Banter Without Borders

Retailing Luxury-Online

E-tailing is no longer a luxury for the luxury industry - it's a necessity. So says an article entitled:”Ready for the next chapter in e-tailing” which appeared in the April 6, 2010 issue of the Financial Times. (http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/b46c36e2-404a-11df-8d23-00144feabdc0.html).  The article confirmed that the luxury Swiss watch and jeweler group, Richemont had entered into an agreement to acquire online retailer Net-a-Porter, and in so doing, became the first leading luxury conglomerate to purchase a multi-brand online store. Richemont’s action reinforces a growing trend among luxury groups to embrace internet initiatives, and follows LVMH, the French luxury group, which relaunched its eLuxury site as nowness.com, redirecting it from a product focus to one focused on culture.

These moves by retailers of luxury items seem at odds with what had been accepted as industry wisdom. Stated by Natalie Massenet, Net-a-Porter's founder, “there was a belief in fashion that you had to create an amazing experience to convince someone to buy a luxury item, and you could not do that on the web." Ms Massenet had believed early on that time-pressed, successful women would be willing to spend serious money online in order to get the products they desired when they desired them. Interesting statistics outlined by Ms Massenet concerning the Net-a-Porter site include:
•    It has 3.3 million unique users a month, and is growing by approximately 10,000 new customers per month in 170 countries around the world.
•    Its shoppers buy on average £500 worth of products, though single orders have reached £20,000.
•    "As far as we can tell there is no ceiling to what people will spend online. There must be one, but we haven't found it."

According to Bain & Co, the online luxury market is worth about $4.9bn (£3.2bn) and grew by 20 per cent last year. And, with the recent introduction of the iPad and other “tablet” devices, one can only assume this market will accelerate at an even greater pace.    

How much for the drop down oxygen mask?

US airlines have been complaining about profits and loss of revenue and are thinking about innovative ways to get more money from their customers.  The interesting thing is that they are driving their customers away with the petty way they are trying to save their business.  We have some advice for the leadership of the major airlines companies and an easy way to increase customer traffic. 

If you travel, and I am sure many of you have, you can almost recite the flight attendants messages, "...in the case of an emergency masks will automatically drop from above.  Put your mask on first and then help children or others with theirs."  The reason you do this is because if "you" are not panicking you will be able to help others later.  If you don't, you're out cold and then you add to the amount of victims.  This is fairly sound reasoning and logical.  So, why not charge for the use of the mask?  The major airlines could take the leadership role and charge everyone $5 for potential use and make billions.  Then, once they have forced them to pay for the mask...make the oxygen optional and charge for that too.  Ok, you're probably thinking, what does this have to do with overall business strategy and being profitable?  Actually quite a bit. 

First and foremost, think about what airlines have forced their customers to do.  First, you get charged for checking your baggage.  This results in people packing carry on bags to the hilt and bringing with them on board.  The result is less lost baggage, as recently reported by the major airlines, but increase in airline departure delays because of the need of more time for people to shove and push their way around while clobbering you in the head to get their bag into the overhead bin.  And, flight attendants have increased their personal claims for back injuries helping to lift those heavy carry on bags.  And what does the airline do, charge for carry on bags.  Logically, I think, they are charging for a condition they created as well as problems in getting people seated so they can depart.  This just doesn't sound fair to me.

Fixing the problem isn't as difficult as it may seem.  It takes innovative leadership, an understanding of local culture, specifically US culture, and the presence of mind to think innovatively.  Has it dawned on any of the CEOs that Americans will pay for quality service, for being treated with respect, and for comfort?

The plan:  Allow for free bag check-in up to 50 lbs, per adult, regardless of the amount of bags.  Allow for only one carry on per person and have it be a specific size, no exceptions.  Preferably this should have a maximum size of the typical overhead sized carry-on, again no exceptions.  Increase the cost of the ticket to a reasonable level that would cover the current add-on charges.  Now, add some leg room, and offer a few amenities for free such as soft drinks and water.  I can almost guarantee you will fill flights, you will gain customer loyalty, your customers will speak highly of your brand and your customer base will increase.  I think it's fairly obvious your ROI will be exceptional.  Or, you may want to consider how much airline CEOs are willing to pay for their own oxygen masks.  

The Nosey Scotsman and a Chinese Consumer

Alan Jope is a Scotsman…a nosey Scotsman. He pries into other people’s lives. He asks them about their hygiene practices, quizzes them on their Internet-surfing habits, and questions their finances and child-care philosophies. He even asks them about their political beliefs and extramarital affairs. And the people’s lives he’s prying into are not even fellow Scotsmen. They’re Chinese consumers. And they’re answering his questions willingly. Mr. Jope lives in Shanghai China. He’s not a member of the Chinese communist party, nor does he work for the Chinese government. He is Unilever’s Chairman for Greater China, and he practices the ultimate in grass roots marketing.

Mr. Jope was featured a recent article in Advertising Age entitled: “Unilever Puts in Face Time with the Chinese Consumer. “  The article focuses on a day spent with a Chinese consumer, something Mr. Jope does at least once a month. This isn’t something new to Mr. Jope. The article points out that this is a routine he's followed since joining Unilever in 1985. He's been inside hundreds of homes in developed nations and in emerging markets around the world. So what does he learn, and how does he apply it?

The featured visit of this day was with Zu Quingrong, a middle-class woman living in Shanghai. Ms. Zu is a freelance consultant, married to an engineer, and has an 8 year old daughter.  The Zu household has an annual income of $2,200, considered high for China, but not for a tier one city like Shanghai. Although they can’t afford a car as yet, their growing income is sufficient to allow them the luxury of purchasing international brands like many of those offered by Unilever.  

Their lifestyle includes:three computers-a laptop for each parent and a desktop for their daughter, satellite TV and wireless internet access,and three smart phones.They use the internet for email and Skype calls to friends.Ms. Zu chats on online billboards, organizes her purchases on Taobao.com, and uses QQ.com, a popular instant messaging platform to organize events. Mr. Zu spends a good deal of time in the evening playing online games and downloading music

The Zu household is typical of the heavy use of digital media in China and confirms Alan Jope’s decision made during previous home visits to devote at least 10% of Unilever’s media budgets to online media.

During their shopping visit to a Carrefour hypermarket, Ms. Zu confirmed Mr. Jope’s concern that Chinese consumers of Unilever’s Omo detergent brand, of which Ms. Zu was a loyal consumer, were confused about the brand’s architecture at point of sale. This prompted Mr. Jope to hasten the introduction of Omo’s new package graphics, making it easier for consumers to navigate the brand’s architecture. Similarly in a different aisle, Ms. Zu had trouble understanding the anti-dandruff benefits of Clear Shampoo as presented by an in-store demonstrator. The takeaway by Mr. Jope was there is a need for well trained promoters rather than outsourcing to poorly trained hires.

Mr. Jope is clearly not an ivory tower thinker, and he considers his visits with consumers critical to defining strategies which will allow Unilever to achieve its aggressive growth goals in China. And what of the Chinese consumer ? Mr. Jope believes the Chinese consumer is “moving towards quality multinational brands and is proud of where she is and what she has achieved.” He is reminded of how independent Chinese women are becoming in China’s urban markets.  That’s one smart Scotsman

5 Tips for Succeeding in the Canadian Marketplace

 “We are not Americans..We are citizens of a distinct sovereign state."*

According to the Wall Street Journal, American retailers are expanding into Canada, already the USA’s largest trading partner. While Canada is a much safer market than Asian countries, there are still many issues that can undermine the success of any American company moving north.  

1. Distinct Market:

Canada must be treated as a distinct market. Canadians have a strong, albeit understated, sense of national pride that is often defined as being ‘not American’ despite the strong north-south (Canada-USA) pull throughout the country because areas of Canada often have a closer proximity to and more in common with their American neighbors than with another Canadian city thousands of miles away. Canadians are concerned about the loss of their culture and tradition by intrusion of American economic and cultural influences. Any company entering the Canadian market should emphasize Canadian content and other Canadian elements of their products or services to demonstrate respect for Canadian consumers. 

2. Segmented Market:

Canada is the world’s second-largest country; it cannot be treated like one unified market for product or for promotion and advertising. Regionalism continues to be an issue in Canada. Canadians have great pride in their individual provinces and their differing lifestyles. Companies that treat the French-Canadian and the English-Canadian markets as 2 separate markets are usually the most successful. When marketing to French-Canadians (25% of the Canadian market), all promotional materials must be available in French. And, even within the English-Canadian market, there are differences in lifestyle among the Maritime provinces, Ontario and the Western provinces to be considered. 

3. Social/Environmental Issues:

Environmental issues (acid rain, ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’) and social issues (women’s rights, pay equity, minority rights and job security) are very important to most Canadians. This should be reflected in a company’s product, packaging, marketing and human resources practices. 

4. Packaging:

Canadian packaging should be eco-friendly, bi-lingual and ‘Canadianized’. Forms and warranties should refer to ‘Province’ rather than ‘State’ ‘and postal code’ rather than ‘zip code’. While Canadians show a preference for American terminology, Canadian spelling follows British guidelines, and any copy should be rewritten accordingly. By law, Canadian packaging must be bilingual. Keep in mind that direct translations from the English are seldom successful and that French copy is on average 20% longer than the English copy. 

5. Marketing:

Canadians are conservative, reserved, cautious and yet open-minded. Avoid marketing hype and stick to the facts; Canadians expect to hear the truth. Free samples are more effective than direct mail in winning over the Canadian consumer.

*(Robert Johnstone, former Canadian Deputy Minister of International Trade)

Cultural Upheaval: Will Canada be the New China?

“Oh, how things have changed.”  Thus began a recent Bloomberg Business Week podcast on China. The vexing question of whether to tackle the ins and outs of doing business in The Middle Kingdom started long before the recent and wrenching Google saga, but China's increase in power and, now, boldness on the world stage are more apparent than ever. Ongoing talk of Beijing’s ‘decoupling’ China and the U.S. is clear evidence of such a dramatic and unsettling development. For Western companies, red carpet treatment has now been replaced by red tape. The heady days of rushing to China and its untapped resources are over. Businesses are thinking far more carefully now, wary of the new and increasing risks of entering a market whose great wall of restrictions, regulations and requirements is steadily rising. As those of us who work with clients on improving their ‘intellectual capital’ vis-à-vis overseas business know, cultures and their values allegedly don’t change, yet even this holy grail of global coaching and consulting is thrown in doubt, with China’s apparent personality shift providing one huge exception to the cultural rulebook.  When it comes to China, myths and realities are on murky ground.

With China and even Asia no longer automatic destinations for companies in expansion modes, and with recession tightening everyone’s belts and changing thoughts of how to proceed with globalization, where are companies to go when seeking to expand beyond domestic markets?

One answer may well be Canada, which is looking like a really viable choice at the moment.  Many in retail would seem to agree, as a WSJ article* indicates. U.S. companies in the clothing industry, from J. Crew to the Limited to the Gap, are all taking the plunge into Canadian waters ever so carefully, and so far, so good [Interesting that Gap, which didn’t fare very well in its earlier overseas attempts in China and European markets and is now trying to set up an online presence there, is an enthusiastic participant in Canada].  There is no question that the Canadian market will present some very different challenges in terms of its market and culture – its higher end focus, emphasis on the outdoors, historically more discriminating and slower-moving consumer, not to mention the sizable number of cultural nuances overall. The time, though, seems just right, and the notion of expanding a business to Canada certainly carries much less psychological weight than is now the case with so many other destinations. I’m sure at least Google and GoDaddy would agree.

                                                                  

*http://tinyurl.com/yj2ysz2  

Driving Success in 2010: 3 Simple Rules of the Road

As those of us involved in coaching and consulting global executives well know, cultures are messy. Globalization, then, is anything but a tidy affair. A look at Google, Yahoo, Kraft, and now Toyota serve as suitable, if emotionally charged examples, of what can happen when cultures, national or organizational, encounter turbulence.   

It has always been true that simply taking a business, or portion thereof, and putting a global stamp on it through “opening a subsidiary in a far-flung place and hoping brand recognition and experience…will be enough,” is not advisable, as John Gapper points out in one of his recent articles in the FT*. The many missteps and dramas which seem to occur almost nonstop these days, often of soap-opera proportion, lead us to believe that companies need to do far more to ensure their overseas success.

Following are three things to keep in mind when taking a business to the global table, which in today’s market means, according to Mr. Gapper, entering the BRICs (or, if you subscribe to the view that Russia should be out and South Africa in, the ‘BASICs’!):

1. Cheaper is better: China has Haier, India has its Nano, and even non-BRIC Japan has jeans for under $10. Western companies need to let go of their focus on high end products and start looking at the other end of the price spectrum if they hope to remain  competitive for the long term. While quality still has its place, and while certain luxury brands continue to flourish, they are facing a questionable future, as emerging markets enter the picture and aim ever higher on the (24k) value chain. Ironically, though, Toyota may now be facing the dreaded consequences brought on when quality takes a back seat to the goal of reaching a larger market segment.

2. Know that in entering any emerging market, not understanding and appreciating the local conditions intimately puts you at a great disadvantage. This includes not only perceiving the nuances of local tastes -- and how many companies have suffered by missing even the smallest beat here, as Marks and Spencer learned in India the hard way ** -- but knowing how the local distribution systems and networks operate as well. Having an excellent product at the ideal price point is all for naught if it can’t make its way past the roadblocks into the marketplace.

3. Most of all, don’t underestimate the power of your competition. The BRICs are all working at a feverish pace, and now have so many companies coming forth as serious global contenders to be reckoned with. This trend shows every indication of continuing well into the future.

Western companies certainly need to wake up and smell the (Brazilian?) coffee, before all this new competition and lack of sufficient cultural business savvy à la 2010 leaves them in the dust.                                         

* http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/b4bdfc22-062d-11df-8c97-00144feabdc0.html

**http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/9d2bd1fe-05e9-11df-8c97-00144feabdc0.html

 

Technology, Globalization and China: Too Much, Too Soon?

There is no denying it: technology has made globalization possible. It has, in large measure, flattened the world and leveled the playing field, bringing cultures and countries together in ways we wouldn’t have thought possible, even twenty years ago. For tech geeks new and seasoned, this has been a blessing and a joy, with each new development bringing welcome challenges and opportunities. But, alas, new technological advances have always had their downsides as well, affecting not only basic skills and strengths but cultural constructs such as family structure and the social fabric as well. Way back in the 20th century, the invention of the TV caused worries about the loss of imagination and creativity, as people would, going forward, be fed visual images. The advent of the electronic calculator similarly caused concern that mathematical prowess would suffer, as simple operations would no longer need to be done in one’s head. More recently, as computers burst on the scene, and the rate of technological progress suddenly seemed to take off at unprecedented speed, the price has been paid, many would argue, in the communication sphere, as huge swaths of etiquette and social decency seem to have fallen by the wayside with each new upgrade, particularly where social media is concerned (And talk about infectious – even the players at Copenhagen have been dubbed “Facebook Bureaucrats”*).

What happens, though, when after years of government imposed deprivation, a country, never mind one of the world’s fastest growing superpowers, suddenly leapfrogs over the computer age’s early by-products  -- “instant messaging, video streaming, online gaming and interactive media,” to name a few -- and drops full throttle into the present, missing the decade where such developments transitioned naturally? According to a recent article in the Financial Times**, the consequences for China’s youth are dire for many, as internet addiction has recently surfaced as a serious social problem there (and in China, eroding values are already posing a cultural challenge to the centuries' old nation steeped in tradition). The notion of Chinese teenagers addicted to their computers isn’t exactly shocking, especially given the aura of forbidden territory resulting from so much policing of internet activity. Besides, as it’s the rare individual anywhere these days who is not helplessly hooked on one tech device or another, it’s a refrain we’re certainly used to hearing. In China’s case, though, it’s the degree and seriousness of this addiction which is troubling. The FT article cites a recent film which chronicles dozens of sobering cases of China’s wayward youth involving even murder, and “pinpoints the internet as the scourge leading kids astray and tearing families apart.”

In response, many of these teenagers are now being sent by their parents to bootcamps throughout China, of which there are currently over 300***; and with the country’s dubious track record where human rights are concerned, it is all the more worrisome to hear of the questionable conditions and “inhumane methods” under which these youth are weaned of their internet addictions. Since we’re dealing here with the future workforce of a country which perhaps holds more promise and potential than any other nation at the moment, this is not something to be taken lightly.  With China facing so many unique challenges as it moves up the global success ladder, and with technology sure to keep racing ahead, let’s hope that its youth’s internet addiction crisis recedes before too long. 

                                            
      

   *http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/a9772ae6-e8d7-11de-a756-00144feab49a.html           

 **http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/b0948580-e463-11de-a0ea-00144feab49a.html

***http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-fg-china-beatings22-2009aug22,0,231246.story 

 

Sometimes Leadership is imposed

Sports figures are often forced into a leadership role they do not want, nor can fulfill.  I have heard some basketball players even make the statement, "I am not a role model.  People shouldn't follow me."  I can't remember who exactly made that statement, but I often think of business leaders, managers and current golfers who neither fit the role nor know how to maintain their leadership. 

Recently, Bob Moffat, a former executive in IBM was arrested for insider trading and, having personally met him, I found him to be approachable, to have seemingly high values and to be driven.  I guess the real question is, what does someone with high values look like?  Is it a visual?  Not hardly.  Maybe that's it, he was so driven there was a fear of falling short of expectations.  Maybe with the pressures of success, or the pressures of not failing were too much.  Maybe it was simply greed and ego.  Ego, its a funny dynamic which enters into everyone's life from time to time. 

Once you start comparing yourself to others, you are either behind or ahead.  I'm not sure at what time or age you reach a point where you are happy with you.  I am sure Maslow identified it as self-actualization.  However, it seems that today's mediocre leaders find excuses to blame everyone but themselves.  Its always been somebody in their lives who caused them to do whatever it was.  I remember a series on TV where "the devil made me do it."  Guess what, its no excuse. 

There is no excuse for harming others.  There is no excuse for poor leadership.  There is no excuse for not taking responsibility and not motivating others to excel.  There is no excuse for letting people go because you could not identify the unique skills they had and capitalizing on that strength. 

Leaders need to be able to synthesize the differences, turn it into an innovative driving force and then getting out of the way enabling those who are empowered to excel. 

True global leadership is unique because it recognizes even some of the deep seated cultural differences which have existed and then turns it into a knowledge base driving excellence.  Leadership is not easy.  Nobody said it would be. 

Are marketers giving up their leadership role?

 

In the November 30, 2009 edition of Advertising Age, two articles appeared: "From CVS to Costco, retailers put the screws to brands," and "Walmart ups the ante with brand co-op ads in more ways than one." The first article posits that well advertised brands are not indispensible to retailers, while the second discusses how Walmart is taking over the role of communicating the brand's equity message in 30 second television spots, paid for by the marketer of the brand.  The common thread to these articles is how retailers are dominating the marketing to consumer process, which was once the purview of marketers. How has this role reversal evolved, and how is the term marketer becoming a misnomer? Let me explain.

Traditionally the marketer and retailer roles had been clearly defined in terms of interaction with the consumer. The marketer understood the consumer in terms of their wants and needs and created products to meet those criteria. In order to build a market for those products, the marketer, through its appointed advertising agencies, created compelling messages to create awareness and purchase intent among consumers, and then executed these messages through traditional media, including broadcast and print.  Concurrently, retailers played their role as the distributer of these brands to the consumer, and used the tactics of price and promotion to draw these consumers to their store locations. Although this may be simplistic, there was a clear distinction between the keeper of the brand equity... the marketer, and the promoter of the brand... the retailer. What evolved over time, however, was the balance between what the marketer spent on their equity building efforts versus what was spent on retailer driven activity... and this balance shifted significantly in favor of the retailer. So what happens over time when marketers spend a fraction of their marketing budget on convincing your consumers of the value of their brand at a regular price, while the bulk of the marketing budget is spent with the retailer who is convincing the consumer that the brand has value only when it's discounted?  Brands become commodities.

During the 80's and 90's, my agency had the opportunity to help Procter & Gamble develop a unique approach to overcome this dilemma by developing shared equity advertising programs. The concept was to combine the equity of the brand with the equity of the retailer in a seamless fashion so as to communicate the value of the brand, and the positioning of the retailer as a preferred place to shop. No mention was made in these executions of pricing or promotion. P&G clearly received value in converting marketing funds that would normally have been spent on price promotions into equity reinforcement, while the retailer received bonus advertising support. This concept worked because P&G had the courage to implement an approach which was difficult for retailers to accept initially, but proved successful for them over time. It was then, with interest that, I read the second article in which Wal-Mart has introduced co-op ads that seamlessly integrate the brand into a 30 second television commercial, without mentioning price or promotion. And by the way, funding for these commercials come from what remains of marketers' advertising budgets.

In the article: "From CVS to Costco", the question is asked: are brands truly indispensible? Mentioned in the article is the fact that Costco has recently stripped Coca-Cola products from its shelves in a pricing dispute. The answer to the question of whether well advertised brands are indispensible to retailers may be no, unless real value can be added. I urge marketers to take the initiative of developing shared equity programs, before remaining retailers duplicate the Wal-Mart strategy.

Tips for the overextended international and domestic traveler

Globetrotters, World Travelers, Road Warriors, Jet Setters, International Business agents, we've all heard the terms and have worn the banners in today's business environment.  I am sure many of you have the additional battle scars of long nights, delayed flights, long international flights and jet lag and wall as important time away from your homes and family.  Long gone is the 8 hour business day and today's technology makes us work 24 x 7 x 365 and sometimes x 366 days a year.  Your body takes a tremendous toll and the wear and tear, often, goes unnoticed until it's too late.

So how do you stave off the accelerated aging process, the added weight gain, the shear exhaustion that wreaks havoc with your biological clock?  There are steps you can take to ensure you maintain your health and maybe, even more importantly, improve your health.  Yes, it's true; you can actually improve your health and well being with a few precautionary steps and most importantly, remain consistent once you develop this routine.

First things first, create a budget.  Create a budget?  You will need to sit down, push all your work aside and admit there is a problem.  We've been there, in the hotel room or airport lounge with a few minutes to spare and more often than not, you get that glazed look and fall into a trance listening to...nothing.  TV background noise or music fills the room which just numbs the senses.  Or, sometimes you just sit there blankly thinking, "What am I doing here?"  It's ok to feel that way.  What you discover is that this a great time to think about your health budget.  It's really fairly easy and may add years to your life, bounce to your step, and sometimes increase you overall well being.  But, the key is, you need to admit there is a problem and you want to do something about it.

            On your budget, how much time will you allocate for exercise and more importantly, what type of exercises will you do.  Here is a hint, keep it simple, but start.  Starting is always the hardest part. 

Your Routine

1. Once you roll out of bed and get a bit warmed up, do a set of sit-ups. Initially, only do one set of 10, if you can. Don't be embarrassed, no one is watching, but more importantly, you're trying. You can increase the repetitions later as you gain strength. http://www.wikihow.com/Do-Sit-Ups
2. Leg Raises: Complete one set of 10 leg raises. While you are lying on the floor from doing sit-ups, you can transition into leg raises. Remember, do them slowly, deliberately and maintain proper position. http://www.wikihow.com/Do-Leg-Lifts
3. Crunches: While still lying on the floor, complete one set of 10 torso crunches. You do this by putting your hands, laced, behind your head and then do a sit up and bring your knees up at the same time to meet your elbows. Do not pull your head up with your hands. This is a bit more difficult and will fell awkward at first, but it's a great exercise for the abs. http://exercise.about.com/cs/abs/ht/Crunch.htm
4. Let's get up off the floor and do some torso twists. Compete one set of 20 torso twists. With your arms extended slowly twist in one direction, and then twist as far as you can in the other. Do these SLOWLY and deliberately at first. You can increase speed and intensity at a later date once you gain more strength and elasticity. http://www.ehow.com/how_2283064_do-torso-twist-core-exercise.html
5. Moving to the legs, do some squats. About 10 will do for a start. If you haven't done these in a while, you may want to position yourself next to a chair to help you with your balance. Do about 10 squats. http://exercise.about.com/od/exerciseworkouts/ss/howtosquat.htm
6. Find a large book, usually a thick phone book will do and place your front part of your feet on this book and do some calf raises. What you want to do is stand straight and lower your heels to the floor. Then, slowly rise up on your toes. This extends and flexes your calves. Do about 10 reps of those. http://www.wikihow.com/Do-Calf-Raises
7. Let's move to the upper body and arms. Let's work your biceps. Do you have a briefcase or large purse? If so, use that for weight resistance and complete a set of 10 bicep curls, again maintaining the proper position and movement. http://exercise.about.com/cs/weightlifting/l/blsamplebicep.htm
8. Reverse bicep curl. Instead of your palms being in an upward facing position, do bicep curls with your palms facing down. It's feels weird at the beginning, but it works the muscle group differently and you now have pretty much hit that bicep from all directions. There are other variations, but let's keep it simple.
9. Triceps extensions. This nicely tightens up that flabby floppy muscle under your upper arm opposite the bicep. Do this one very carefully. With your weight resistance, raise the briefcase, or other item, over your head and then lower it behind your head to about neck level. Then, slowly raise it about your head and repeat for 10 times. Ouch...feel the burn. You will if you haven't done this one before. http://www.abcbodybuilding.com/standing_triceps_extensions.htm
10. Ok, return to the lying position. This is a nice one to finish with. These are simple bench presses. They are good for your chest and a bit of your shoulders as well. Grasp your briefcase/bag firmly with both hands. Hold it about your chest, lower it to your chest and press it up again. Do this in slow deliberate motions. Take your time and remember form is important.

 

This should get you started in a good routine and budgeting your time for you.  Slowly but surely you will start to see improvements.  Your stamina and energy level will increase.  Remember this is a start and you will need to increase reps, weights and duration over a period of time.  And, as always, check with your personal Physician before starting any exercise program.  

The other important thing to do is alter your diet.  Eat healthier, smaller portions.  And, you will find out that you can actually eat more often, if the foods are those which are higher fiber.  Increase fruits and vegetables.  Decrease your intake of...snacks.  What you will learn is to budget your intake of foods and you know which ones are the right ones.  We all do.  In short, follow your exercise plan, change your diet and do it logically and moderately.  If you take the time, you will find yourself rejuvenated and your family might discover a new you as well.  Remember, draw up your budget, make your plan, implement the plan and do it comfortably.  The bottom line is that you will see physical as well as mental benefits from your plan.  This doesn't make the trips any shorter, but you will find, once you return home you'll recover a bit quicker and find time and energy to do the more important personal things in your life.   

Last, but not least, check out some of the other travel sites for additional tips on security, relaxation, stress, jet lag, expenses, hotels, offers, and all the hotel and travel freebies and benefits.  http://www.roadwarriortips.com/