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‘Business travellers prefer music over messages’
More than three quarters of business travellers take their iPod with them on the road while only 28% described their BlackBerry or PDA as an essential travel companion.
A poll of 13,800 travellers by independent business travel agency Portman Travel found that iPods produce better business results by creating a relaxed and stress-free environment.
The iPod is highly prized for its ability to relieve stress and put travellers in a relaxed and positive frame of mind. Almost two thirds of respondents (64%) believe a stressful journey can have a seriously detrimental effect on the meeting they’re travelling to.
The research suggests that BlackBerrys and other devices which keep travellers in contact with base are deliverin business people to meetings stressed, distracted and unfocused.
The vast majority of businesses travellers use their iPod to listen to music (79%) with only 2% using it for ‘business’ purposes such as listening to conferences or business presentations. When asked if they are considering using it for business purposes in the future, almost a third (31%) agreed they would.
Those polled travelled on average once or twice a month (63%), with a further one in five (20%) travelling three or four times and 15% traveling more than five time a month.
Portman marketing director Bob Govan said: “It’s always been known that a relaxing journey is likely to produce a more productive meeting, but now we know that the iPod, seldom thought of as a business tool, is the device of choice for the modern business traveller.
“More and more employers insist their senior people carry BlackBerrys; maybe they should insist on an iPod instead.”
Occupational psychologist Hannah Azizollah, commented on the findings, said: “When travelling on business it can feel like you’re working 24 hours a day with no control over the situation. An iPod enables you to always have a piece of ‘home’ with you helping to restore the feelings of choice and control.
“Companies need to evaluate the pressure and stress traveling on business can have on its employees and should be investigating solutions such as iPods to help their traveling workforce be more relaxed and more effective in external meetings.”
Phil Davies
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