Meeting News - October 20, 2008 - (Page 64)

Live from the Forum @ MeetingNews.com TOPIC: Budgeting for checked baggage H ow are you budgeting for checked baggage for speakers, staff, VIPs, boards of directors, and participants in incentive trips? Joan Eisenstodt, Eisenstodt & Associates, Washington, DC Do you have a burning question to ask your peers? Log on to the MeetingNews Forum to get answers fast. meetingnews.com/forum Our employees will be reimbursed for reasonable coasts for checked luggage. We are currently discussing how to handle incentives and will probably reimburse for one bag per person for a four-day trip. I’m thinking we probably won’t reimburse for golf clubs, rationalizing that if someone brought a surfboard on the trip, we wouldn’t reimburse for that. Camille Paluscio, CMP, Manager of Travel, Meetings, and Events Volkswagen Group of America, Detroit Some of my speakers get their tickets reimbursed only. One of my clients gives a ﬂat travel allowance that each person uses as he/she sees ﬁt; it’s more for my staff. I’ve tried to maintain elite status on one airline so that everyone traveling on the same itinerary gets two free checked bags. I’m not going to keep that next year. The service on the major airlines just isn’t good enough. And, as they’re scaling back, the up-and-comers are offering lower fares and fewer/lower additional charges. Rae Baskin, President, The ConferenceWorks! Inc., Whitestown, NJ Interesting point about the golf clubs, but what if your meeting has a golf tournament component? Years ago, I planned ski trips for a regional hospital (way before Sarbanes-Oxley). We did not include the skis in the fee. One bag per person was included. I suppose to relate to the current climate, your suggestion of reimbursing one bag per person for a four-day trip is equivalent. I imagine that different companies will have slightly different requirements depending upon the length of trip, the location, and the need for varied seasonal clothing or special attire. It’s going to be interesting to see how this all works out. Pat Ahaesy, CMP, CSEP, President, P&V Enterprises, New York City TOPIC: Accepting registrations a year in advance am exploring the possibility of accepting registrations a year in advance, so at my 2008 convention, one can register for 2009. Any thoughts, experiences, and pitfalls? How have you done it in terms of not having the schedule planned, etc? Mary Ann Linder, CMP, Soap & Detergent Association, Washington, DC I Patti J. Shock, Professor and Director of Distance Learning Harrah College of Hotel Administration, University of Nevada, Las Vegas We have offered this for a long time for all of our meetings because we often have members who have money in a current ﬁscal-year budget that they want to “get rid of”in case their budget is cut for the following year. We just use a generic form. However, if it is too far ahead, and we end up raising the registration fee by the time it gets closer, we do reserve the right to go back to them for the difference. If they do not wish to pay the difference, we refund the entire amount. I don’t recall that ever happening, and we rarely raise our fees. Deborah K. Gaffney, Director of Conference Planning Tax Executives Institute, Washington, DC Trade shows do that with exhibitors; it is common practice. I think if you gave a discount, it would help. But be prepared for cancellations and refunds. Attendees that come every year would be less concerned about the schedule and topics—especially supplier members. I have accepted registrations a year in advance for many meetings. We made a number of payment options available. They can opt to pay the same rate as the current year in full, a slightly increased payment (discounted earlybird rate) in three payments that are automatically deducted from their credit card, or the full early-bird rate. We usually have almost everyone register early, and it makes for much easier planning. Helene Carroll, CMP The early-bird special is very nice, but please make it a thank-you and make it special. I’ve been an exhibitor at too many shows where someone from show management comes by the booth and slaps a reservation form for next year’s show and walks on—never a thanks for dropping bucks this year, and seldom a discount for the coming year. In this economy, we can’t assume that even the faithful will return or will not reduce their footprints. A meaningful thank-you and “we want you back” communication is needed. Julia O’Connor, Speaker, Author, Consultant MEETING NEWS (ISSN 0145-630X, USPS No.356-010, October 20 2008, Vol. 32, No. 18 is published semi-monthly except for June, August, November and December, which is monthly, by Nielsen Business Media, 770 Broadway, New York, NY 10003-9595, tel. 646-654-5000. Subscriptions are offered free of charge to individuals actively engaged in planning meetings or conventions in the U.S. and Canada. The cost of a subscription to non-qualiﬁed subscribers is $79 in the U.S. and $95 in Canada (Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 40031729). The cost of a foreign subscription, payable in U.S. dollars, is $195. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY and additional mailing ofﬁces. MeetingNews is a trademark owned exclusively by Nielsen Business Media. Copyright © 2008 by Nielsen Business Media Inc. All rights reserved. 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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Meeting News - October 20, 2008

Meeting News - October 20, 2008
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Meeting News - October 20, 2008