Jessie States, CMM, manager, professional development, Meeting Professionals International.

The meetings outlook for 2018 is positive as the demand for meetings remains consistent. But along with that demand come the challenges: The industry continues to be a seller’s market due to an imbalance in supply of hotels and meeting venues, causing rates to rise. And concern with security risks is top of mind as companies implement plans for the first time or adapt their existing plans to meet a rise in terrorist attacks and natural disasters. On the positive side, creating unique attendee experiences with new technology tools continues to be a main goal.

“Following the shifting sentiment in 2017, next year should be more positive around the world in terms of spend, number of meetings and attendees,” says Issa Jouaneh, senior vice president and general manager, American Express Meetings & Events. “Meanwhile, meeting owners are prioritizing attendee experience and engagement over scale. As a result, we expect to see shorter, more focused meetings. Economic and geopolitical influences will continue to create uncertainty, but we anticipate ongoing industry resilience and continued focus on successful experiences.”

According to American Express’ 2018 Global Meetings Forecast, the number of meetings held in 2018 is predicted to remain flat with a change in numbers of less than 0.5 percent. International hoteliers are suggesting a slightly greater increase in the number of meetings — 2 percent to 2.3 percent for product launches, incentives, conferences and trade shows. The length of meetings will remain static while the number of attendees will increase by 1.8 percent, especially in the conference and trade show meeting type.

Budget Forecast

Rhea Stagner, CIS, DVP, sourcing and supplier relations for Maritz Travel – a Maritz Global Events Company, is seeing a larger spend per attendee in the area of incentive meetings. “As all expense categories have risen in costs — air, hotel rooms, food and beverage and more complex technology — the total cost will be about $3,000 to $4,000 per attendee,” Stagner says.

Stagner points to the imbalance in the ratio of meeting space to hotel rooms as the main reason for pressure on space. “There are not a lot of upper upscale or luxury new builds in North America, which is another reason for the pressure on space and increase in room rates,” Stagner says. “Booking windows are getting longer as planners compete for space availability.”

According to the BCD Meetings & Events Global Industry Trends Report, even when new convention hotels have opened up in cities such as Austin and Denver, they are booked at a face past for as much as five years in advance. The high demand is causing planners to miss out on their first choice of a destination or they are having to change the time of year the meeting is held.

The BCD report suggests that higher prices are not necessarily due to higher rates, but due to a decrease in discounts for an existing rate, especially for bookings during peak times. A planner’s power of negotiation is then reduced in areas that were formally complimentary. BCD points to the addition of meeting space rental costs, which were traditionally waived based on achieving a guarantee in overall spend.

While room rates are rising, Michael Dominguez, chief sales officer for MGM Resorts International, says static airline prices and a weakening dollar could help meeting budgets. Decreasing oil prices have helped airfares to stay stable or decrease compared to 18–24 months ago when oil was priced at $100 a barrel. “This is the first time since the recession that all major economies — North America, Europe and China — are on the uptick,” Dominguez says. “And with the shrinking dollar, exports are less expensive, and more people are looking at taking groups to the U.S.”

In response to higher costs, planners are forced to increase their budgets. MPI’s Meetings Outlook report shows that 47 percent of planners are increasing their budgets over the next year. The amount of increase, however, is not a large percentage. “Meeting and event budgets are increasing by a rate of only about 0.8 percent, and the majority of that isn’t going to increased costs in food and beverage or space rental or transportation,” says Jessie States, CMM, manager of professional development for MPI. “It’s going to safety and security and risk management.”

Trends in Food and Beverage

After guest rooms, food and beverage spend is the largest area of a meeting budget. Dominguez sees a disconnect in this area between planners and the hotel. “Planners’ budgets are getting less, but they don’t always understand that the food costs have increased,” Dominguez says. “By creating flexible menus, not necessarily discounting menu items, planners will see a savings to their overall budget.”

As an example, Dominguez points to the cost of shrimp, which was at an all-time high three years ago due to the oil spill and disease in Asia. As the price has come down, it’s more sensible to replace lobster with shrimp.

Dominguez also sees a trend in passing bite-size and small plates portions. “This ‘feast on the move’ allows for a better return on engagement as attendees are able to interact with a greater number of attendees rather than a sit-down meal where they are locked into a table,” Dominguez says.

Stagner is seeing an increase in the food and beverage budget, typically for higher-end meetings. “Planners are trying to be more thoughtful on how they spend their money and are getting away from the traditional banquet menus,” Stagner says. “There is more conversation on what is best for the customer as the trend is on a healthier lifestyle and quality food.”

Stagner says more planners are going offsite for their meals, allowing attendees to better experience the local flair. “The restaurants don’t have to be high-end; it could be barbecue and food trucks, but an authentic local experience,” Stagner says.

Venues are responding to an increased call for health-oriented foods. The IACC survey “Trends in Nutrition and Delegate Wellbeing” reports that venues are changing how their menus are prepared and are using less salt, sugar and fat in their menus. They are increasing the amount of dairy-free and gluten-free options and are preparing smaller portions.

The IACC survey revealed a need for venues to take a proactive approach in promoting healthy options rather than waiting for the planner to raise the issue. In response to this, 87 percent of venues made changes to their menus based on health and wellness principals or feedback from clients.

“Meeting professionals are also continuously asking for continuous food breaks to fuel their attendees,” says States. “The nutritional needs of an audience are as diverse as the individuals who comprise it. And people need the food that fuels them at a variety of different times. As organizers look to customize the onsite experiences of diverse audiences, food becomes a major player in the design of welcoming and inclusive experiences.”

Travel and Hotel Booking Trends

While some companies are booking their meetings farther out due to increased demand, other companies continue to book late. That window can be as short as 60 to 90 days. However, lead time shortens as buyers are concerned with political volatility.

“Geopolitical risks, uncertainties in emerging markets and ever-changing political environments in Europe and the United States mean today’s travel professionals more than ever have to take into account when building their travel programs,” says Jeanne Liu, GBTA Foundation vice president of research. “The most successful programs will have to keep a watchful eye on both geopolitical risks and a rapidly changing supplier landscape as they reevaluate strategy often and adapt as necessary.”

According to the BCD Meetings & Events Survey, the demand for meeting space is causing hotels to hold bookings for a shorter period of time and selling on a first-come, first-served basis. And, hotels are being more selective about their customers, choosing those they believe will bring a higher overall revenue once food and beverage spend is taken into consideration.

On the airfare front, Stagner says lift continues to be a problem especially in cities such as Nashville that were once considered second tier, but are now popular. “The airlines’ available flights haven’t caught up with cities in demand,” Stagner says.

The lift issue might improve in 2018. GBTA’s 2018 Global Travel Forecast shows that airlines will add 6 percent capacity next year. Their predicted 2.3 percent rise in U.S. airfares will force travelers to look at basic economy fares and restricted fares versus upgraded options.

GBTA estimates ground transportation rates will rise only 0.6 percent in 2018. An increase in corporate travel will cause rental car rates to rise. Rental car companies are using this revenue to invest in technology to better manage fleets and improve utilization. Sharing economy companies such as Uber and Lyft will see growth of more than 10 percent. However, their growth is threatened by government bans and costly regulations.

Meeting Design and Innovation

Experience-driven meetings will continue to be the focus into 2018. Stagner sees a turn in conventional room design to a format that fosters better networking. “I’ve seen room sets that represent a coffee shop with espresso machines,” Stagner says.

Hotels are now building their meeting rooms with environments intended to stimulate learning. Dominguez points to the Monte Carlo hotel in Las Vegas, which is being redesigned to the Park MGM hotel. Meeting rooms will have conference tables that are 12 inches taller than traditional tables. “This allows attendees to be eye-to-eye with the presenter,” Dominguez says. “Everything from lighting to air quality will be focused on boosting mental acuity.”

Embracing adult learning is a key factor in designing engaging content. States sees meeting owners creating hands-on learning experiences and designing peer-on-peer classes to better foster learning. “They are building an arsenal of unique session formats and learning autopsies, finding the experts in the room and ultimately delivering education that capitalizes on the way adults learn, remember, recollect and apply knowledge,” States says.

Kelly Peacy, CAE, CMP, founder and CEO of Insight Event Strategy LLC, sees a trend toward more informal learning environments and a need to move attendees from passive observers to active and engaged participants. “Adults learn differently, and research shows that adults retain content when it’s applied learning and interactive or in small groups,” Peacy says. “This is affecting room sets and the desire/need to be flexible with movable furniture and/or walls that can be used to share information with magnets, push pins or dry-erase boards.”

Incentive Travel Trends and Destinations

Incentive travel programs will continue to be popular in 2018, increasing at a rate of about 1.2 percent according to MPI. However, in an effort to cut costs, many groups will stay in North America. Others will look to Mexico and the Caribbean as popular destinations. City experiences and individual customization are high priorities. “It’s as much about what the group does once they get to a destination as it is the destination itself,” Stagner says.

On the international front, luxury cruises and river cruises are popular as well as untouched destinations such as Slovenia and Iceland. Stagner also sees Cuba as a future target after issues with the country’s infrastructure are resolved.

Dominguez agrees that experiential incentive trips provide the best attendee engagement. “Planners are focused on the unique aspects of a destination,” Dominguez says. “In Vegas they are not just staying on The Strip. They are taking a helicopter to the Grand Canyon and having a picnic on the base of the canyon.”

According to Linda McNairy, vice president of global operations for American Express Meetings & Events, Orlando, Las Vegas and Chicago are the most popular destinations for incentives in the U.S. In Latin America, Rio de Janeiro, Cancun and Mexico City are favorites. London, Barcelona and Berlin are at the top of the list in Europe, and Singapore, Sydney and Bangkok are the most popular in Asia.

Sustainability and CSR

While many event budgets reduced CSR initiatives during the recession, 2018 sees a strong return. Rather than simply donating money to a cause, attendees are looking for experiences that put them in the community. Dominguez says many venues assist planners by having a menu of CSR options to choose from, making it easier for the organization to implement the program.

And if a CSR activity doesn’t fit into the agenda, Stagner says organizations are placing donations in an attendee’s name or removing an element of the program — an attendee room drop, for example — and giving the equivalent cost to charity.

On the sustainability side, Dominguez says planners have become more conscious of waste, especially in the banquet areas. They are giving better attendee numbers to help reduce unused food.

Technology

Technology tools are being used to foster attendee engagement on a greater level. Innovations in virtual reality and artificial intelligence are creating unique opportunities for attendee interaction. Human-shaped holograms, for example, are being used to provide attendees with directions and soon will be able to answer questions. Other tools, such as Social Tables, are helping planners create better room setups, and Slido, a crowdsourcing tool, allows attendees to interact during sessions from their mobile device.

“Technologies that help participants connect and engage with each other are increasingly important in the eyes of meeting organizers,” States says. “As the reasons for attendance continue to evolve and as attendees look increasingly for answers to their specific challenges and problems, meeting professionals are turning to technologies that help their participants curate unique experiences. These are technologies that recommend courses, subject matter experts and peers based on attendee profile, that connect buyers to the suppliers who directly meet their needs, that bring like minds together to solve problems and find solutions.”

Planners are continuing to use hybrid meetings to increase the audience, but not to replace live events. The AMEX forecast reports that fewer than one-third of planners said hybrid meetings would be more than 10 percent of their meetings. Rather, hybrid meetings are being used to join regional offices that cannot participate onsite. They hybrid experience is becoming richer as well, offering virtual attendees a greater depth of learning.

“They are no longer simply streaming content from their keynotes and concurrents, but creating an exclusive online experience during which facilitators and speakers talk directly to the online audience, devise homework or group work for virtual attendees and host private Q&As with the online cohort,” States says.

Security and Risk Management

Planners are looking to create new risk management plans or redesign what they have in response to heightened security concerns. MPI reports that although meeting budgets are increasing by only 0.8 percent, the majority of this increase is going to safety and security measures.

Pete Murphy, operations director for Priavo Security, performs risk assessments for events and advances venues to assess the threat mitigation measures put in place. More often than not, his team finds areas for improvement in the security infrastructure.

“There is still a need for organizations to be more proactive when considering security,” Murphy says. “Terrorists are quick to evolve their tactics, techniques and procedures; currently doing so at a higher tempo than the counter terror policies and measures put in place to prevent them.”

Cyber security is another concern for planners. In many cases, planners are not even aware that they have suffered a security incident or data breach. Murphy says that attackers are motivated to keep an initial breach hidden so they can penetrate deeper into the organization to perform identity theft or deploy large-scale fraud. “Monitoring, threat analytics and incident response are key as we see clients, event organizers, venues and agents targeted with what is frequently a blended attack where cyber is only one component,” Murphy says.

Medical risk management is another area of focus for planners. With recent natural disasters, clinical assessments can help organizers understand country health risks, medical considerations and capabilities. “Deployments for large-scale events include the setup of remote medical clinics, and clinical and medical staff globally,” Murphy says. C&IT

Vivian Marinelli is Senior Director of Crisis Management Services for FEI Behavioral Health. She holds a doctorate degree in clinical psychology and is a licensed psychologist in Wisconsin. She brings more than 20 years of experience in direct clinical services specializing in trauma and grief counseling to her position, which focuses on assisting individuals involved in critical incidents. She is responsible for leading and directing a full complement of emergency support services for corporate customers in accordance with industry requirements, company policies and procedures as well as overseeing the internal and external FEI Crisis Support Team members to ensure a high level of response capability.

When disaster strikes, it’s easy to get caught up in the minutia of problem solving. Whether it’s a natural disaster, civil unrest, an active shooter or another type of large-scale crisis situation, attention is focused on assessing the scale and scope of the situation, notifying the emergency response teams and ensuring that medical and safety needs are addressed. Executing all the necessary tasks in a high-pressure setting along with keeping everyone updated with current information on your response, without forgetting an important step, can be a challenge.

No matter the crisis, remember that those in need of information extend beyond those directly impacted. With today’s 24-hour news cycle, we’re used to receiving breaking news on our smartphones, computers, tablets and TVs. A lack of communication from an organization during a crisis is quickly recognized and perceived in a negative light. During the first 24 hours of a crisis, response teams are so focused on managing the situation that they sometimes fail to effectively communicate with outside audiences and track public opinion, which can potentially lead to brand/reputation damage and potential safety concerns.

Monitoring social media during a crisis is vital. Platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram provide a broad audience with news delivered in a far more instantaneous fashion than traditional media can. Effective social media management during a crisis helps communicate safety information to relevant audiences and monitor the pulse of public opinion. It also can help communicate information on your organizational response, which will help to prevent the spread of rumors, misinformation and false narratives.

The Danger of Uncontrolled Messages

News travels fast on social media; personal reports from the site of a crisis, whether accurate or not, can go viral in front of the eyes of thousands in minutes. In fact, speed can be both a blessing and a curse on social media during a crisis situation.

People at the scene of a crisis may post information and photos that may be taken out of context without knowing the whole story. These initial posts often get reposted on Facebook and Twitter, and get picked up by news outlets, leading to the mass distribution of unvetted information about a situation you’re in the process of managing with both internal and external resources. These initial posts may stir up a frenzy of reports in the media that are eventually proven to be inaccurate or false. However, in the meantime, your communications team will need to not only get the accurate information out but also address the misinformation as well.

Social media messages also are persistent. Active engagement can keep stories in circulation for hours or, depending on the situation, days. These posts do not always clearly identify the source so the identity can be easily hidden. It makes it much easier for someone to post or comment on a situation when there’s no onus on them to prove the statements. When your official messages finally appear in social media feeds, potential contradictions with previously distributed information from external sources can lead to confusion and distrust. Timely posts on social media and monitoring false or misleading information is critical to addressing messages on social media. And tracking false or misleading information early is critical to handling both negative opinions and potentially harmful situations.

Be Smart About Social

Tracking of news and messages on social media is especially challenging during major crises. Even large event firms can run into limits on just how much their employees can manage at once while in the thick of a crisis. Hiring an outside crisis communications service provider to assist with social media monitoring can prove invaluable when keeping lines of communication open.

External crisis management and public relations service providers have years of experience helping clients draft templates for initial holding statements both for social and traditional media outlets and updates on the crisis response, which will help to keep the community informed during a crisis situation. Increasing the messaging generated by the organization will allow the event planners to focus on the details of the onsite support, help to decrease confusion and increase trust with the organization to provide information.

Monitor the Public Pulse

External crisis and PR firms are highly effective at monitoring what people are saying about your organization both during the crisis and afterwards. These firms will track and document the posts and sources to provide your organization with a summary of what is being said about the response on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and other social platforms.

Gathering positive feedback can be conducive to keeping morale up during trying times. Firms can share kind comments and words of encouragement with team members to reinforce that the work they’re doing is important and that they’re making an impact. Keeping spirits high is important when it comes to recovering from a potentially traumatic crisis situation.

Negative feedback provides your organization valuable information on where it may need to focus attention currently or to adapt for future crisis events. Sometimes negative comments arise from errors in communication, and sometimes they arise from issues with your actions. An external service provider will use negative comments to help draft responses and, in extreme cases, offer guidance on changing organizational behavior to satisfy the public.

Consider retaining your external crisis communication team to help with the recovery phase as well. Compiling all social media feedback received during an event will provide an understanding of what your event team or organization is doing well and what work still needs to be done to win back public trust.

Social media has created a culture of information that is virtually instant, but difficult to verify. When a crisis strikes at your event, false reports and misinformation threaten to damage your brand, your client, the venue and public safety. Being savvy about social media will save reputations—yours and your client’s — and prepare the organization for effective communication and response tracking before disaster strikes. C&IT

Aria Resort & Casino in Las Vegas offers 300,000 sf of meeting and event space with more on the way.

Las Vegas is considered the gambling mecca of America, and Atlantic City has long been known as the gambling capital of the East Coast, but there are dozens of luxurious casino resorts throughout the country that provide meeting planners with a fabulous venue for those who like a little action in their events.

The appeal of these resorts is that attendees can do it all under one roof — meet, eat and sleep, as well as enjoy some incredible amenities, such as a fitness center, spa and an array of dining and entertainment options just steps from the meeting rooms.

Kait Busone, events director at The Annexus Group in Scottsdale, Arizona, enjoys hosting events at casino resorts due to their convenience, versatility and entertainment for guests. She regularly runs meetings at Talking Stick Resort.

“They offer unique spaces for all size groups from outdoor poolside receptions for large events to private dining space in their restaurant for small meetings,” she says. “There are also plenty of activities for our guests to enjoy on-property during their downtime.”

Tina-Marie Wassman, principle, TNC Events LLC, most recently held a 500-person meeting in August at Aria Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, and has run large conferences at other casino resorts as well. “They offer a dedicated conference space with lots of natural light, high-tech guest rooms where almost everything can be operated from an iPad, a variety of different dining experiences, great networking areas, entertainment, a fabulous spa and fitness centers, plus a professional business center,” she says. “It’s an easy sell to get people to come when it’s being held in Las Vegas.”

Susan McGonigle is a 40-year independent planner who handles the annual Chrysler meeting, and this year’s conference was the largest meeting Atlantic City’s Resorts Casino Hotel has hosted in the past 15 years. “They bent over backwards to give us even more than promised, and that’s something that you appreciate being in this business,” says McGonigle, who is president of Susan McGonigle Corporate Events in Carle Place, New York. “When you need something done and you don’t have to wait for it, that’s what we look for. It’s a trust factor that makes events run smoother.”

McGonigle also has run meetings at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut, and finds that casino resorts are in high demand among conference attendees. What she looks for when deciding on where to host a meeting is a venue that’s ready when they’re supposed to be, that someone is there coordinating the program and that the quality of the food is tops. These are all things that she finds in spades at both casino resorts she has worked with.

Guillaume Beland, president and general manager of MSOP Entertainment Inc., Montreal, Canada, recently held an event at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, and says when planning a meeting at a casino resort, it’s important to meet directly with the people who work on the event; visit the location several times; and develop a local network of resources that can facilitate the creation of an ultimate experience.

“Pretty much anything can happen. Only two weeks before our event, a gunman opened fire on a crowd of 22,000 concertgoers at the Route 91 Harvest music festival, one block away from our event site,” he says. “Extensive planning, a solid team and great relationship with the local partners will always help surmount the biggest hurdles.”

A Solid Bet

Just eight years old, Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale offers more than 100,000 sf of both indoor and outdoor meeting space, as well as 50 table games, 800 slot machines and poker tournaments almost every day.

“Our main ballroom is 25,000 sf, and when you exit into our prefunction space, all of our glass walls completely disappear and guests can experience the fresh air coming in,” says Michael Maggart, director of sales for the resort. “Additionally, we have 12 breakout rooms, six of which offer natural light, and one unique space in a two-story 650-foot showroom, with built in AV and an amphitheater-like setting.”

Don Ross, vice president of catering and convention services, Las Vegas Caesars Entertainment, which represents nine hotels in Nevada, notes the company has more than 1 million sf of meeting space in Las Vegas, with Caesars Palace offering 300,000 sf connected to the newly redesigned Palace Tower. These include both large and small ballrooms that are extremely flexible and can be turned into a countless number of configurations that can accommodate hundreds of breakouts.

“There are lots of aspects that make Las Vegas great for meetings, and we can accommodate meetings of all sizes,” he says. “Attendees can take an elevator right down to the meeting space from their hotel floor. It is so convenient and everyone loves it. Meeting planners have unlimited options when it comes to dining, entertainment and special venues. We have the resources to virtually fulfill any request.”

Caesars Entertainment in Las Vegas also offers a special venue program allowing planners to contract one property and have access to everything all nine hotels have to offer. For example, you can host your general session at The Colosseum, have lunch in the Versailles Ballroom at Paris, and then a closing party at Drai’s night club at the Cromwell, all under one contract.

William H. Jackson, director of sales and marketing at Resorts Casino Hotel in Atlantic City, says the hotel can provide rooms for up to 1,000 people for meetings in its 64,000 sf and 24 different meeting rooms.

“If you are a meeting planner that requires a lot of meeting space, this is a good location for you to consider because of our large block of space and number of breakout rooms,” he says. “We have a very caring, professional staff, and 70 percent of our meeting clients have been here before.”

Ann W. Stack, director of marketing for Dover Downs Hotel & Casino in Dover, Delaware, says the great thing about hosting a corporate meeting at any casino resort is the fact that everything is all under one roof.

For example, at Dover Downs Hotel & Casino, there are nine restaurants, lounges and bars, an award-winning spa, nightclub, retail shopping and a large variety of gaming options including slots, table games and poker.

“We have over 40,000 sf of versatile meeting space, from a boardroom for 14 people to expo space for 1,600 people,” Stack says. “We offer full-service meeting planning, a dedicated onsite convention services manager to handle all the details leading up to the event, throughout the event and post-event wrap-up meetings.”

The Inn of the Mountain Gods, located in Mescalero, New Mexico, features more than 40,000 sf of indoor meeting space, as well as some outdoor dining opportunities such as the Deck on the Green, which offers a beautiful view of its golf course, and the Deck on the Lake, where meeting guests can enjoy a delicious barbecue lunch and take a boat out on the lake.

“We are the perfect location for corporate meetings because of our beautiful facilities, from large, comfortable meeting space to our brand new boardroom that has four LED high-definition satellite programming, HDMI connections, dedicated wireless connections and much more,” says Charles Meeks, executive sales and catering manager for the resort. “We offer all the AV any meeting would need to make their meeting a productive and successful one. You can also bring in your own equipment at no charge.”

With 1,470 rooms available, the Tropicana Las Vegas is a bit smaller than some of the other hotels and resorts in the Sin City, but that’s why Gavin Mealiffe, vice president of sales, says it’s perfect for corporate meetings.

“We create a more focused and comfortable experience so attendees truly can feel like they ‘own’ the place,” he says. “We offer just over 100,000 sf of meeting space as well as some incredible outdoor meeting spaces including Sky Beach Club, our Resort Pool and several terraces. What makes it special is the size, where groups will be meeting in our space that conveniently connects to our Club Tower, creating fantastic networking opportunities.”

The full-service experience includes the most advanced audio-visual equipment through its partner Encore Event Technologies, as well as fast and reliable internet connections from COX Communications.

Tony Yousfi, vice president of sales for Aria Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, says the best thing about holding a meeting at the hotel is that meeting guests are just five minutes from their sleeping room to the meeting space, and there’s no need to walk through the casino.

“We have 300,000 sf of meeting space, and while we have groups of up to 5,000, about 80 percent of our business is 200 or less,” he says. “Our meeting rooms have natural light, and our corporate planners know that when they come in, we mean business. They have their objectives, and we focus on helping them achieve them.”

A Winning Hand

When working with casino resorts, meeting planners often look for partners who can help them put on a perfect event in the smoothest way possible.

“It’s important to arrive at a complete understanding of both the client’s expectations and vendor’s expectations, and take the venue’s best practices and maybe alter those expectations if needed,” says Ric Smith, an independent meeting planner based outside of Chicago, who has worked with at least seven different casino resorts in his 25-plus years in the biz. “Casinos aren’t for everybody, so you want to ensure that there’s enough that everyone is happy, and all needs are met.”

Busone can’t overemphasize how important it is to be able to trust a resort to anticipate one’s every need, and she has found that in spades with Talking Stick.

“As event planners, there are some situations we just can’t plan for, but I never stress because I know the resort staff will accommodate my needs…with a smile,” she says. “That begins with communication before and after each event and eventually builds a relationship where everyone’s invested in success.”

Maggart says the best way to do that is by understanding all needs at the beginning, knowing what they want to accomplish and what all meeting requirements are.

“We want to understand what was successful in the past for them and really build on the concept at our resort,” he says. “It’s asking the right questions, understanding their goals, and then doing everything in our power from the sales person to conference services manager all the way down to the banquet team to help them accomplish those goals.”

More Than Gambling

When meetings aren’t in session, attendees may love playing slots, throwing craps or sitting down for some blackjack, but not everyone wants to take the risk required when gambling.

“From a corporate standpoint, not everyone is into the casino aspect of it, so you need to make sure there are other things that can occupy their time,” McGonigle says. “There should be a spa, golf nearby and other fun things to take advantage of. These resorts offer those things so everyone is happy.”

The Inn of the Mountain Gods is nestled in the Sierra Blanca Mountains away from traffic and notice, so attendees can find some peace and tranquility.

“After a long day in meetings, you can step outside for some fresh air and beautiful surroundings. We have mountain bikes, horseback riding, clay shooting, golf, skiing, zip line, boating and walking trails,” Meeks says. “Although we are about 21/2 hours from Albuquerque, most meetings and conventions see a very large increase in attendance because of our location. Once we get a new group to meet here, we have them for a very long time.”

Outside of the Dover Downs Hotel & Casino, there’s plenty to do for non-gamblers.

“We offer tax-free shopping, live harness racing, simulcast horse racing, and the Dover International Speedway’s Monster Mile is located onsite and hosts daily tours of the NASCAR track,” Stack says. “Delaware does not have sales tax, which results in a significant saving for the planner.”

Taking advantage of the beautiful Scottsdale weather, Talking Stick Resort boasts an open-air spa on the top of its 14-story building overlooking Camelback Mountain, 36 holes of golf and live entertainment options throughout the property.

In Las Vegas, Mealiffe says meeting guests can take advantage of the Tropicana Las Vegas’ award-winning pool surrounded by lush landscaping; the Mandara Spa, which offers relaxation and an opportunity to revitalize both before and after the meetings; and a wide variety of restaurants.

The Las Vegas Strip also offers plenty to do. At Caesars Palace, the two largest ballrooms are adjacent to the iconic Garden of the Gods pool, so meeting planners can take a break or hold a reception at the pool.

“Qua Baths and Spa at Caesars Palace is another wonderful option for after hours. The design is beautiful and calming with large facilities and is available for a group buyout,” Ross says. “Attendees can enjoy the Linq Promenade where the High Roller (observation wheel) is located. It’s a great place to people watch and to have dinner or a drink. Street entertainers and musicians perform nightly.”

Being on the Atlantic City Boardwalk is popular with meeting guests, Jackson says, because it has access to the beach, shops, an aquarium and the Steel Pier amusement area, which has the third-largest observation wheel in the country.

Everyone Makes Mistakes

At some resorts, sometimes problems arise — such as sharing your space with other groups; noise and disruption beyond your control; overspending on unnecessary items; and not living up to your contractual agreement. The fix, most planners agree, is being able to offer solutions that work for both sides, mediate and produce.

Wassman says there always will be things that go wrong, but it’s how planners react to these challenges that define them and the success of a meeting.

“It’s important to work with the team to present and find a solution to the problem or challenge,” she says. “Communicate your expectations and set the tone.” C&IT

Pop star Andy Grammer entertains 2,500 IAEE annual meeting attendees on the Grand Plaza at the Anaheim Convention Center. Credits: Visit Anaheim

These days the seamless coordination of an event with its entertainment is as carefully orchestrated as a successful Match.com date. Akin to assembling a puzzle from an assortment of such fundamental pieces as location and budget — as opposed to sharing one’s favorite rainy-day pursuit — practice indeed makes this meeting planning challenge perfect. So, follow us through a collection of tips given by pros who have a triumphant track record in the arena of amusement.

“If you can, it is always important to your event to include some sort of entertainment,” states Jessica Rienecker, CMM, CTA, CTP, HMCC, meeting sales director, Pacific Northwest region, Visit Anaheim.

Catering to the Crowd

“Matching the entertainment to the setting and the crowd is key,” continues Rienecker “because the audience’s reaction to the entertainment will make or break your event.” Catering to the group’s needs is a principle to which she adheres. As a meeting planner, consider what you want the group to achieve during the event. Define the event. Is it a celebration, a training session, a networking opportunity? Then ask: “How can I weave the entertainment into that goal?”

“Do you want guests to engage with each other?” queries the meetings specialist. She shares that if you are having a networking event, loud music not only will interrupt conversations but cause guests to move away from the entertainment itself. Her advice: “Choose a volume, style and pace of entertainment that matches your event’s goals and the vibe you are looking to achieve.” If you want guests to interact with the entertainment, consider options beyond musicians — such as a comedian, mentalist or even an acrobat walking through the crowd. And if there is a dance floor, keep it near the music so there is a connection between the performance and the audience.

With respect to budget, Rienecker’s advice is simple: “More budget doesn’t always equal better.” She suggests a unique two-piece band or a solo singer during dinner as opposed to a five-piece band playing music that may not resonate with the crowd. An additional cost-saving measure is to seek entertainers who will be performing in the area during the same week — saving on travel expenditures.

The audience’s reaction to the entertainment is key, says Rienecker. She cites an event with a small budget that selected a celebrity impersonator with a tie to the theme. However, the impersonator bore no likeness to the celebrity and left attendees wondering who the stranger was wandering around in costume — doing more harm than good.

With a larger budget, attention to detail can make the difference. Rienecker illustrates this advice with her mention of a minor but significant embellishment a planner can add if the entertainment is an ‘80s band — pass out fingerless gloves and inflatable guitars to encourage crowd participation.

A word of caution regarding F&B is to not let its setup detract from the entertainment. Example: A great buffet or a bar that keeps everyone turned away from the stage not only will distract your performer but also may divert the audience’s attention from the show.

Generate pre-event meeting interest by revealing the entertainment in advance, suggests Rienecker. “Every year, Blizzard Entertainment produces BlizzCon at the Anaheim Convention Center. One way they create buzz is to announce a musical act in the weeks leading up to the program to build excitement.” Past performers include blink-182, Metallica, and this year, Muse will be taking the stage.

“Entertainment, like venues, should be unique, memorable and ‘insta-worthy,’ concludes Rienecker. “The most standout entertainment moments are ones that beckon to be shared on social media.” Looking ahead, the meetings specialist expects to see virtual reality and augmented reality entertainment coming online more and more.

“The perfect entertainment choice adds excitement to the event and creates emotionally charged moments for attendees,” concurs Kris Young, director of speakers and entertainment with Bishop-McCann — a noted expert in suggesting and sourcing speakers and entertainment.

Young’s advice is basic: “Know your audience, not just the demographics, but also how they respond and what they like.” Get answers to an assortment of questions. Do they like to observe? Do they love a party and like to dance? Are they from all over the country or regionally based? Is this an international audience? Is the audience mostly men (or women)? Are guests invited or is the event only for employees or conference attendees?

Speaking from 25 years of insider experience, Young’s budget guidance is multifold. Make sure you have all associated costs estimated up front. Get your production company involved before you place a firm offer. Ask that your technical director and producer speak to the talent’s production manager once it is booked, ensuring there are no onsite surprises and to guarantee the best show possible. Also, make certain it is possible to produce the show in the event space you have, referencing the hypothetical possibility of the Peking Acrobats flying midair and almost hitting the ceiling due to the room’s lower ceiling height. “Give the act what they need to perform at their best,” summates the entertainment expert.

“Who is the ultimate decision-maker, who are we trying to please? This is a tough question, but one that needs to be asked,” says Young. Get an answer to this query: When all is said and done, is it the audience you want to blow away or does it matter more that you please the person who is writing the check (or giving consent to pay for the act)?

Making a Good Offer

What goes into submitting a good offer for event entertainment? “It’s very important to thoroughly qualify the buyer and event before submitting a firm offer to the talent. This actually protects all parties and involves educating decision-makers with respect to the offer’s legal ramifications,” shares the Bishop-McCann pro. It’s vital to note that once the artist accepts, the buyer may not cancel without penalty (typically 50 percent of the artist’s fee, but can be as high as 100 percent).

Young gives insight into constructing an offer. She suggests working with someone who has experience negotiating and managing the entire process regarding the venue (from the offer and contract to the advancement of a rider and onsite management). “Their experience will save you money and minimize your risks and headaches,” she states. Additional considerations include whether the venue has a curfew, expected show billing (an important detail with multiple performers) and if a meet-and-greet is expected (if so, does it include photos, autographs and for how many people?). Though the situation is rare, it’s important to prepare for an artist’s cancellation by including an extended artist “out” clause. This details the number of pre-event days that the entertainer can opt out, giving you time to find a replacement (in most cases, it’s possible to stretch the out clause to 60 or even 90 days). She suggests always having a second and third choice as your emergency backup (checking from time to time to see if they’re still available). Final advice: “It’s important to put everything into the firm offer, as you are less likely to get a ‘yes’ once the offer is accepted. At that point, your request will be considered an optional add-on.”

Regardless of dotting all of the contract’s “i’s” and crossing its “t’s,” a good match is critical. “A poor entertainment choice is one that doesn’t surprise or delight the audience. If your entertainment isn’t exciting, is it entertainment? Nope. It’s a waste of money,” Young states emphatically.

Speaking of money, there’s the “b” word — budgets. “Nobody likes them. Everybody has them,” says Young. She insists that meeting planners don’t have to spend a lot of money to have great entertainment and a knockout event as many of the best acts are not the biggest names. Her suggestions: Preview on-their-way-up artists and consider established entertainers who continue to perform regularly, such as the rock band Foreigner and American blues musician Keb’ Mo’.

Aiming for the ‘Triple Wow!’

On the flip side of this coin, and when dealing with a generous budget, the buyer expects what Young terms the “Triple Wow!” Definition: Attendees say “Wow!” when they hear who is performing. Attendees say “Wow!” during the performance. And after the event they say “Wow, you’ll never believe who I got to see!”

Among Young’s “Triple Wow!” entertainment choices are such notables as Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, Kelly Clarkson ­— and the Neon Trees: “Imagine being surrounded by dark, eerie prison cells on the island of Alcatraz,” she says. “The band enters the stage dressed in prison stripes! The Trees rocked the ‘house’ that night! Talk about talent being present for an audience (audience composition: store managers, salespeople and service personnel in their 20s and 30s). It doesn’t get any better than that.”

In addressing today’s trends, Young remembers when the only available entertainment was Huey Lewis & The News and very few others because most artists didn’t want to perform for corporate or association events. “Things couldn’t be more different today. We’ve also got ‘The Voice,’ ‘American Idol,’ ‘America’s Got Talent,’ ‘Dancing with the Stars’ and more from which to draw.” Referring to country music and country crossover music, she says, “It’s everywhere. It’s the new rock and roll. And there are so many excellent young artists. It’s a very exciting time in entertainment!”

A favorite event entertainment experience of April Ferguson, CMP, CMM, senior event logistics manager with BCD Meetings & Events, a full-service, global meetings and events agency, involves a Broadway actress and an executive-level occasion. “With a goal to promote diversity and inclusion in the corporate sector, the closing keynote speaker was Ali Stroker, a 20-something up-and-coming star, who happens to be in a wheelchair,” says the event manager. After sharing her inspiring journey, Stroker ended by singing a song from “Wicked.” Bottom line: “Her personal life story fit right in with the event’s overall theme and purpose.”

In contrast, the planner details a small annual event held several years ago for another organization at North Carolina’s historic Omni Grove Park Inn. Though the venue was a rustic, mountain-themed lodge, the company committee insisted that it be paired with a futuristic and space-age theme, including an indoor laser light show during the closing dinner — all against her advice. The result: Midway into the light show, board members insisted it end early, reconfirming Ferguson’s instincts.

Additional tips from pros are to use caution when going the comedy route. Translation: no off-color jokes and when “roasting” company executives, make certain it is appropriate for the industry and audience.

Can’t-Miss Options

“Well beyond traditional” best describes today’s entertainment. Industrial Rhythm — a corporate entertainment company specializing in high-energy performances for meetings, trade shows and conferences — has such clients as Coca-Cola, Nike and AT&T. Described as similar to off-Broadway shows such as “Stomp” and “Bring in Da Funk,” the six-member cast (can be as many as 12) use common items such as brooms, briefcases, pill boxes, etc., for musical instruments. The lively results can and have doubled for high-energy conference kickoffs, CEO/speaker introductions, teambuilding exercises and audience participation segments.

Scattered throughout the U.S. in an assortment of such cities as Las Vegas and Orlando, Blue Man Group — a three-man imaginative performance troupe — appeals to planners for their creative ability to encourage, revitalize, stimulate and amuse groups. Performed without using spoken language, the blue-toned trio’s show has been described “perfect for diverse and eclectic groups of all ages, languages and cultures.”

Tom Deluca, coined “the corporate hypnotist,” is said to be an effective balance of entertainment and meaningful content — a performer who creates group camaraderie through his signature combo of humor, interaction and imagination.

More alternative options can be to incorporate a spa break, sports outing (from a participatory golf tournament and attending a major league baseball game to a day at the thoroughbred races or a NASCAR motor speedway event), cruise excursion or culinary arts show (a live cooking or mixology demo by a noted chef or mixologist).

Ferguson has paired many groups with assorted cooking competitions. “The more competitive groups prefer a cook-off of judged items, whereas other groups seek a hosted cooking class where they are coached through the preparation of a full meal by a professional chef.”

And for family-focused events, Ferguson has brought in local vendors to set up bounce houses, batting cages and other fun activities for attendees and their guests of all ages.

In conclusion, Ferguson says: “I think entertainment is important. If people have been sitting for days in meetings, they need time to relax and have fun. Incorporating entertainment into your event is a way to do that and still keep them engaged.” C&IT

Vicki Lepore, CEM, CASE, is an Account Executive with SmartSource Computer & Audio Visual Rentals  She is an active member of the exhibition and meeting industry with extensive knowledge of the meeting industry’s technology and logistical needs, and in-depth strategic planning, organization design and project management experience. She holds a Certification in Exhibition Management (CEM) through the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE). www.smartsourcerentals.com

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s data, more than 53 million adults in the U.S. have a disability; that’s one in five adults. Disabilities range from hearing and vision problems to physical functioning difficulties and complex activity limitations. There is legislation to prevent discrimination against the disabled, including Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments of 2008. It applies to all settings including conferences, trade shows and other meetings, which must be accessible to those with disabilities.

Still, if you polled individuals with disabilities who have recently attended a large event, their feedback likely would point to more than one obstacle they had to overcome. Barriers, poorly lit areas, doorways unable to accommodate wheelchairs or other mobility devices, and no provisions for service animals, etc. — the list goes on. It doesn’t have to be that way. Meeting planners can mitigate these challenges by understanding common obstacles facing attendees with disabilities and implementing advanced planning regarding venue selection and the application of technologies to create a more accessible event.

Event Obstacles

A prevalent problem the disabled face when entering a venue is barriers prohibiting easy access for them, their wheelchairs, scooters and/or service animals. Scrutinizing a potential location from the perspective of a disabled individual is essential. Try maneuvering through a venue on a wheelchair to experience the event as a disabled individual might. While many event venues have bathroom stalls for those with physical limitations, smaller venues often do not, nor do they accommodate service animals. Seek out other locations and those with:

• Wide doorways (32 inches with the door open to 90 degrees) and aisles in conference, breakout and dining rooms.
• Easy-to-open doors with automatic/push-button openers or lever handles; not revolving doors.
• Handicapped-accessible elevators, ample lighting and call buttons with visual and audio signals that can be reached from a wheelchair or scooter.
• Stairways with closed risers and handrails on both sides.
• Ramps with handrails on both sides.
• Slip-resistant and level surfaces.
• Clearly marked entrances and exits with Braille and tactile signage for the visually impaired.
• Guest rooms with hearing aid-compatible and volume-control telephones, televisions with closed-captioning, and adjustable lighting.
• Assisted listening devices, adaptive computer devices, roving microphones for audience questions and speaker podiums placed at ground level or accessible via a ramp or lift.

Accessible events can further be achieved through event technologies, which enhance the experience for individuals with disabilities, while benefiting meeting planners, exhibitors, sponsors and non-disabled event-goers.

Transformative Event Technologies

Meeting planners can demonstrate their consideration for individuals with disabilities through the use of advanced event technologies that are particularly beneficial to those with disabilities:

Web-based event registration software. Enables registration online or onsite using self-serve kiosks, with or without assistance, helping to alleviate long lines. Onsite registration desks should be height-accessible with ample clearance for wheelchairs or scooters. This software facilitates easy registration, payment processing, badge creation and data capture through barcodes with embedded attendee profile data easily scanned for attendee tracking. It also features reporting tools.

Event check-in and badge-printing software. Makes processes faster and easier, accommodating those who tire easily or whose disability involves limited functioning. It also offers: connecting attendee lists with online registration platforms, onsite badge printing and real-time reporting for event planners.

Mobile event app software. Helps individuals with disabilities easily navigate an event by providing easily accessed program information/schedules, personalized event agendas and venue maps that limit unnecessary movement. The apps also provide exhibitor information such as booth locations and product information as well as information on the host city (transportation systems, restaurants, cultural attractions, etc.). These apps integrate with social media, have networking capabilities and convey a concierge-type experience, especially helpful for those with disabilities.

Interactive kiosks. Assists individuals with disabilities in navigating a venue and accessing helpful information (agenda, exhibitors, floor plan, etc.). They also prevent a disabled individual from expending unnecessary effort going from one activity to another. Place kiosks in highly visible, high-traffic areas, near entrances and restrooms, in social media lounges, cyber cafés and dining areas. For event planners, exhibitors and sponsors, kiosks offer outstanding branding opportunities.

High-resolution, big-screen displays in LCD and LED format. Offers easier viewing of presentations and exhibitors’ information, especially helpful for those with vision limitations. They deliver a high engagement factor while supporting administrative and marketing processes such as registration and product demonstrations.

Giant iTab. Transforms a typical touchscreen display into a giant smartphone format, accommodating individuals with developmental or vision disabilities and encouraging engagement. The technology projects apps in their native environment just as they appear on mobile devices, but on a huge display. Content options include: product selector guide, smartpad app, Salesforce app, product configurator, websites, video showreels, PowerPoint slides, brochures/PDFs, picture galleries, gaming, Twitter and Facebook.

Charging stations. For many individuals with disabilities, mobile devices serve as a lifeline and must always be charged. Having charging stations available throughout the venue is a convenience for all attendees, but for the disabled, it offers peace of mind and alleviates unnecessary worry. Like kiosks, they also provide a platform for delivering information, branding and marketing.

In The Words of Individuals with Disabilities

An interview conducted by Alice Wong with Sarah Blahovec, a disability voting rights activist and blogger with Crohn’s disease, and Laura Halvorson, a disability rights advocate with muscular dystrophy, and reported on by the Disability Visibility Project (disabilityvisibility project.com), sheds light on how the disabled feel about their event experiences.

In speaking about an experience at a get-out-the-vote event in September 2016, Sarah noted how she was “astounded by the line” and expected “there would be a separate ADA line” and “ADA section well separated from the general audience.” Because Laura uses a non-invasive ventilating machine for breathing and a power wheelchair for mobility, she was concerned that others would bump into the ventilator and disrupt its performance. When they arrived, their concern grew as they realized the space was not conducive for Laura’s situation. The crowd crossed the ADA section barrier, creating an upsetting and potentially dangerous situation as the force of the crowd began moving Laura’s wheelchair and ventilator. Among Sarah’s recommendations to event planners were: have stronger, sturdier barriers for ADA sections, have crowd control in place, and recognize that disabled people want to participate and should not have to “weigh whether they, their medical equipment or their mobility devices will be at risk.”

The right venue selection and event technologies can make participation in events a positive experience for all attendees, especially those with disabilities. C&IT

Big data means big business for many corporate and incentive travel planners. Take David Saef, EVP of strategy and marketing at global event marketing company GES, for example. For Saef and his corporate meeting clients, big data plays an important role in the corporate and event meeting management activities he orchestrates. In fact, Saef has worked with many corporations to use big data analysis and insights to improve meeting outcomes in order to retain and grow audiences.

“We’ve used big data to adjust pricing to increase attendance, and we have used big data to analyze and customize marketing to attendee segments, recommended at-show activities to different types of attendees, and monitored social and traditional marketing tactics to improve open, click-through and conversion rates,” Saef says.

In addition, Saef has used big data to improve site selection by using data and focus groups to determine where to hold meetings, what type of venue and range of hotels and city offerings are key to multigenerational groups of attendees, and the format and content to improve the value offered to attendees, and sponsors and exhibitors.

Finally, Saef has worked with corporate groups to revamp post-meeting surveys to understand not only what attendees value, but most important, benchmarking a corporation’s offerings and value to other meetings and conferences attendees.

Saef is just one meeting professional who understands that big data can have a big impact on corporate meetings and events.

According to Meta S. Brown, author of Data Mining for Dummies (For Dummies, 2014), coauthor of Big Data Analytics (Prentice Hall of India, 2016), there’s certainly a need to make better use of data within the corporate meetings and events environment.

Big data is a loosely defined term, at best, says Brown, who also is president of A4A Brown Inc., a consulting firm focused on data storytelling and effective communication about data and analysis. It implies both quantity and complexity that push the limits of available technology for data management and analysis. It may include a lot of information that you may not think of as data, including text, photographs, audio and video.

For instance, think about the information gathered by a casino and resort chain: website activity logs, customer service requests, video surveillance, loyalty cards for gambling, movement tracking technology tracking customers as they change locations throughout facilities, and more. This is true big data.

Define the Goals

But it’s important for meeting planners to decide what they want from data before it’s collected. Defining these goals enables planners to determine what data is needed, how to get it and how to analyze it.

“Aim for data that’s relevant for solving business problems as it relates to corporate meetings and events. That means a meeting planner first must identify and acknowledge that a problem exists,” Brown says. “With that as a starting point, think through what kind of data is needed, and research the options for collecting and analyzing it.”

Recently Brown learned of an exhibition company that used location tracking technology to observe meeting attendee movement in real time. When overcrowding occurred, a staff member was sent to assess the situation, determine the cause, such as a registration bottleneck, and then call in help to immediately correct the problem.

“And if the crowd was enjoying something — like a great presentation — that called for action too,” Brown says. “Just different action.”

As this example shows, the object of any data mining exercise is to produce “actionable” intelligence.

“Businesses too often spend far too much effort analyzing data that yields little real intelligence when they should be focusing on actionable knowledge that can strengthen and improve their business,” says Mark Heymann, CEO and cofounder of UniFocus. “Organizations need to understand clearly what they are trying to achieve and then design the needs and analytical approaches they will use to meet those defined goals. It’s this information in relation to a comparative parameter — which can come from inside or outside the organization — that really tells the story.”

Why Big Data?

David Saef has led a myriad of projects with top event organizers to refine event strategies, grow an audience through segmentation and targeted messaging, deliver creative marketing campaigns, and identify improvements through event audits, focus groups and surveys.

According to Saef, using the phrase “big data” in the meetings and events space is tricky, and here’s why. While the meetings industry does have significant amounts of data and metrics to mine, due to the infrequent nature of events relative to other industries, it would be inaccurate to say that this industry is handling big data.

“With that said, the industry absolutely should be leveraging data and analytics to drive insights and increase value — for meeting organizers, attendees and sponsors,” Saef says. Some key areas in which big data should play a role include:

• Customizing experiences. Today when we buy a book on Amazon, the company recommends 10 other books we might like. Yet when attendees register for a conference little insight is provided on how to spend their time or with whom to connect. “No longer. Big data analysis will provide customized recommendations on sessions, people to meet and important experiences to advance one’s career,” Saef says.
• Marketing metrics. Millennials have been slower to embrace meetings and live events than older generations. In addition, they are not receptive to standard, email messages. As Saef explains, many people in this critical generation for live events has a visceral reaction to convention marketing — email, direct mail, Facebook, etc. “In this new era, it is important to mine data to know where people spend their time at the conference and online, what issues and topics they care about, and how they want to consume information,” Saef says. “Analyzing data from marketing tactics and utilizing insights from education sessions, speaker Q&A and online discussions will help meeting organizers provide relevant and impactful communications and recruiting activities.”

• Measuring effectiveness. Too often meeting planners collect information on satisfaction. Did you like the hotel? Was the food good? Are you likely to return? In this new data-driven world, it is time to ask relevant questions that will measure business outcomes and identify improvements: What were your priorities from attending the meeting? How well did we meet or exceed your expectations? Which elements were most effective? How does this meeting compare to others that you attend or consider attending yearly? How has attending the meeting changed your perception of the meeting organizer? The profession? Are you likely to return next year? Which meeting elements were most impactful?

Asking the Right Questions

The magic question that corporate meeting planners must ask is, “What do we do with all this data?” According to Erick Harlow, principal at Forensic IT, a St. Louis forensic technology and data solutions firm, there are three questions meeting planners should ask when looking for the “magic” in big data.

• What do we know? That is, why are we thinking about big data? For example, we know travel to location A is down 10 percent.
• What do we need to know? Why is travel to location A down 10 percent? Is overall travel down?
• How do we get there?

For example, as Harlow explains, a travel company can observe that they are selling many fewer cruises than in previous years. Perhaps they sold 100 cruises in 2015, but only 75 in 2016 and only 50 are on the books for 2017.

So they can ask, “What do we know now?” We are selling many fewer cruises than the last two years. “What do we need to know?” Why we are selling fewer cruises. And then, “Let’s look at the available data specific to sales and cruises and determine why this is happening.”

The data, based on feedback from client forms and sales data, can reveal that people are afraid of cruises based on hurricanes and other stories in the news. It can reveal that the salespeople are pushing and selling more airline trips than ever and aren’t focusing on the cruises. It also can reveal that cruise prices have gone up, and that has had an impact on this type of travel, or perhaps sales commissions are greater for airline travel than cruise travel and salespeople are more focused on earning bigger commissions.

“In a nutshell, big data should allow planners to drill into data in order to answer questions,” Harlow says. “A question might be ‘What location has 30-minute access to a major airport and has more than three five-star restaurants within 20 miles?’ Once you have the data you need and have a strategic plan on how to use it, you can answer key questions to help you focus on activities that are a more efficient use of your time.”

Other questions that corporate meeting planners need to ask regarding how to best use the data gathered is: What are they trying to learn? For what purpose and how will this information be used to drive performance and enhance the meeting experience? This is a very important step — figuring out why a planner is collecting the data, what they hope to learn and what they will do once they have data and analytics in hand.

“Really think through the registration form,” Saef says. “Oftentimes this is the most important layer of data. Many meeting organizers omit questions that are critical such as ‘what are you seeking to achieve at the meeting’ and at the same time, ask other questions which are not relevant and not likely to be used later.”

Getting Started

As previously described, attendee movement tracking via RFID and other technologies is a good example of data that readily yields actionable intelligence. This information can be used to identify places and times where crowding occurs in real time, as well as areas that are not getting traffic.

“For corporate meetings and event environments, location-based services is an example of one application that could create a ‘big data’ requirement,” says Daniel Rodriguez, chief technology officer at United Data Technologies. “Using public data as well as private data about attendees can also create a more accurate picture of the attendee’s interests and consumption characteristics.”

Social media monitoring and web alerts also are data mining opportunities that can be used even for small meetings. Tracking enables planners to be aware when people are talking about events online, to know what’s said and to respond quickly if needed.

Another example of an easy, low-risk, place to start using data and analysis to drive action is through the use of email. Corporate meeting planners send many emails, and every message has a subject line. Testing variations of those subject lines on small groups will help determine which version gets the most conversions (opens, sales or any similar measure), and use the ones that work best on the full mailing list.

Why is this a good starter application for big data?

“You’re sending email already,” Brown says. “Most email software includes subject line testing functions — you’re paying for this now, yet may not even be aware of it. Anyone can put the information to work — just use the subject line that worked best in the test. It’s easy to do. And it’s easy to put the results into action.”

Finally, remember that big data does not need to be BIG. It simply needs to be relevant. “In fact, small-meeting planners can make significant changes by focusing on one or two areas initially,” Saef says. “Then, as they expand, the big data program uses the insights to drive improvements.”

Avoiding Mistakes

There are key mistakes that corporate meeting professionals should avoid when it comes to big data. These include:

• Collecting lots and lots of data and not knowing why.
• Being too ambitious and collecting loads of data, analyzing and then doing nothing with the analysis or insights.
• Starting too aggressively on collecting and analyzing data but not educating and drawing “dataphobes” into the conversation. It is then just a matter of time before the program drops or dies.

Saef predicts the corporate meeting and incentive travel industry will see maturation in the use of data. “Hopefully there will be greater comfort of meeting professionals to embrace data to understand and improve meeting offerings and format,” Saef says. “This includes the expansion in the use of big data throughout the whole year to understand how one- to three-day meetings influence activity 24/7/365.”

Remember, the data gathered does not lie and will reveal the answers that are being sought by the planner. In order to be effective, however, the right questions need to be asked so that the data can be properly analyzed and put to work in the right way.

“If one cannot do this in-house, the right type of data specialist should be brought in to assist in this process,” Harlow says. “This includes utilizing the proper software for data collection, proper setup to look for exceptions and focus on the biggest need, and proper analysis once the data has been collected.” C&IT

NYC & Company hosted its hotel and convention center services teams for an appreciation reception and community service activity. Credit: ESPA

Paul Ruby, CMP, is Associate Director of Catering/Convention Services at Sheraton Dallas Hotel and current president of the Event Service Professionals Association (ESPA). ESPA is dedicated to elevating the event and convention services profession and to preparing members, through education and networking, for their pivotal role in innovative and successful event execution. For more information, visit www.espaonline.org.

Event service professionals wear many hats. We juggle multiple events, find solutions, solve crises, brainstorm ideas and orchestrate multiple services on behalf of our clients every day — and that’s all before breakfast. But it’s often the little things service professionals do that keep planners returning to our hotels, venues and destinations.

Recognizing our impact on executing successful events and being true partners to meeting planners, we created a week to celebrate all that our colleagues across the U.S. and Canada do to keep the hospitality industry thriving! We are members of the Event Services Professionals Association (ESPA), representing services in convention and visitors bureaus (CVBs), convention centers, hotels, resorts and conference centers.

In 2010, ESPA launched National Celebrate Services Day. By 2013, we expanded to National Celebrate Services Week (NCSW), celebrated each year during the first week of August. We build camaraderie with each other and with our service partners, educate people about ESPA and give back to our local communities. Some members plan single events, others celebrate all week long. But no matter how long or short the event, we always pull it off with panache — after all, we are experts at executing the best events.

Create Memorable Events

The celebrations of ESPA members are limited only by their imagination. And what imaginations they have! There is a focus on community support, but members also plan networking receptions, lunches or outings to partake in their own local tourism.

Last year, the Northern Kentucky Convention and Visitors Bureau partnered with Build-A-Bear Workshop to make teddy bears that were then donated to the Kentucky Firefighters Association, which held its conference nearby. Firefighters continue to carry the bears on emergency calls and give them to children affected by devastating fires. The bears will be a bright spot in an otherwise horrific event in a child’s life.

This year, my hotel, the Sheraton Dallas, and the Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau collected donations for people moving into new homes. Donations went to the Bridge Homeless Recovery Center, which helps residents get back on their feet with housing, employment and other services.

The conference services and catering team at the Fairmont Palliser in Calgary last year served a proper British-but-Alberta-inspired afternoon tea for families staying at the Ronald McDonald House.

The Importance of Event Services

Pulling off a successful event takes more than one person or department. It requires an interdisciplinary team that includes, at a minimum, the client, sales people, event service professionals and service providers. This is a full-circle process and no participant can be successful without the others. Success comes from executing a flawless event.

“As a meeting planner, I can’t stress enough the importance of service,” said Vanessa Kane, CMP, CMM, and manager of meetings and events/exhibits for Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States in Kansas City, Missouri. “I depend greatly on convention and visitor bureau services, especially for my big annual convention. Equally important are my hotel services for other meetings/events. They become an extension of my staff.”

For Sara Simkin, vice president of destination services for NYC & Company, participating in NCSW serves two purposes. It strengthens the bond between the city’s destination marketing organization and its services partners, and offers an opportunity to collect donations, including school supplies and toiletries, for local charities.

NYC & Company has hosted NCSW events including an appreciation reception aboard a sailboat overlooking Manhattan, a winery tour that included teambuilding, and a reception at Rockefeller Center.

“A lot of the event accolades tend to go to the sales department with event services often overlooked,” Simkin said. ”Our goal is to promote all five boroughs of New York City, make the city easy to navigate and ultimately increase visitor attendance at meetings, conventions and trade shows. It’s up to our service partners to help make a delegation’s experience special. So we use NCSW as a combination of a thank you and appreciation, but it’s also a chance for us to network with our partners and better serve them.”

Time to Stop and Give Thanks

Suzanne Seder, CMP, director of convention services at the Tampa Convention Center, says NCSW is an opportunity to say thank you to people who serve guests 365 days a year.

“We get so busy with our day-to-day work with events, and NCSW encourages us to celebrate and acknowledge our convention services managers,” Seder said.

Her colleague Una Garvey, community relations director at the Tampa Convention Center, agrees. “Our CSMs are dedicated to the organization and the events we have here. No event is too big or too small for them. They all go above and beyond to provide people with an unforgettable experience.”

For the past six years, the convention center and Visit Tampa Bay have partnered to solicit CSM nominations from hotels and service organizations across the city and then honor one winner from each location for outstanding service.

“We reach out to the entire community; we’re really big on community involvement,” Garvey said. “Tampa’s a big city but a small town, and we love that and really don’t want to lose that.”

For ESPA members, NCSW is both a chance to celebrate our profession and a means to give back to the communities we depend on to excel at our professions. It’s all about building community. C&IT

Attendees consider the education program content offered at PCMA’s 2017 Convening Leaders. Credit: Jacob Slaton

With so many areas of meeting planning evolving, and some that remain underexplored, ongoing education is a must in the profession. Certificate programs such as the CMP and CMM provide tactical and strategic foundations, but beyond that, successful planners feel the need to stay current on a variety of topics through industry conferences, trade publications and informal discussions with colleagues.

Perhaps the most obvious example of an ever-evolving area is technology, where planners always can discover new meeting apps, social media techniques, attendee survey tools and more. It’s an area of planning that is central to the work of Judy Payne, CMP, director, meetings and travel at Grapevine, Texas-based GameStop.

Hot Topics

Technology is an educational focus for Payne, who tries to stay current on “the latest and greatest (tech tools) that make sense at our event and fit within our budget,” she says. “We really focus on gamification, so we try to find apps that have that component. And we also look for something that’s very hands on for the planner, so we can get in and fine-tune it onsite when we want to add last-minute elements.”

Also on her list of educational priorities is attendee engagement, which has been a hot topic in recent years. Meeting technology, whether it’s a gamification app or a captivating AV setup, can certainly further the goal of keeping attendees immersed in an event. Payne cites Jeff Hurt, E.V.P., education and engagement at Velvet Chainsaw Consulting, as a favorite speaker in these areas. “He’s very down-to-earth and welcoming, and very relatable,” she says. “He talks about planning in a way that you can apply what he’s saying in your own events, with specific ideas and takeaways.”

Technology and engagement are also educational priorities for Jennifer C. Squeglia, CMP, owner of Warwick, Rhode Island-based RLC Events Inc., and she adds two more to the list: F&B trends and contract negotiation. Squeglia finds that attending hotel companies’ client events is especially helpful in learning about new approaches to F&B and entertainment. As to the latter topic, Squeglia says she “never stops learning” about contracts, despite having nearly 18 years of experience as a corporate planner. Whether it’s new clauses, new subtleties in existing clauses or instructive issues in negotiation, there is always more to learn, and Squeglia has found attorney Jonathan Howe of Howe & Hutton Ltd. to be among the best resources on the topic.

“Another big thing I’ve been learning about in the last couple years is crisis management,” she adds. “It’s just crazy what’s going on in the world today, and it doesn’t only affect international meetings.”

“Security is now starting to become a big topic,” confirms Shannon Guggenheim, CMP, vice president of meetings and events at Dallas, Texas-based EventLink International, “and I have not been to a lot of educational meetings or events for meeting planners that have even touched on that. I’ve actually written in the (post event) comments that we should have sessions on security, because I think the vast majority of meeting planners don’t have any sort of plan in place.”

This summer, Meeting Professionals International (MPI) introduced a new educational offering that effectively addresses Guggenheim’s concern. Collaborating with the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS4) at the University of Southern Mississippi, MPI has developed Emergency Preparedness for Meetings and Events, a six-hour certificate course. It promises to take a “deep dive into incident management strategies as needed for the prevention, preparedness, response and recovery from all-hazard emergency incidents,” according to the course description. “Learners will be introduced to techniques to prevent and respond to extraordinary crimes, violence, terrorist attacks, natural disasters and ordinary incidents such as fights, or drunkenness to ensure the safety and security of all attendees, limit damage and restore services in the event of emergencies.”

SITE + MPI Global Forum

The MPI Academy will present the course next January during the SITE + MPI Global Forum in Rome. The Global Forum itself is significant news for educationally minded planners, as it represents a new opportunity for members of both associations to learn and network together. Announced in March, the Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE) and Meeting Professional International partnership will bring a unique event to the Rome Cavalieri Waldorf Astoria, Rome, Italy, January 12–14. “This collaboration is just one example of our strategic priority to expand MPI educational offerings within Europe, and we believe our members in the region will welcome the opportunity to learn and network alongside SITE members,” said Paul Van Deventer, president and CEO of MPI, in a statement. There is also a certain logistical advantage for planners who are members of both associations. “By combining our otherwise competing events, we are making it easier for members to attend one event versus having to choose between two,” added SITE CEO Kevin Hinton, CIS.

MPI + IACC Collaboration

In another new and valuable partnership, MPI and IACC will be collaborating over the next five years on educational and research initiatives. For example, this year MPI’s World Education Congress (WEC) was the first of many MPI conferences that will be streamed live to IACC member venues. At WEC 2017, IACC CEO Mark Cooper presented on several timely topics: “Visioneering the Meeting Room of the Future,” “Trends in Conference Dining, Breaks and Wellbeing” and “20 Innovations to Look for in a Venue.”

“MPI and IACC have a long history of educational partnership,” notes Kristi Casey Sanders, CMM, DES, HMCC, director of the MPI Academy. “Mark Cooper has been a speaker at MPI signature events for several years, and MPI has presented education at IACC events. MPI has also contributed content for IACC’s Meeting Room of the Future global research and publication. The study was distributed to MPI Members, so their voices and viewpoints are reflected in the data. Some of our staff members also contributed anecdotal evidence. The research was showcased in the ‘Meeting Room of the Future’ space at WEC 2017 and during concurrent sessions. The second set of research (was published) for IMEX America, during MPI’s Smart Monday.”

Sanders overviews the two sides to the partnership: “The education MPI presents at IACC events helps conference venue executives understand the mind of the meeting/event organizer. The sessions focus on best and next practices for how venues can drive better meeting and event ROI by focusing on relationship-building consultative rather than transactional sales approaches. We also help IACC members position themselves as educational resources and true partners for meeting and event organizers,” she explains. Conversely, “IACC education at MPI events focuses on sharing best and next practices for how meeting professionals can leverage the relationships they have with conference venue representatives to plan meetings that are better aligned to achieving strategic business objectives.” Apart from its recent involvement in WEC, IACC will be participating in the following educational webinars: Internet Considerations, September 14; Meeting Experiences, October 19; and Under the Skin of Small Venue Types, December 7 (each takes place at noon Eastern time).

Remote Learning

Livestreaming and webinars are handy educational mediums for planners who can’t attend the face-to-face events. For instance, the WEC unfortunately conflicts with GameStop’s annual conference, but Payne has found opportunities to participate in MPI’s webinars. “It’s easy to listen to them at your desk and also get some work done,” she says. “Of course, you miss the networking component and really being able to focus on what’s going on, but when I can’t attend in person I really like the webinars.”

She has been able to physically attend PCMA Convening Leaders, however, and finds value in having her four-planner team at GameStop participate. “That’s been something that I’ve fought for with my company since I’ve been there, because we all need education in different elements. So if you handle registration, then you normally select the registration meetings or housing sessions, for example. Another person on my team runs our sponsorships, so she always tries to attend the vendor ROI sessions,” Payne explains.

Payne personally avoids those sessions where the presenter is likely to be commercially motivated: “I look at who’s speaking. For example, if it’s a session about the newest and greatest apps, and it’s an app company that’s presenting, I won’t go because normally it’s a sales pitch for the things that they offer. So I’m going to get a very one-sided approach.” After the team splits up to attend the most relevant sessions individually, “we’ll huddle each day and talk about our takeaways and see how we can apply those different elements to our event,” she says. “We try to take away three to five great things from PCMA that we can apply at our events.”

Networking

Yet the most important part of attending Convening Leaders is the networking, Payne asserts, “because nowhere can you find as many different city hosts in one location than at one of these annual events.” As far as networking with other corporate end users, she focuses on connecting with other retail companies to learn from their challenges and successes in the meetings arena. Well-established professional networks, whether established through association membership or other means, serve as a major touchstone for ongoing learning.

“I tend to seek educational resources via LinkedIn discussion groups, such as event planning and management, and experiential marketing,” remarks Ashely King, CMP, senior event marketer with Santa Clara, California-based ServiceNow. “I also highly value educational associations such as Corporate Event Marketing Association. I believe having access to a network for brainstorming and/or sharing contacts is a necessity for success. CEMA has an ‘ask CEMA’ email communication where a question can be posed to the community for feedback. The variety of responses received is typically enlightening.”

“I think the most valuable learning experiences we can have are from each other, sharing our experiences with technology or a particular hotel or attendee engagement,” Squeglia adds. “For me it’s really important to be part of a network and engage in that network; don’t just contact people when you need something.” She is part of an informal group consisting of eight independent meeting planners who “meet two or three times a year to share ideas and brainstorm, and discuss challenges unique to independent planners. We really do help each other; if somebody has a question they’ll put an email out to the group.” In addition, Squeglia stays in touch with the study group for her Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) exam, which she took in 2001.

The Value of a CMP

“I definitely knew that having a CMP after my name would set me apart,” Squeglia recalls. That career benefit has made many planners advocates of the program. According to Payne, holding the designation “shows that I’ve done my due diligence and made my commitment to the industry.” Guggenheim, who previously served as a lead planner at Apple, observes that “There are several companies out there that will offer you a pay raise or higher title if you have a CMP. In the corporate world, especially an internal meeting planner for a big company, basically you stand out from every other meeting planner that is trying to apply.”

As far as the educational benefit of the program, it varies depending on how much experience in the field the planner already has. “When I did CMP, I had been in the industry for a while; people that hadn’t been in it as long as me would probably gain a little bit more,” says Guggenheim, who recertified last year. “At the time in Apple I was not doing trade shows, and there was a whole section on trade shows (in the CMP course) that we had to learn. So that piece was valuable; after Apple I ended up going to a company that does trade shows, and had I not done that CMP, I may not have been as familiar with the terminology. So there were pieces that were valuable to me at the time, and I didn’t realize it until later in my career.”

Payne found it especially helpful that the course “pulled together all the APEX terminology,” among other terminology and formulas. With the evolving nature of many areas in planning, its certificate programs also need updating. One example is the inclusion of the Event Industry Council’s APEX terminology, which did not exist when the CMP was founded in 1985. As it stands, “the CMP program itself should ideally be updated to include more of today’s experiential marketing requirements,” King feels, “given the demands of a meeting planner than exceed basic logistical management.”

CMMs and More

The content of the Certificate in Meeting Management (CMM) program, offered by MPI and the GBTA Foundation, is less logistical and more focused on event strategy and executive-level decision-making. Although far more planners hold the CMP, the CMM program has been making strides. In January, the certificate was awarded to 37 meeting and travel professionals from the CMM 2016 class in Norfolk, Virginia. There are now 1,185 CMM holders worldwide.

MPI continues to add specialized certificate programs to its educational offerings, including the aforementioned Emergency Preparedness for Meetings and Events Certificate, Healthcare Meeting Compliance Certificate, Sustainable Meeting Professional Certificate, Meetings & Events at Sea Certificate, and several more. While these courses are surely addressing many planners’ educational interests, some believe that their career value should be put in perspective.

“I think you should have your CMP or CMM before you go off and become, for example, green meetings certified,” says Payne. “If you’re green meeting certified but don’t have the knowledge to plan a large-scale event, then it doesn’t help you that much.” As far as the weight these specific designations have in the job market, Guggenheim is skeptical. “Big companies are looking for a meeting planner and maybe one with a CMP, and that’s about it. I think it would take a specific company and a specific job to really have any of those certifications seem valuable,” she explains.

Experience and Mentorship

More valuable than any certificate course, Guggenheim maintains, is “real-life experience. Showing you can do whatever you’re certified for ranks higher to me than saying you were able to pass a test. So while I do think certification is important, I don’t think that people that only try to go after the certification are as knowledgeable as planners that have worked in the field doing meetings every day.”

And that includes learning from those who are planning in real time. An on-the-job mentor, for Guggenheim, was “career changing.” Early on she benefited from two planners who allowed her to “shadow” their daily processes, from personal organization to the beginning-to-end planning of particular events.

For Payne, “60 percent of learning has been on the job,” and as a young planner for IAEE (International Association of Exhibitions and Events) she benefited from the mentorship of Cathy Breden, CMP, CAE, currently IAEE’s executive vice president and chief operating officer. “She knows the industry like nobody else. Just being on that team I learned so much. Being a planner for planners is like cooking for chefs. You have to be at the top of your game,” Payne recalls.

Now, as the lead planner at GameStop, Payne is available as a mentor to her team members. In addition to pearls of planning wisdom, she imparts advice on how to gain recognition in the company as an events expert.

“Have a voice and don’t be afraid to speak your mind,” she says. “We tend to be in all the planning meetings with the executives, and we have to be in the front line to help guide the event to make sure that in the end it is successful. So have confidence in your knowledge: This is what we should do and this is why, and this is how we’re going to move forward.” Unlike “hot topics” in education that can come and go, it is perennially valuable for planners to learn that assertiveness in the corporate environment. C&IT

Driver safety company SkillsDriving offers several teambuilding programs, including the NASCAR Pit Crew Challenge shown here and opposite. Credit: SkillsDriving

Corporations and other organizations have used teambuilding for years. The goal is not always the same but in general the idea has been to bond members of the same department, such as a sales department, in order to increase productivity; to bond employees across departments to strengthen the entire company or to increase cooperation and production between departments; or to bring far-flung members of a national or global organization together so they might work better in the future after developing a relationship face-to-face.

Teambuilding can help break the ice and build trust among employee groups and can create better leadership as well as give managers and C-suite executives a better working relationship with the employees who report to them.

The one overriding goal is that teambuilding should positively affect a company’s bottom line and/or culture when all is said and done.

How best to make that happen is up for debate. There are many options available for organizations to consider. Exercises based solely on competition have long been popular, and given that competitive drive is important for a successful salesforce, that seems like a good way to go.

Today, however, experts have come to understand that it’s not competition that produces optimum results; rather, it’s a challenge in which team members work together to successfully solve a problem. Yes, teams can still compete against one another in that challenge, but it’s the cooperation and collaboration piece, the working together toward a common goal, that actually produces the desired effects.

Even with cooperative problem-solving as the means, the options for corporations to consider are hugely diverse. Finding the ideal teambuilding product may depend on the makeup of a company, what industry it’s in, what the specific goals are, how many people are taking part in the exercise and other factors.

Here are four examples of team-building programs that have been successfully used by corporations. Maybe one of them is just right for your organization or client. At the very least, these creative companies prove that the path to teambuilding success is as varied as the corporate landscape itself — and presents many intriguing twists and turns along the way.

Pit Crew Challenge

Fort Worth Texas-based SkillsDriving provides driver safety courses throughout the United States and around the world. The company also offers several teambuilding programs, including the NASCAR Pit Crew Challenge, which can take place anywhere in the United States — in ballrooms, parking lots or even an office atrium.

In this challenge, corporate teams work on a real NASCAR vehicle. Together, they must effectively communicate and interact to determine the quickest, most efficient way to carry out a pit stop. One critical element: Deciding which team members should be placed in which positions for optimum positive benefit — as important in the workplace as on a pit crew.

“SkillsDriving has been involved with all aspects of motorsports adventures since 2004,” says Dawn Stokes, owner/CEO. “We knew there was a direct correlation between running an efficient and well-oiled corporate sales team and a race team. Communication is key!”

Stokes says group size is limited only by space and the availability of cars. “Our typical group is 12–50 for an intimate and formalized experience; but we have done groups of up to 1,000 for pure head-to-head competition.”

While all ages and genders do well with the Pit Crew Challenge, Stokes says there are differences in approach. “Women generally listen better (sorry guys) and attack the project with more trepidation — asking a lot of questions. Men typically dig right in. They’ll get the job done, no matter what, but they usually pull back and start refining their processes after a few trials.”

The great thing about this challenge is that all participants are equal. “Everyone is terrible at it — at first,” says Stokes. ”It is a cerebral challenge, a physical challenge and, the best part, an unknown challenge. Since no one has the experience to perform the challenge, it immediately levels the playing field of rank within the company, age, sex, tenure, etc. Everyone is literally in the same boat, with no advantages.”

As a team, they then grow together. ”It is usually very surprising to all involved as to how the team successfully navigates through the challenge. The teams progress very quickly in improving their communication and skills and putting the right people with the right task,” Stokes notes. “It’s fun to see them cut their times in half from the first run to the third run. Just imagine if they could improve their work goals two times by increasing their communication and idea flows?”

Stokes points to another interesting aspect of the challenge: The chosen team leader does not always end up being the actual leader. “We ask that each team select a captain, but very quickly, the team starts to take ownership of the goal together and ‘leaders’ pop out immediately — not necessarily the one the team originally selected.”

In the beginning of the challenge, coaches deliberately give very little direction but do provide tips and tricks along the way. While this seems like the antithesis of promoting good communication, a critical element of the challenge, Stokes says the opposite is true because team members have to interact and ask questions.

“We have become reliant upon email, texting, everything electronic,” she says. “This exercise forces verbal communication and the ability to ask great questions. In our fast-paced world, we do not do a good job with either of those important skills.”

At the end of the day, the group reviews how the teams began, how they were able to improve and how this behavior parlays into company success. “It is a very cool way to connect the dots by rewarding behavior by changing a tire!” Stokes says.

Not surprising, the list of corporate groups that have participated in teambuilding with SkillsDriving is impressive, including Amazon, Dell, Walmart, Citibank, Deloitte, American Airlines and small organizations to large universities.

“Pit Crew Challenge has been extremely successful with corporate groups,” Stokes says, “because people really do enjoy interacting with other people and teams love seeing growth. This exercise exposes the positives of true teamwork with immediate results!”
skillsdriving.com

TrivWorks

Who doesn’t love trivia? It’s popular with all ages and generations, as can be seen in the multitude of trivia nights in bars across the country. New York- and California-based TrivWorks has taken this popular experience out of the bars and into boardrooms and corporate meetings, with a goal of fostering communication and bonding among diverse groups of employees.

TrivWorks has nearly 10 years of experience producing team trivia events for small companies to Fortune 500 companies nationwide, and for audiences as small as 15 or larger than 1,500. It offers full customization for groups, provides professional corporate emcees for each event, and companies can choose from a variety of formats.

Founder David Jacobson says that the most effective teambuilding events “are those that produce a positive and engaging shared experience for the entire room. Live customized team trivia works perfectly here, as it produces an extremely fun, high-energy competitive experience that is tailored for the specific group in attendance. Such an atmosphere fosters laughter, camaraderie and positive workplace skills, while allowing colleagues at all levels to feel comfortable with one another and get to know each other in a unique new way.”

Trivia also works with specific goals that may be important to a company. “Trivia teambuilding naturally promotes communication, collaboration and teamwork,” says Jacobson. “However, by clearly identifying a client’s specific teambuilding goals and objectives in advance, we can focus in on the area or areas that they are seeking to develop through the experience. For example, this may be to help teams go “cross silo” and get to know colleagues, assist in the onboarding of new hires or summer interns or simply to boost morale.”

TrivWorks recently partnered with Know Your Crew to extend the experience beyond the one-time event. “Whereas most teambuilding experiences are limited to the event itself, our partnership with Know Your Crew and its app allows teams to extend the engagement before and after events. By employing digital technology to engage our clients prior to and after a highly enjoyable trivia teambuilding event, we can offer a fun and easy way to get colleagues pumped for what’s coming as well as to continue getting to know one another after the event has concluded,” Jacobson says.

Given how different the employee makeup of each company can be with respect to gender, age and ethnicity, teambuilding experts have to be nimble enough and offer enough customization to create success regardless of the specific audience.

“What I love about using trivia as a teambuilding activity is that there are so many ways to customize the experience,” Jacobson notes. “One way we do that is by ensuring the questions are appropriate for everybody in attendance, regardless of age, gender, country or origin, etc. Through a concise customization call developed over years of doing this, we can quickly get all of the information we need to tailor the experience, without asking the client to dedicate significant time or resources. The result is an incredibly inclusive experience, where everybody in the room is highly engaged and participating.

“Customizing the experience means not only personalized/tailored trivia questions, but being thoughtful about how we break the teams down in advance, so that people get the most out of the experience,” Jacobson adds. “Most clients who want a teambuilding event seek to mix folks up from the groups they usually associate with. We help them with ongoing counsel about who to put on which team, ensuring there’s a good mix of groups/departments and also a perfect balance of age ranges as well. This is particularly important for pop culture questions — not only so that younger players get the ‘younger’ questions and older ones get the ‘older’ questions, but so that these different generations discover how much they actually have in common through shared knowledge of pop culture.”

Gender, Jacobson says, plays no real role in how players approach a trivia challenge. “Both men and women have a healthy competitive drive and want to win equally. Where the difference comes in is how we prepare the event. The questions are always customized for the intended audience; we want to make sure we are asking the most appropriate trivia questions for the room. The key is to strike a healthy balance, so that everybody feels like the event is for them, that they have a chance to shine and don’t feel left out.” www.trivworks.com

Puzzle Break

At the 2017 Meeting Professionals International World Education Congress (MPI-WEC), attendees could sign up to learn more about Seattle-based Puzzle Break and its teambuilding events, which involve an escape room. Participants are “trapped” in the room until they can discover clues, solve the puzzles, decode the locks and escape. They can only do this by working together.

Jessie States, CMM, manger of professional development at MPI, says, “The session included a short introduction to the concept of escape rooms as teambuilding exercises followed by a 50-minute immersive escape room experience — a police department trying to solve a crime. It was very well received. Most dissatisfaction came from the fact that the time frame just wasn’t long enough for some of the teams to finish.”

Nate Martin, co-founder and CEO of Puzzle Break, was on hand for the MPI experience. He explains how escape-room teambuilding works. “Puzzle Break games task groups of players with finding clues, solving puzzles and unraveling a mystery before time runs out, typically about an hour. Participants face mental challenges of all varieties, specifically designed to appeal to different types of brains and group sizes.”

He says small games can work with as few as two players, and large rooms accommodate up to 15. “Additionally, we have created several large-scale experiences that we can bring to offsite events for up to hundreds of simultaneous players.”

Martin calls Puzzle Break the ultimate marriage of two supremely important requirements for a successful team-building activity: First, it’s an experience where groups work together using their brains to overcome an obstacle. Second, it’s fun and memorable. “There are tons of popular group activities that check one of those boxes,” he says. “We’re proud to excel at both.”

Interestingly, Martin points to a challenge in Puzzle Break events that has little to do with Puzzle Break itself and much to do with corporate culture. “Perhaps the biggest challenge is one of our greatest value propositions: the boss is just one member of a Puzzle Break team. It can be very difficult for leaders to step back and take an equal role in the adventure, and equally difficult for folks to treat their boss like any member of the team. Overcoming these challenges is crucial to long-term team success.”

Martin says Puzzle Break’s large-scale, offsite games are frequently used by international companies when they bring their global distribution teams together, many of whom have never met in person. “The escape room activity is also very popular with large technology companies,” he adds.

The MPI-WEC experience garnered rave reviews among planners and others, including these:

“Loved this session and didn’t want to stop! I want to do this with my employees and at conferences.”

“Best experience of the conference. Every group was actively engaging with one another. Fantastic!”
www.puzzlebreak.com

Team Rock Stars

At some point, most of us have wanted to be a rock star. We played air guitar. We sang along (loudly) with our favorite rock bands. We were “creative” with lyrics. Who knew that could become part of a successful teambuilding activity — one that serendipitously also provides that entertainment wow factor for a meeting?

Team Rock Stars has figured it out. Here’s how it works. Participants are grouped into ”bands,” and each band is assigned a celebrity rock star to coach them through the experience. The participants collectively rewrite the lyrics to a hit song — ideally the lyrics relate to relevant issues facing their company or the industry. Like a real band, they choose a name, rehearse and choreograph their upcoming performance, which takes place in front of their colleagues.

The experience can be wholly customized based on the makeup of the group. Team Rock Stars has experience with C-suite and senior leadership, business units or groups, sales recognition and incentive reward events, brand enhancement, customer recognition and engagement and more.

Rocking out, it turns out, can work with any group.

Paul Caine, co-owner of Rock ’n’ Roll Fantasy Camp and founder/CEO PC Ventures, believes this approach works for a number of reasons. “Most leaders have a high sense of urgency to get things done. An immersive action-oriented style of learning makes the most sense to hold their interest. Additionally, amazing team synergy is created as the celebrity rock coaches engage the team to jam, write, record and perform. And each team member can influence the team’s outcomes and champion change to transform the team during the onstage performance. Trust gets built, collaboration increases and innovation is encouraged.”

Caine points out that breakthroughs in productivity at the workplace often come from that same kind of motivation among teams with a collective purpose.

“The Team Rock Stars champions authentic and meaningful messages that have a call to action to strengthen the organization,” he says. “Team Rock Stars helps groups reinvent themselves with a passion to innovate together. They identify with the team themes, discover new ways to contribute to the team and have cool song lyrics with a real band ready to perform in a few hours. The music mentors’ coaching inspires change within the team and gives participants the courage to give a moving performance at the event — and back on the job. Cross-functional teams immediately begin connecting at a whole new level of communication to share information and resources after the Team Rock Stars.”

ROI is demonstrated in a number of ways, according to Caine. “First, in the talent of those who participate in the experience and are then highly motivated to collaborate with their peers. There’s also the extensive professional and personal videos, photos and social media by participants generated from the Team Rock Stars, which provide the demonstrated results of an organizational shift in a positive direction the stakeholders (corporate leadership) wanted delivered. The extended life of the organizational messages lives on within the people and culture. This process can unleash a new entrepreneurial spirit throughout the company measured by new products and services developed from these business teams.”

Team Rock Stars can integrate with any theme or strategic focus of a conference. Caine notes that establishing a meaningful conference theme can be a challenge for company executives, and Team Rock Stars helps with that as well.

“The Team Rock Stars leader behaviors are an important part of helping clients identify the leader behaviors they want to emphasize most for their conference or meeting. The more leader behaviors they have articulated in front of them, the easier it is for leaders to build their thoughts on what is important to them in their organization. The shaping of a core leadership theme for an annual conference anchors the strategic direction for the company, so it needs to be on target with an engaging message.”

Caines says themes have run the gamut from leading change and inspiring business growth to culture shifts and merger integration transitions. Whatever the theme, it seems that music and mentorship together can make it happen.
rockcamp.com/corporate-programs

An IBM conference attendee experiences the cognitive computing power of a Watson-powered robot. Credit: IBM

Faced with rising costs due to both seller’s market conditions and inflation, many planners have had to ramp up their resourcefulness when it comes to budgeting. But it can take more than financial savvy to handle the challenges, as planners do not make their decisions in a vacuum. They must answer to the stakeholders that ultimately oversee meeting spend.

And when either significant cost cutting or budget increases are needed, planners may be in the position of explaining the situation to upper management. Conveying the budgetary challenges while assuring executives that the company can still manage to put on a cost-effective, quality event calls for strong communication skills. And if disagreements arise over how to meet those challenges, diplomatic skills also come into play.

“Costs are going up — costs for rooms, service charges, F&B — and we have to manage to those numbers. We try to build in a 5 percent increase each year, which is always met with resistance,” says Sharon L. Schenk, CMP, director of conventions and event management for Manchester, New Hampshire-based CCA Global Partners, a cooperative company. Many of the CCA executives have been with the company for decades and have seen their share of cost increases for the conventions, which are held twice annually for Carpet One Floor & Home and Flooring America, respectively. “So they’re pretty sophisticated and they do understand, yet at the same time, they expect us to negotiate and be more frugal,” says Schenk. “I can explain that this is what’s happening with the seller’s market or with airfare, and the answer is, ‘Well, we’ve got to find a way to cut. Come back with some ideas.’”

An Education Process

The dialogue can be similar for third-party planners conveying budgetary challenges to their clients. “It’s an education process that we’re going through with our clients,” says Teri Abram, president of Dallas, Texas-based EventLink International. “We need to make them aware that they not only need to start booking sooner and looking ahead, but that line items, particularly hotel and F&B costs, are going up.” The response can be an approval to expand the budget, or a call to “get creative” with the same budget, Abram says.

As Schenk mentions, sometimes a planner may have to explain how seller’s market conditions have driven up costs. Beth Becker, global meeting services manager for Downers Grove, Illinois-based MicroTek, sees that factor as underlying many of the cost escalations. “It’s not so much an increase in rates as it is the greater difficulty in negotiating those rates down,” she says.

“It’s also becoming more difficult to negotiate meeting room rental fees down or out altogether. We used to have a standard where we didn’t pay those fees because we were going to provide F&B and room block, etc., but in key cities it’s becoming more difficult (to avoid paying the fee).” Overall, she has found clients “pretty understanding” of cost increases resulting from the negotiating climate. “They know that we’re out there working on their behalf and as their experts, if you will. And we try to work with them to provide creative solutions,” she explains.

Site Selection

As opposed to trying to whittle down line item costs, the savings strategy can be based on the big picture of when and where the meeting is booked. Perhaps date flexibility can allow the group to achieve lower rates from a hotelier, or perhaps the site can be moved from a first-tier downtown to a suburban location to similar effect. Large meetings in some cases can be broken up and regionalized to reduce travel costs.

“We have a client that was looking to do an enterprise-wide training, so they were bringing in all of their employees in waves in order to train them, and we looked at how can we break that down and move that training more regionally,” Becker describes. “And the end result was several million dollars in savings. So you can see significant savings when you’re involved in a program at that beginning phase. Once it’s been settled and you have to move these people into this one location, then it becomes a little trickier.”

But even in that situation, there are plenty of potential cost-saving measures. For example, ground transportation costs can be pared down by working with the right partner. “We look for companies that will help us to coordinate the pickup (so as to) reduce those costs, when to send buses and how many people we can pick up at once.”

Working closely with the hotel also can accrue savings, and for that reason, Becker finds relationships with individual properties especially valuable. “Knowing the (hotel) people on a personal basis certainly helps us. Many times we’ll work directly with the AV people or with the chef to talk about recommendations they might have to help us cut costs,” she says. Schenk gives a few examples along those lines: “Maybe we don’t offer soft drinks on the breaks. Or we try to consolidate our breakout rooms so that we don’t have to add more AV.”

Don’t Scrimp on the Experience

The guiding principle for any cost-saving strategy should be to preserve the quality of the experience for the attendees, because that is the basis for ROI. It makes little sense to reduce the investment if one is also significantly reducing the return on that investment, i.e., the desired impact on participants.

“The most important factor for us in spending and cutting money is the experience for the participants,” Schenk asserts. “Our members are the bread and butter of our organization. If we have unhappy members, our membership drops, our revenue drops and our reputation suffers. They’re all entrepreneurs, and they leave their stores for two to four days and spend money to come to the convention. They need to be able to look back and say, ‘That was worth my time and money.’”

The importance of the attendee experience is not only observed when making budget cuts; it leads to an expanded meetings budget at many companies, including one of the world’s most venerable technology firms.

“We’ve seen the biggest jump in our budget (due to) the attendee experience,” says Colleen Bisconti, vice president, global conferences and events for IBM. A major investment in that experience will certainly be made for IBM’s inaugural Think 2018, a global business and technology event expected to draw about 40,000 attendees this March in Las Vegas.

What Would Watson Do?

Immersive experiences in particular will be integral to the show’s success. “We actually immerse attendees inside the technology through what we call ‘activations,’ and those are much more expensive to build than a typical expo hall,” Bisconti explains. “In the past, if you were going to showcase any kind of IBM software, it would be a pedestal or some kind of table with either a large screen or a laptop where a subject matter expert would show people a demo. Now, for example, we have a photo booth where you actually go in and engage with Watson (IBM’s cognitive system), so you understand the value and the power of Watson, not because somebody’s telling you about it.”

IBM also has invested in enhancing its conference app, also an important aspect to today’s attendee experience. “It used to be that we produced a daily newspaper (on the conference) in addition to the app. We did away with the newspaper, which was a significant savings, and we put (the savings) toward the app to make sure we are integrating Watson in a meaningful way,” says Bisconti. “We’ve seen an increase in app usage over the years, and the app’s gotten so robust that people don’t need the newspaper anymore.”

Abram has seen a great deal more of her clients expanding their budget for apps. “I would say probably 90 percent of our groups want an app, and this has just been within the last year; before that it was about 60-70 percent,” she says. “They want some sort of polling in their general session. The good thing is that there are some tools out there that don’t completely blow your budget. I see that area getting bigger, and as technology gets better, oftentimes costs drop.”

When Bisconti’s team wanted to integrate virtual reality technology to augment the participant experience, a little engagement with procurement was needed. “I didn’t think any of our existing vendors could deliver, so we went to procurement, which opens up a bid,” she relates.

IBM’s Budgeting Process

The overall budgeting process takes her team six to nine months, with weekly “state of the budget” meetings. For Think, the process began with building a business case for the C suite. “We looked at what revenues we expected and what expenses we expected to incur, and came up with what the event’s net cost to IBM would be. I first present the case to the CFO, and then to my boss, who is the CMO,” Bisconti says. “And then as you go through the planning process, things come up. Maybe a speaker is more expensive than we thought, and we adjust that amount with an internal dialogue with the CMO; I only bring things to her that I think are absolutely necessary. And every single budget decision we make is about the attendee; will it enhance the attendee experience? If the answer to that is no, we’re not going to do it.”

Naturally, there are occasionally disagreements among Bisconti’s team and other IBM stakeholders about how to allocate spend, including V.P.s of marketing across the business. “Oftentimes it’s because one of my peers is passionate about the part of the business that they own, and so they don’t think they’re getting enough coverage, or getting enough sessions,” she explains.

But the process to resolve these disagreements is a systematic, diplomatic one. “We work it out by having a dialogue. I also have a steering committee with representatives from all different parts of the business, and if there is ever an impasse, it goes to the steering committee meeting, and we talk it out there. And if we as a committee are not able to agree, or even agree to disagree, it would go up to our CMO again, although that has never happened.”

What’s Everyone Else Doing?

One way to make a case for expanding a certain area of the budget is to bring some data to the table about how similar events are benefiting from that kind of investment. For instance, a planner on the EventLink team recently was trying to convince a medical client to increase their F&B budget, Abram relates:

“We went through the attendee experience with them and what some of their competitive conferences are doing (in terms of F&B). We do that a lot actually, even sometimes with internal meetings if we’re fortunate enough to have access to information that might be online about what competitors are doing. We don’t want to copy competitors, but we certainly want to make sure attendees are getting the right experience,” says Abram.

Ultimately, the client agreed to increase the F&B budget by trimming some of the AV costs. “We talked about what they did and didn’t need (as far as AV), and were able to find some budget by going through that piece.”

Abram finds that dealing with procurement departments on spend management “can be a little tougher. I think they’re often under very strict guidelines and don’t have the ability to change those as much as a C-level executive might. Procurement definitely has their preferred suppliers, although sometimes we can get new ones through.”

It also should be noted that improving the attendee experience need not strain the budget, and such cost-effective ideas will certainly appeal to the C suite. “Sometimes it’s just the little things,” says Abram. “You may not have the budget to give them all great gifts and do all the things you might want to do, but sometimes if you just have staff that’s greeting them and helping them and making sure that their experience is easy, that goes a long way.”

Bringing on CVB volunteers, for example, is a cost-effective way to achieve this goal. Attendees also appreciate networking more than ever, and that usually can be facilitated with minimal investment. “It seems to be very consistent on surveys that what attendees want most is networking time, so we would likely continue to recommend to the client, let’s do 30 minutes here; it’s not going to cost you much,” Abram says.

“Some clients want to do matchmaking, and we might do various receptions that might require different venues, so it can create need for budget.”

Consultant to the C Suite

While all planners have some degree of autonomy on fund allocation with respect to the attendee experience, they are sometimes in the role of a consultant to senior management and their ideas. “I’ve had executives tell me we want to hire this particular speaker or entertainer, and I’m the one that has to tell them we don’t have the budget,” say Schenk. “This is the approved budget that you’ve given me to work with; where do you want me to cut? It’s kind of a back and forth thing. I have been able to convince them to spend a little more money, and I’ve tried to convince them to spend less money sometimes.” For CCA Global Partners’ incentive programs, it’s typical for Schenk to be on conference calls with the CEO, CFO and COO. “We all dialogue the potential offsite events and gifts, etc.,” she says.

Becker also sometimes finds herself in the role of a consultant on spend. “There have certainly been times when we’ve had to advise a client that we didn’t feel their directions or the decisions were going to support their objectives as well as some other approach would,” she says.

“In one situation, a client wanted to use a certain hotel that we didn’t recommend, and we ended up fielding a number of comments from attendees on why we had selected that property. It happened to be in the outskirts, not near a city, and people were traveling internationally, and they just weren’t happy with the location,” Becker relates. “But it was a venue the client wanted to use because it was close to one of the executive’s homes, so we made it work. Ultimately it is the client’s decision and we will support them.”

As Schenk puts it, the meeting budget is a “living, breathing thing,” even after it is submitted and approved by upper management. Various stakeholders propose new ideas as the event date draws near, and her team must evaluate those ideas and associated expenses in light of the overall budget. Indeed, the art of budgeting is not one that the planner practices in a silo; it is closely tied to the art of collaboration and diplomacy. C&IT