For many companies, benefits of global travel outweigh hassles

Call it touching base, face time, going to see for themselves or simply making eye contact. More business travelers than ever are winging around the world to connect with clients, vendors, manufacturers and counterparts at their company's foreign locations.

Many business executives acknowledge that connecting via videoconferencing or virtual-meeting technology might be easier and less costly than battling the harshness of post-9/11 air travel, but almost all say that nothing gets the job done better than sitting across the desk from key players on their turf.

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"It's especially critical when we're designing a new product," said Christopher Cox, a product and development manager for Vision Fitness, a Lake Mills designer and distributor of fitness equipment for commercial and home use.

"When we're discussing shapes and curves and angles with an engineer on the other side of the world who speaks English as a second language, it's essential that we are right there, not thousands of miles away," he said.

Vision Fitness staff also rely on video- and teleconferencing, keeping in touch with foreign counterparts on a weekly basis "to make certain that we're all on the same page."

As for the hassles of international air travel, Cox, who travels to Asia about eight times a year, thinks it's really quite easy, except for the 13-hour time difference between Chicago and Shanghai. He said international travel is increasing companywide at Vision Fitness, whose parent company, Johnson Health, has subsidiaries around the world.

International business travel takes on a whole new meaning at the Preidt Gallery, a company with locations at Greenway Station in Middleton and Hilldale Shopping Center in Madison. The stores sell Preidt's own European-crafted private-label shoes and leather accessories and Odermark tailored men's suits. Founder and co-owner Klaus Preidt believes in giving his staff both theoretical and practical insight into the items they sell. To ensure firsthand product knowledge, he takes a staff member along on his extended trips to Europe.

During a typical two-week trip, they visit leather tanneries, tour family-owned shoe factories in Italian villages and attend large industry trade shows like the MICAM Shoevent in Milan where high-end buyers convene twice a year to critique the latest footwear fashions.

Brad North went with Preidt on his most recent European trip and acknowledged that driving more than 4,000 miles across Europe was grueling. "I knew what to expect and it was definitely a worthwhile trip. If it was easy, everyone would be doing it. No one else from the U.S. does this," North said.

"It's critical that everyone at Preidt Gallery understands the whole picture, from the tanning process to the selection of the leather to the creation of the final product," Preidt said. "Then they can explain it intelligently to the customer."

His staff of 11 has been with him "from minute No. 1" and he wants them to continue learning.

"If you limit the talents of your employees," he said, "you limit your company."

According to Warren Martin, regional managing director for Weir Slurry North America, international travel is increasing as the company continues to establish a global presence.

The Madison-based manufacturer is a division of Weir Group PLC of Scotland and sells or manufactures mining and environmental pumps in Australia, Brazil, Russia, Chile, the Netherlands, South Africa, France, India, the United Kingdom and China.

The broad business reach keeps the staff in the air on a regular basis.

Martin, who oversees the North America operation, travels internationally about three times a year for executive committee meetings where new product development strategies are developed with the global marketplace in mind. The company also meets via videoconferencing, and teleconferences are scheduled monthly among executives worldwide.

"Our most frequent traveler," said Martin, "is Madison-based divisional managing director Scot Smith, a member of the parent company executive team. He travels to the company headquarters in Scotland once a month in addition to making a yearly visit to each of our international sites. These regular meetings give Smith the critical opportunity to personally check on the progress of common goals.

"Scot's personal visits have been key in increasing overall operational excellence. It's important that he go and see for himself."

Pat Ploc, a customer marketing manager for GE Medical Systems-Lunar, a Madison manufacturer of bone densitometers, spends about 30 percent to 40 percent of his time traveling, much of it internationally.

"It's important for our customers in Denmark, Switzerland, the UK and elsewhere to know that we care," Ploc said.

"When I'm there, I might do a presentation about one of our 15 systems, but it's really about customer relations."

As for the realities of international travel, Ploc says, "No, I really don't enjoy the process of getting there - it's a hassle - but once I'm there, it's worth it. They're our customers. They deserve to have our time and attention and give us feedback on how we're doing."

Putting a face on the name is also important for Accelerated Genetics, a Baraboo global provider of bovine genetics and research, according to Beth Boryla, senior marketing coordinator.

"We do business in Russia, Croatia, all over Europe, the Middle East. Recently, Bob Holterman, our vice president of marketing, traveled to Iran to meet with a supplier there," Boryla said.

"We had been obtaining his products through a distributor in California, but the supplier wanted a personal meeting, so Bob went there. International travel is really big for us, and getting bigger," she said.

The downside of international travel - the security lines, visa requirements and oversold flights � are not likely to improve anytime soon. But for companies looking to establish, maintain and grow a global presence, there's nothing like getting on an airplane and doing business face to face.