Very few business executives have a 40-hour workweek these days. As a result, any amount of time spent away from customers or prospects must be educational, worthwhile and rewarding. You can’t afford to attend a valueless offsite meeting – and you certainly can’t afford to hold one.
The following factors should be considered when evaluating the venue for your next meeting. They will help you establish a benchmark when comparing venues and, more importantly, meet your goal of creating a meaningful event.
Professional Partners: Many administrative assistants are being called upon to plan meetings, a daunting task when added to their already heavy workload. The best destinations offer on-site certified professional convention service managers that can serve as your partner and will “sweat the details” of your next event.
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They can also provide proven experience designing and implementing customized meetings and event productions. If the facility does provide convention service managers, find out if they have earned special designations such as a Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) designation from the Convention Industry Council or the Certificate in Meeting Management (CMM), awarded by the Meeting Professionals International Foundation. These designations are important, because it means they have a proven knowledge of all aspects of meeting planning.
By coordinating every detail of the meeting — excursions, golf tournaments and team building programs, technical support, registration equipment, translation services — an experienced onsite convention service planner can turn a stressful experience into a hassle-free event that everyone can enjoy.
Technological Savvy: Fast and easy Internet access is no longer a luxury. Some of the hottest trends in technology requirements include wireless T-1 fiber optic availability, international teleconference capabilities, broadcast video feeds and two-way conferencing from guestrooms to hotel rooms. Even if you are planning the easiest of presentations, having knowledgeable on-site technical support will provide peace of mind.
Your Space: Visit the facility, or if that is not convenient, ask for a detailed kit. Many facilities provide virtual tour videos and comprehensive Web sites. Ask specific questions about the meeting spaces provided. Will the meeting rooms be available around the clock for your group? Will you be allowed to keep presentation equipment set up overnight? Can attendees leave their materials behind? Will they be able to enter the room for pre-breakfast meetings or post-meeting break-out sessions? Are there any other meetings taking place in adjacent rooms? How close are the meeting rooms to telephones, hotel rooms, restrooms and dining options? Is it easy to control heating, cooling and lighting in the room?
Beyond The Space: A great meeting space is more than a room with chairs and technical capabilities; it is an environment that will effect the way people present, interact, listen and learn. Meeting attendees must have room to work, hold discussions and (what they might remember the most) enjoy great food and service.
Find out about special menu options including themed menus for breaks, outdoor spaces and specialty gourmet touches that will make your meeting memorable.
Location, Location, Location: According to a survey by the National Business Travel Association conducted in the third week of September 2001, 58 percent of corporation planned to reduce travel in 2002. Selecting a meeting location that offers a variety of fast and convenient access options is more important today than ever before. When evaluating your next potential meeting location, consider the accessibility options, from rail and car to ferry or videoconference links.
Reviewing the Contract: Find out if extra services, including ground transfers, catering and entertainment will be billed on separate invoices, or if you can bring everything together. More importantly, have your in-house lawyer or counsel review the contract. While some venues have opted for new, plain-English contracts, others can be confusing. Be sure that all clauses for attrition and cancellation fees are clearly understood before signing on the dotted line.
The Right Mix: Select a venue that offers the right mix of professional business and pleasure activities. While technology, meeting room size and service is important, a great meeting space also features a variety of onsite and nearby activities and entertainment options that meet a wide range of interests.
Ask For Feedback: Before everybody packs their bags, solicit feedback. Ask attendees specific questions about the meeting, from program content and the meeting format to the meeting facility, speakers, functions and special activities. What would they change? How could the event be improved? Will a follow-up meeting need to be planned?
The Meeting Professionals International Foundation offers a Meeting Quality Evaluation tool, designed to help corporate meeting planners assess the effectiveness of meetings for their attendees and to identify area for improvement. If you are having an event with a certified MPI professional, ask about this service.
Finally, while technology advances such as video conferencing and Webcasting have provided several new options for executives over the past few years, the fact remains that face-to-face meetings are the essence of effective business communication. Today, more than ever before, the pressure of delivering measurable results requires every meeting to address specific objectives and meet a variety of standards. By keeping the objectives of your next meeting in the forefront when evaluating the offerings of the your next venue, you will be able to create an event that exceeds expectations.
David Casey is vice president of hotel sales and marketing at Mohegan Sun.
