Can you do business on a private jet?
When is a corporate jet not a corporate jet? The answer: when it becomes an office in the sky.
Lately, thanks to one long global pandemic that seems to have no intention of going anywhere soon, there has been much debate about which is better for business, working from the company’s offices, or working from home?
In some business sectors – such as software and IT services, along with media and communications – due to the nature of the business, and the advances in communication technology, working remotely has proven to be a firm favorite with both bosses and employees, and will likely shape the future of the business environment. For other sectors, where being hands-on is necessary, the remote working strategy is simply not possible and probably never will be.
And then there are the others. Usually business leaders, corporate heads, government representatives, and high-net-worth executives, for whom the location where they conduct their business doesn’t really matter – unless they choose it to matter. For these non-stop, 24/7 go-getting individuals, it’s all the same to them if a valuable contract and/or agreement for partnership is signed in the luxurious surroundings of a private business jet, or the lobby of a backstreet hotel in downtown Duckburg.
But, sadly, not everyone is cut out to be a high-flying executive. Not everyone has – or realizes they have – the qualities, like curiosity, adaptability, decisiveness, heightened risk-taking tolerances, and the other characteristics it takes to reach the pinnacle of their professional lives. But for the ones that do, doing business on a private jet is just a normal part of life.
Corporate aircraft versus a traditional office
OK, let’s ask ourselves, what is the purpose of having an office?
In traditional terms, an office serves the purpose of being a central location for:
- Building effective teams
- Managing accountability
- Building motivation
- Encouraging professional development
- Ease of collaboration
- Better communication
- Experience building
- Creating a competitive advantage
For a large workforce, a central office location can help to create a stimulating atmosphere for all of the above reasons.
However, for corporate heads, busy executives, government leaders, and other non-location restricted individuals, corporate jets provide multiple benefits over a strictly office-based environment.
Why corporate executives embrace private jet charters for business:
- Reduces downtime
- Allows for face-to-face meetings
- Last-minute briefings
- Increases security
- Builds prestige
Reducing downtime – for corporate executives the ability to reduce downtime, using private business jet charter, means more time being hands-on and running their business effectively. The lead traveler, and other team members, are spared the inconvenience of using busy airport hubs, where long lines, delays, and cancellations can all cost the corporation money in terms of downtime.
Corporate plane travel means the team has the option of using smaller airports and FBOs closer to their location and avoiding the heavy traffic and delays associated with larger airports. Also, private travelers can choose an airport or airstrip closer to the final destination. All of this means that the team can spend more time at their final destination doing business, and less time getting there.
Bringing people closer – As important as online communication developments have proven to be, there can be no doubting the value of face-to-face communication afforded by private business jet charters, or even having a fleet of private corporate airplanes.
Building long-term business connections are vitally important for doing business successfully. Heads of corporations, sales directors, and other invested parties prefer to meet their clients, prospective clients, co-workers, and colleagues face to face to help create a bond and a sense of interaction. When it comes to doing big business, a 6-hour flight across the USA to meet a prospective client in a one-on-one situation can make all the difference between winning and losing a contract.
In business meetings, especially those held online or over the telephone, a lot of crucial information is communicated non-verbally. Face-to-face meetings, afforded by corporate private jet travel, can help executives interpret non-vocal clues, such as facial expressions, body language, and distractions. These can be vital for revealing the real intentions of the other party, and may ultimately provide important signals which help to seal or close the deal.
Meeting preparation – Going into a meeting without all of the most relevant and up-to-date information can spell disaster. For a corporate group traveling on a commercial airline, even when traveling first-class, having a meaningful round-table discussion before an important meeting is almost impossible.
By making use of private corporate jets, every member of the team can be updated on the meeting’s strategy, any new developments, local habits and cultural differences, and any important background information on the other meeting attendees. Arriving refreshed and armed with all the latest knowledge can offer a huge advantage in any contract negotiations or other business deals.
Increased security – When you fly private you fly private. If it happens to be your private business charter you get to decide who travels and who doesn’t. Surrounded by a core team of loyal executives, even the most sensitive topics can be discussed better at 40,000-ft can they can in a hotel room, an open office, or in a client’s office. Business jet travel can give you that security. Additionally, depending on the type of aircraft you’ve chosen, and the number of traveling companions, passengers can read important reports, watch videos, catch up on the latest news, or even take a nap to ensure that they arrive rested and informed.
International events – Most industries feature several major events, exhibitions, conferences, and symposiums every year. Sending a team of executives can be an expensive and time-consuming process – airline tickets, hotels, meals, and entertainment, and time lost on other important projects.
Having a flying office, provided by corporate private jet travel, corporations can have their people on the ground at the event – arriving at the nearest airport – without wasting valuable time. Plus, with a private jet waiting on the ground, executives can be back home with their families on the same day having conducted their business at an event, meeting, or exhibition anywhere across the US.
Building prestige – Arriving at a meeting or event in a private corporate jet – including the corporation’s logo or livery (yes, good private jet charter companies can do that) – can be the talk of the day. Once word of the team’s arrival by corporate jet gets working its way around the event, it’s sure to impress clients, prospective partners, and competitors and will work as a stamp of approval on your company’s success, trustworthiness, and status within the industry. Companies can waste hundreds of thousands of dollars on bad advertising every year. Photographs from one private jet flight in corporate livery can outdo the work of even the best PR and marketing campaigns.
How to book your private business jet travel
The reasons listed above are just a few of the many benefits that come with traveling by private business jet charter. Initially, flying privately may seem like a costly process, but when the benefits of private jet travel are fully assessed, it can prove to be more economical and beneficial in the long run. When time is a tangible asset, anything that can save that time means saving for your company.
Over the past couple of years – especially since the onset of a global pandemic – having an office in the sky has become a reality for more and more businesses, corporations, organizations, government agencies, and private individuals. They have investigated the process carefully by talking to a professional private jet charter company, and through this process, they have seen the benefits clearly for themselves.
