Incentive - September 2008 - (Page 62)

GOT LEMONS? Make By A.E. Smith Lemonade like: Does the hotel have a doctor on staff ? Where is the nearest pharmacy? What hospital has the quickest response time? If the destination is in an area with questionable medical resources, planners should decide which hospital patients could be airlifted to, in the event of an emergency. During a five-day program Windward organized to Cancun, Mexico, last March for managers of a Chicago-based jewelry company, the husband of the vice president of marketing contracted pneumonia. The incentive team worked closely with the staff of the Aqua Cancun hotel to get the guest proper medical care—first at the local hospital, then by bringing a doctor and nurse to the guest’s room—while ensuring that the rest of the group remained healthy and in good spirits. The couple stayed in Cancun four extra days, at the hotel staff rate, and were checked on personally by the general manager. When they were ready to return to Chicago, their rebooked flight had been upgraded to first class, and they were picked up at the airport by a limo. HOW TO SURVIVE A NATURAL DISASTER Hurricanes, earthquakes and tsunamis disrupt trip itineraries every year, but Mother Nature has a variety of curve balls at her disposal. T-Mobile USA’s senior manager of meetings and events, Joe Cloud, handles around 100 events each year for groups ranging in size from 30 people to 3,000. His preparation checklist includes multiple pre-trip site visits, extensive taste-testing and regular calls to the weatherman. On a trip to Miami in 2005, the main event on the second evening was to be an all-night beach party for 800 people. Events would include glow-inthe-dark volleyball, fire pits and a clambake, and to do all this the company had applied months in advance, pulled strings and paid $20,000 to get a rare beach permit. There was no risk of rain in the forecast, and hence, no backup location set. Two nights before the event, however, Cloud was informed that a bale of turtles had begun laying eggs on the beach—the permit price would now be $60,000, with no lights allowed Incentive travel planners share their worst disaster stories and tips on how to weather a catastrophe A week in paradise can take a turn for the worse unexpectedly. Incentive looks at several true-life mishaps and how resourceful planners turned them around. HOW TO SURVIVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY Illness is one of the most common occurrences on trips, and whether the cause is indigestion or a heart attack, health issues can easily ruin an otherwise perfectly executed program. “At least half of my trips have someone who sees a doctor,” says Phil Mullins, president of Windward International Corporation in Deerfield, Ill. “It’s more likely than not, so you really need to be ready.” Before guests arrive, planners should have the answers to questions 62 | Incentive | September 2008 | incentivemag.com Illustration: Mark Brewer http://incentivemag.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Incentive - September 2008

Incentive - September 2008
Contents
Editor's Note: The Best of Times and...
Headlines
Cover Story: MetLife Rethinks Recognition
Incentive Interview: Russ Edelman
Case Study Orkin: The Presidential Treatment
Coca-Cola Bottling: The Sweet Taste of Success
Keep Cash Off the Hood: Auto Incentives
Handle with Care: Motivating After Layoffs
Start Spreading the News: PR Incentives
Planning: Got Lemons? Make Lemonade
Industry Veterans Speak: The President Slept Here
Motivation: Action! Start Teambuilding Now!
Incentive Primer: How To Reward Well
Motivation@Work: The Character Connection
Travel News: Where To Go and What To Do
Top Undiscovered Destinations: New Territory
Field Report: South Africa In Style
Field Report: Golf's Pilgrimage
Potentials Here and Now
In-Room Gift Ideas: Pillow Talk
Shopping Sprees: Shop Till You Drop
Gift Cards: Plastic Is Perfect
Advertiser Index
Last Word: Outsmart! Author James Champy
Special Supplement: Mexico

Incentive - September 2008