Successful Meetings - August 2008 - (Page 42)

Negotiation > Crude Awakening Trends rate. Seal the deal by showing you have control over employee purchasing behavior. There’s not much you can do about the rash of new airline charges, higher ticket prices, or fuel surcharges for limo services, but show your boss that you’re going the extra mile by negotiating ancillary charges or for free value-adds. Push suppliers for more flexibility on attrition fees, a later cut-off date, and room upgrades. Ask for luxury treatment for your VIP guests, a special treat for a meeting break, discounts at resort shops, free use of the business center and airport lounge services, or any other value-adds that you can quantify to show you are working to score the best deal for your organization. Negotiate for the long-term. This likely won’t be the last event your company plans, so aim for multi-meeting contracts where you can promise suppliers future business in exchange for a lower room rate or more flexible terms. Work with a chain’s national sales office to convince properties that you’ll be a repeat customer. CONVENTIONAL WISDOM Despite the soaring costs, Baldearena says she has seen zero drop-off in conventions. “The numbers remain strong; people are still traveling,” she says. “The market definitely has switched back to a buyer’s market. Planners are less tolerant with attrition clauses,” Halcombe-Rasmussen says. Working together, both suppliers and planners will be relying on open communication during negotiations to create deals acceptable to all. “The success will be in the relationships and partnerships with the facilities and vendors,” says Halcombe-Rasmussen. Jennifer Green, assistant vice president for the Louisiana Credit Union League, agrees, saying that any way suppliers can decrease other costs that an attendee incurs beyond their transportation Common negotiation points for meetings and events: expenses can make attendance more likely at a convention or association meeting. Guest room rates “Our attendees have a set amount for their trainReward points ing budgets and from this budget, they have to pay Exchange rates for the meeting registration, hotel room, meals, parking, mileage, etc. So things like discounted Discounts at on-site shops room rates, discounted parking, etc. are a great and restaurants idea for direct benefits to our attendees,” she says. Activity fees, such as greens fees If a property can offer to help reduce costs for the Earned airline tickets and organizers, attendees also benefit, she adds. Deals upgrades in service on F&B, meeting space charges, and other disResort fees counts are passed on to attendees through lower registration fees. Even discounts that the hotel can Meeting space charges secure with local vendors, such as nearby parking Attrition allotments and garages, can help attendees, Green says. cancellation clauses Sometimes, the association can give a little Cut-off dates extra break to attendees who have higher transUpgrades/suites/VIP treatment portation costs. “We do offer a standard ‘distance learner’ discount for our programs—the registraParking fees tion fee is a little less expensive for people who Audiovisual packages have to drive in from a long distance—so this is Food & beverage packages one way we help decrease the financial burden of Transportation services driving in,” Green says. And necessity is the mother of invention in negoOn-site staff support tiations. “We haven’t done this, but it might be a good Business center services idea for an audiovisual provider to offer a free teleconference service with any other paid AV services, so that people who could not come to the meeting could participate via telephone,” she says. Negotiation Checklist 42 mimegasite.com AUGUST 2008 SUCCESSFUL MEETINGS http://mimegasite.com

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Successful Meetings - August 2008 Contents Editor's Note Industry Trends Industry Events On the Record Technology Calendar Websites of the Month Personal Success Technology Talk Food & Beverage Pre-Event On Site Tools of the Trade Pre-Event Crude Awakening Oil’s Well Betting on Development The Stuff Dreams Are Made Of No Spa, No Dice New & Improved Bean Counting Places & Spaces Cleveland Palm Springs, Desert Resorts Midwest Meetings San Antonio Yucatan Peninsula Gurus

Successful Meetings - August 2008

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