How one traveler found his voice

Our occasional series of profiles about frequent travelers and how they interact with technology continues this week with a story about how one passenger found a virtual home on the Web.

Terms like “virtual” tend to get thrown around a lot when it comes to the Internet, but in the case of Michael Steinberg, the community he founded is indeed best described as virtual. A Boston-based technology marketing consultant by day, Steinberg set up his Business-Trip.com site in his off-time as a way to reach out to his peers.

“I’ve been a student of business travel for many years, brought on by making the mistakes of novice road warriors,” he explains. “I spent time speaking with everyone I could – fellow business travelers, travel agents, airline and hotel personnel. I made many notes to try and not make the same mistakes twice.”

When Steinberg got online, he researched the travel sites that were available. Instead of bookmarking them, he created Web pages “so I could access the sites easily.” Eventually, the postings evolved into a simple Web site unto itself, and “after showing the site to a few friends, they suggested doing a full-blown site.”

Reaching out to frequent travelers is no easy thing. People who are constantly on the road don’t have the time or inclination to join a union or organization that would represent their interests. Often, they’re more concerned about getting home in time for the weekend than griping about a fare increase or the diminished space between economy class seats. The travelers are out there, to be sure. Bringing them together is the challenge. Steinberg’s qualifications are about as good as they get. He’s on the road about twice a month, gone anywhere from a day to two weeks at a time. He’s got more technology attached to his person than RoboCop: a laptop, modem, Palm Pilot, Nextel cellphone and Skytel pager. Not unlike the last traveler I featured in this series.

Explains Steinberg, “the laptop and modem are for e-mail, Web browsing, word processing, et cetera. The Palm is for my phone book, schedule and personal notes. The pager is so I can be reached wherever I travel with the Skytel area. The cell phone is for making and returning important calls and to avoid the obscene charges rendered by pay phones, and hotel phones.” He says the technology, “when it works,” keeps him as efficient on the road as it does in the office. “International communications is difficult, but slowly improving. Nextel does not work in all the areas I travel in and occasionally can’t get a signal inside a building. Skytel also has its ‘dead zones,’” he says.

Steinberg’s Web site is a virtual neighborhood in the truest sense of the word. There’s a bookstore, a mailing list that users can sign up for, links to other relevant sites. There’s even a section in which Steinberg initiates a dialogue between his 5,000 weekly viewers and himself. Right next to a feedback form, for instance, he lists his top advice for road warriors.

Number one on his tip sheet? “When in flight, always keep your seatbelt buckled, even if the seatbelt sign is off, in case you hit unexpected turbulence.” It’s followed by “call the airline before leaving for the airport to verify your flight is departing on time,” and “pack suits and other garments in dry cleaners’ bags can help avoid wrinkles.”

Asked if he’d share the same advice with Trip.com’s readers, he didn’t hesitate to volunteer even more information. “I have plenty of advice. Be kind to flight attendants – they’re only doing their job. Plan your business trips carefully. Pack light, pack tight, pack right.” Common sense, yes, but Steinberg’s readers are grateful for the words of wisdom all the same. “The reaction has been very good,” he says. “I don’t get huge numbers of visitors, but they are all serious business travelers.” As a result, the questions are tailored to his expertise. “I’ve received many great questions – typically, they include electrical needs in foreign countries, tips on tipping and where to find information on extended-stay hotels.”

The interactions have fostered a greater sense of belonging among the travelers who drop by Business-Trip.com. Steinberg doesn’t have a six-figure budget for Web design, but in his case, running a site that looks homegrown is helpful. It puts visitors at ease, entices them to drop their guard. It’s almost as if they are among friends when click on Steinberg’s URL.

Other sites may be faster and more commercial. But Business-Trip.com accomplishes something that few other Web sites have done and still fewer individuals have. It brings together a disenfranchised and dispersed community of frequent travelers. And that’s something remarkable.

Christopher Elliott is the author of Scammed: How to Save Your Money and Find Better Service in a World of Schemes, Swindles, and Shady Deals. Critics have called it “eye-opening” and “inspiring” — it’ll “grab your attention and won’t let go.” Order your copy now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble or iTunes.

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