Successful Meetings - July 2008 - (Page 47)

property. If you see a puddle and no “wet floor” sign, chances are it won’t be out for your group either. “From a planner perspective, when you’re doing a site tour, you should be able to see these signs being a part of the facility without even asking,” says Peschel from NorthPointe, who adds that “you should see them come out appropriately.” At the same time, take note if employees are using the wrong type of tool for a job—for example, standing on a chair to hang a poster. If the employee isn’t using the safest and most appropriate item for the job, the property does not deem safety a priority. Planners should also consider having the deejay ask guests to refrain from carrying glasses onto the dance floor. One broken glass and the accompanying puddle could hurt unaware fellow partygoers before the property is able to clean up the mess. 15 NAME-CALLING How many times have you left a meeting only to discover later that you’re still sporting that 13 TRIPPING UP Unsecured cords are the nemesis of every planner and attendee. To avoid trip hazards, it’s important to consider local codes and conduct an extensive walk-through prior to the event. “Installation codes may vary by jurisdiction regarding the manner, type, and extent of taping and/or coverings required, so this should be discussed with your AV provider(s) before the event,” says Rutherford Silvers. “Conduct a walkthrough inspection prior to opening the doors to confirm compliance and that no cords are exposed or pose a trip hazard.” Alexander from InterContinental Houston even recommends that planners designate a safety officer, who goes into the room prior to opening and checks wires as well as other issues like adherence to fire codes and that dance floors are secure and in good shape. “Nametags are a really big issue, particularly if there is a local hotspot that everyone is going to.” —Stan Alexander or city, it’s best to do some research ahead of time and remind attendees to be aware. Alexander recommends that planners find out if the property has 24-7 inhouse security coverage, noting that inhouse officers are a positive sign, since “many times when you just have the security officer who shows up, you don’t have much buy-in from them.” Rutherford Silvers adds that planners should “discuss this with local law enforcement and venue management to determine specific precautions to be addressed. Provide advisories on what not to do, where not to go (or go alone), and what services are available and should be used if they want to do something or go somewhere. Deliver the advisories in a ‘You probably already know this but as a reminder…’ manner.” 14 GOTTA DANCE Speaking of dance floors, Alexander notes that there is a lot of room for error using a venue’s yearsold, worn-out model. He encourages planners to take a hard look at the setup, particularly the spacing between the individual parquet tiles—if it’s too large, a high heel could get stuck, twisting an attendee’s ankle. JULY 2008 name badge? Aside from being a minor embarrassment, it can be a bull’s-eye on a lanyard. (“Hey Emily! How are you?” You try to figure out who the person is and then discover that your wallet disappeared while you were distracted.) “Nametags are a really big issue, particularly if there is a local hotspot that everyone is going to,” says InterContinental Houston’s Alexander. One strategy he’s seen work for groups is to “have a box at the entrance, and ask attendees to please pick your nametag up so we know you’re here, then drop it off [after the meeting]. You don’t necessarily have to say that it’s about making yourself a target.” 16 CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER If your meeting takes place in a potentially dangerous neighborhood If the worst happens and an attendee dies during a meeting, Alexander says the property should “immediately secure the area until EMS and the fire department arrive.” The planner will be notified and should then contact his or her corporate office, recommends Alexander, because each company handles this type of event differently. Although planners should always collect emergency contact information from attendees, if that was not done ahead of time, the corporate office can track down someone from the human resources department, where emergency information should be on file. In his more than 30 years in the industry, Alexander has encountered four deaths, so while it is a rarity, it is certainly something to prepare for. And according to that same MeetingNews survey, less than one-third of planners (30 percent) develop detailed emergency plans that include contact information. 17 TOO LATE… SUCCESSFUL MEETINGS mimegasite.com 47 http://mimegasite.com

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Successful Meetings - July 2008 Contents Editor's Note Industry Trends Suppliers Newsmakers On the Record Technology Newsmakers Calendar Planner Spotlight Management Matters Meetings Law Websites of the Month Mouth for Sale Pre-Event On Site Tools of the Trade Pre-Event Initial Success Strong Medicine Risky Business Places & Spaces Birmingham Kentucky Georgia & the Carolinas Hong Kong Melbourne Gurus

Successful Meetings - July 2008

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