efforts with new goals, tools and support. How was this process different from Pete’s?Bad bosses often lack clear goals and plans. If they have them their execution is suspect and weak, and some threaten termination if they aren’t achieved. One general manager in a retail organization changed goals and direction so often, he disillusioned his employees, performance suffered and he lost his job. Other managers simply don’t worry about goals. They don’t know how to set them; no one showed them how, so they show up every day and do the best they can. Little is discussed about goals or progress. Of course most managers have goals, but they forget to tell the employees. If the goals aren’t reached, the employees get in trouble or are tormented about the lack of results.Once people are clear on the goals and action plans to achieve them, most people perform better. What is it about this that confused or frightens managers? So few really do it well. Research shows goal-setting is the motivational technique that works and performance will improve. To set goals and plans, a manager must:
Think about and create a plan for his area, department or company.
Do this regularly with periodic updates, staying one step ahead of the company process.
Identify department or company strengths and areas of improvement.
Identify each direct report’s strengths and areas of improvement.
Analyze customer feedback or quality data.
Consider all relevant information: equipment, the economy, competition, resources, etc.
Set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time bound) goals on company priorities. Improving customer service is not a SMART goal. It’s vague. Improving the customer survey results from 69% to 75% in the next year is a SMART goal.
Regularly communicate results.
Set goals with each employee and regularly review progress with them.We recommend that managers include employees in the process. One manager I met in an airport had just accepted a job as plant manager with a new company and was moving from Memphis to Houston. I could tell he was a good boss based on his actions and how he spoke about the value of his employees. After assuming his new role, one of his first steps included involving his team in a planning process. Why do this? People want to be part of something – the team, a cause, a mission. With their contribution, managers not only achieve that, but tap their minds for creative ideas that they don’t have. The employees are committed to the plans, because they now “own” them and the manager has buy-in.How to Manage PerformanceAll good performance begins with clear expectations and goals — keeping employees’ daily focus on excelling in their jobs. When employees understand what managers expect, they will stay more engaged, want to do their jobs well and find ways to keep improving. They will perform more effectively and become more satisfied with their jobs. Without this important communication, only the very best employees will excel. The biggest complaint from managers is that all of this takes time. And, it does. However, it’s an investment in a process that saves you time later and that can dramatically improve productivity. Effective leadership is a high contact sport. Here are three key considerations.Setting Expectations Meet one on one and review the job description and duties in detail with the new employee. This begins in the hiring process. Answer their questions about the job, and once hired have them talk to others doing the job. Set goals for 30 through 90 days. Meet with the employee periodically to clarify any misunderstandings, review progress and handle problems. Ask for periodic updates on projects, and continue to check employees’ expectations: first day, first week, first month, and monthly.Goal-setting and Planning Meet one on one and establish clear goals with all employees. Put three to five goals in writing and clarify what’s in it for them, relating their performance to personal impact. Schedule a meeting to discuss this at least monthly, but flex with the challenges and follow-up. This is an invaluable communication process that will help the employee succeed. Some companies discuss goals daily, but most managers don’t do it at all or just once a year at a performance review. That isn’t enough; jobs are too fast-paced and complex to let things go that long. Good bosses make goal-setting, communication and feedback on results a priority.Coaching Review employees’ performance daily, weekly, monthly or quarterly depending on the need. Coaching discussions aren’t about pay increases or for job evaluation purposes. Follow your company procedures for those. They are usually required every six months or once a year. With coaching, talk about recent specific performance one on one and review how things are going from two perspectives. First, understand the employee’s view. Ask these key question: How’s it going? What’s working? What are your key problems or challenges? What can you do differently or better? How can I help? While you ask the questions, you thoughtfully listen to their comments and then give appropriate feedback. For example:
Give positive feedback. “I agree you did a good job on the report. It was specific and well-researched.”
Bring up problems. “Have you noticed the growth in complaints? What’s happening there? How are you handling it?”
Give guidance and create a plan of action together. For example, “What about a campaign to gain new customers. I haven’t seen much of that. Can we focus on that? What are your ideas?”If you are separated by distance, this can be handled with a phone call. But e-mail is inappropriate – it’s too impersonal and we will often write what we might not say in person.Six Other Performance Management StrategiesManage by Wandering Around. Tom Peters coined this term. It means to touch base and observe what’s happening with your team during the day. Do informal coaching, talk to employees, pat them on the back, tell a joke, give them a hand if needed, listen to what’s going on or give needed praise and encouragement. There are times that your duties might prevent you from doing this, but make every effort to make it a regular practice.Every day at the end of the day check in with every employee you can. Keep it informal and ask things like: How did it go? What progress did you make? Any problems? Anything you need help with? What happened on that goal we talked about? What’s the plan tomorrow? Good job on that account. Remember, to follow-up. Always try to keep things positive!Track your priority goals on a bulletin board, an intra-company web site or dashboard. This provides immediate recognition for employees and fans the flame of competition and pride in doing the job well.Meet weekly or every other week and review progress in a staff meeting. Include people in other offices through phone conferences or a WebEx. The meeting doesn’t have to be long. You want to get updates on priority goals or projects, discuss problems or issues and communicate any news about your area or company.Keep people informed through email updates. Communicate progress and results to employees regularly. Without information, people tend to think the worst and the rumor mill grows. This is especially important to employees in remote offices, who are separated by distance from headquarters. Keep your e-mails positive as well.Use the phone (or Skype) for the same reasons as above, but it’s more personal. The phone is a good tool for coaching. Managers of one of our client companies call their locations across their districts a couple of times a week to encourage or recognize them. This also gives them the opportunity to find out how things are going. In the beginning, most employees asked, “What’s the problem?” They were so used to managers only contacting them with issues. By the way, use the phone to confront performance issues only if there’s no way to meet one on one. Then, focus on the problem, not the person, and identify a plan for improvement.As a manager, you have the single biggest influence on your employees’ performance than anyone else. Be proactive and consider the strategies we have discussed. With consistent and enthusiastic application you will have a positive and powerful impact on their results.

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