< PreviousA rtificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are currently the hottest topic in technology today – and a sub- ject that’s quickly catching fire amongst MICE industry leaders as well. But here’s something you may not be aware of: Despite their skyrocketing popular- ity, from Open AI’s ChatGPT to Google’s Bard, Microsoft’s Bing, and Amazon’s offerings, what we’re seeing is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of coming digi- tal transformation. Soon, meeting and event planners (not to mention attendees) won’t just be able to leverage smart and self-aware technology assistants to aid with tasks such as conference planning/organization, program design, and con- tent development. They’ll also be able to use autonomous AI “agents” like AutoGPT – capable of self-directing themselves to perform multiple steps in sequences and complete complex tasks without much human prompting – to aid with every facet of MICE industry operations. In effect, if you think the pace of change is rapid and rate of disruption is growing now, just wait until you see what the next few months will bring. After all, it’s no coincidence that each passing week seems to bring new AI-powered advance- ments, as we move towards the inevitable future: A world where you’ll soon be able to turn to an AI-based service for just about any professional need; activate and turn these solutions on or off with the flick of a switch as-needed; and one where AI routines are powerful enough to create their own new AI routines themselves. But, let’s not get ahead of ourselves just yet. With demand for AI set to top $90 billion by 2025 alone, per UBS Wealth Management, keep this in mind: As a meetings and events pro, it’s important to consider what artificial intelligence can and cannot do for the moment. And, for that matter, in practical terms, how you might go about leveraging AI-powered tools to help boost accessibility, interest and attendance … not to mention put a growing number of current and future AI tools – which will only become increasingly available in a more user-friendly, cost-efficient and pay-as-you-go format going forward – to work in more productive fashion. After all, as we explain in new training and education game “The Future is Yours,” the next 10 years will bring more change than the prior 10,000 – and the best time to start preparing for this growing tidal wave of disruption is now. A QUICK PRIMER ON AI AND MACHINE LEARNING Think of artificial intelligence tools as a form of smart tech- nology that can be utilized for a variety of purposes; for exam- ple, analyzing online visits to your event’s website to see which topics and speakers most resonate with your target audience, or parsing ticket purchases to see which offers or pricing plans are most popular. Alternately, you might use these tools to monitor your tradeshow’s mobile app and see which sessions and tracks are getting the most interest, or track social media activity to determine which topics are currently trending in your industry. Machine learning, on the other hand, describes the ability of software programs to learn over time and get smarter with every interaction. In any event, we’re currently experiencing a boom in the space for two reasons: (1) Many AI solutions can now hold conversa- tions and spit out accurate answers to questions on-command like a human would and (2) Generative AI solutions (which can be used to generate original text and – in the case of tools like DALL-E and Midjourney – images, animations or video) are now reaching a critical tipping point in terms of performance. To wit: As things stand, you can currently ask many AI programs questions on a range of topics and get helpful responses in a mat- ter of seconds. But, on top of this, because AI has also become way smarter in recent years, you can suddenly ask it to perform research, write articles and design creative assets so convincing that they could’ve been produced by actual working profession- als as well. In fact, artificial intelligence tools have become so brainy that you can even ask them to spit out software code just by asking them questions, allowing you to design your own web- sites and applications, even if you’re not a computer programmer. Want to know what subjects event attendees are currently buzzing about or that they most prioritize lately? Curious what the best destinations are to hold a medical symposium or all-hands meeting at during the first weeks of fall or winter? Need write-ups for a series of talks, panels or guest keynotes, or original illustrations and marketing copy to go with a bro- chure you’re designing? Suddenly, all you have to do is grab an AI tool and ask. And we’re not talking about having to restrict yourself to simple queries either. You can literally ask these programs for help designing your marketing plans and bud- gets, or finding local catering or transportation options, and get useful answers in seconds. Just one catch: Most of these tools need to be trained on millions of data points and interactions, so that they have a VIEW POINT The Future of Planning How Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Will Redefine the Future of Meetings and Events BY SCOTT STEINBERG 10 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESJULY 2023frame of reference to draw upon – a process which takes considerably time. And some, like ChatGPT, are based on informa- tion that may be several years old at this point. However, as technology continues to grow and advance, and data sets expand, you can see where the trend is eventually headed – a world where every exchange is more informed and contextualized, and one of growingly customized and tailored attendee experiences. WAYS TO USE AI AND ML TO BUILD YOUR BUSINESS But enough with background and theory: You’re doubtlessly wondering – how can all these futuristic advancements help you grow your profits, operate more cost-efficiently, and improve event experience and attendance? As it turns out, opportunities here are as manifold as they are mind-blowing. For example, just off the cuff, you might use the power of AI and machine learning to: • Aid with event planning and research, including vendor and destination selection • Keep up with changing rules, regulations and com- pliance protocols • Brainstorm new topics, ideas, and formats for meeting and event sessions • Determine unique sales points and how to best differ- entiate and message your event’s benefits and upsides • Craft advertising, marketing and promotions plans • Create mobile, online, social media and marketing copy or content • Identify guest speakers, virtual presenters and thought leaders to work with • Get a better handle on potential event costs, rev- enues and budgets • Analyze and identify key insights based on data and information that you’re collecting from attendees • Design presentations, write speeches and summarize event learnings and takeaways For instance: Need a helping hand generating content to fill all your online marketing channels, publications and social media feeds? You can ask AI tools to create articles, blog posts, website copy and product brochures, or summarize longer pieces of content into social-media friendly write-ups. Look- ing for a cost-efficient way to answer attendees’ questions or field customer service queries? You can have smart software personalities (aka “chatbots”) that are intelligent enough to pass as human handle them. Hoping to boost audience engage- ment? You can leverage automated e-email newsletter programs to quickly populate pre-programmed mailings with relevant articles and data, then analyze open and response rates to improve send times and mailing frequencies. In short, the sky’s the limit. Put simply, you can now tap AI tools to help with everything from coming up with potential event con- cepts to designing meeting tracks and programming for educational certi- fication programs. Alternatively, you can ask them for help thinking up a list of questions to put to guest speakers – or even which guest speakers that you should be inviting. From helping to identify the right destination at which to host your programs to help- ing you know how much you should be spending on A/V setups, travel, and lodging, options are endless here – and they’ll only continue to grow going forward. BOTTOM LINE: FOR MICE LEADERS, IT’S A WHOLE NEW HIGH-TECH BALLGAME As a futurist, keynote speaker and consultant for over 1,500 brands, I’m often asked: What’s the future of AI – and how will it transform the world we live in? The answer is simple: Looking ahead, this technology becomes (a) more ubiquitous, (b) more user-friendly and (c) more capable, even as it fades into the background and quietly integrates more deeply with every facet of our work and life experience. To put things in perspective: Going forward, you won’t type in search engine queries like “best eco-friendly destinations in North America.” You’ll ask questions like: “My event budget is $50,000, and I’m looking for a nearby location to hold an eco-friendly, regional escape for 500 executives at a life sciences company in May of 2024 that offers all sorts of fun and cost-affordable activities and dining options – where should I hold my get-together? Also: Please provide me with three top options, and how I might expect to break out a budget for each.” Implications are both profound and inspiring for meeting and events leaders — and will transform the fundamental way in which we interact with technology. After all, if applications and websites are capable of being coded just by asking ques- tions going forward, we won’t even need software engineers to help create IT solutions for conferences and tradeshows … we’ll need “prompt” engineers who know how to ask the right questions instead. In any event, if you think the last few years have been head-spinning in this business? Get ready for the supercharged next decade. | AC&F | 11 Hailed as the World’s Leading Business Strategist, award-winning strategic consultant and professional speaker Scott Steinberg is among today’s best- known trends experts and futurists, and the bestselling author of “Think Like a Futurist: The Next Normal;” “Make Change Work for You;” and “Fast >> Forward: How to Turbo-Charge Business, Sales, and Career Growth.” The creator of “The Future is Yours,” a training game for play at meetings and events, and the President and CEO of BIZDEV: The International Association for Business Development and Strategic Partnerships™, his website is FuturistsSpeakers.com. JULY 2023 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIES D E P O S I T P H O T O S .COMINDUSTRY TRENDS themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESJULY 2023 Bottom Line Blues How Inflation Is Affecting Association Planners By Marlene Goldman According to NerdWallet’s Travel Price Index, the overall cost of travel in May 2023 was up 16% compared with May 2019 though down 2% versus the same month in 2022. NerdWallet’s Travel Price Index combines data from individual travel catego- ries tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index data, such as airfares, lodging, meals and rental cars. With the higher costs affecting everything from venue rentals to catering, there has been more pressure on asso- ciation budgets, leading to higher costs for organizing meet- ings and events. “We’re not any different than any other industry, and when a price goes up on one aspect, then you just have to take stock and maybe minimize something on another side of your equa- tion,” says Becky Hopkins, director of meetings & education for the Distribution Contractors Association (DCA). DCA engages in a broad spectrum of meetings, including an annual convention for about 500 to 600 attendees. In the first quarter of the year, DCA also hosts a summer meeting that often draws families with attendance about 250. In addition, Hopkins helps organize DCA’s board meetings and other industry events. “We do have to think about costs, and then it rolls to our members,” Hopkins says. There is a limit to how much the association can charge for registration fees, according to Hop- kins. “It’s not as elastic as some things; we know what our parameters are on what the customer base is looking to pay for registration. If segments such as food and beverage bite into the program budget, then I have to figure out other ways to make that up or increase registration, but there’s sensitivity to that.” She adds that their numbers are getting back to where they were in February 2020. “We’re getting close. Yes, we’re seeing that our registrations are coming back. But, every com- pany is taking a hard look at registration fees and at flights.” Mary Cason, director of special events, Iowa Automo- bile Dealers Association, is also adjusting to the higher costs of hosting meetings. “It’s not a planners’ market so much because people are meeting now. The need to book earlier is more apparent because I think people are anxious to get things finalized and contracted, but short notice is a little bit more difficult now and hotels are not as lenient as during Covid,” Cason says. “I think the hotels were great to work with and they had so many cancellation clauses to help alleviate every- one’s reluctancy to meet. Well, now I think that the hotels are trying to recoup some of their losses and people are wanting to meet, so those costs have shot up as well.” One strategy Cason’s association has taken is to reduce the number of meetings they are having. Where they used to meet in about a dozen cities around the state, this year that number has hile data shows the inflation rate in the U.S. eased recently – the rate in May was its lowest annual rate in more than two years — high prices for food, flights and hotels among other goods and services still pose a challenge to association meeting planners. W 12dropped to five. “We’re forcing our members to travel a little bit more, but it just doesn’t make sense for us with those increased costs on hotel fees to meet in those other seven cities.” F&B Costs One of the largest chunks of the budget for association meetings is its food and beverage costs, which are still ele- vated. Food prices rose 6.7% between May 2022 and May 2023, according to the most recent consumer price index (CPI) report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. By comparison, at the same time, in 2022, prices rose 10.1% over a one-year period. Attendees are still paying more (8.3%) for food when dining at restaurants than they did a year ago. “There are a lot of things other than the cost of the steak dinner that affects a meeting planner’s food and beverage bud- get,” Hopkins says. “There are many other charges that are not talked about. At the end of the day, after the contract is signed, there are a lot of things that are affecting the overall food and beverage costs.” Hopkins notes specifically an acceleration in service charges. “That disturbs me a lot because that percentage is tacked onto an already increased cost of a steak dinner,” she says. “And the service charges, which, not too many years ago, were hovering somewhere around 22% to 24%, are now hovering at 25% to 26%. I saw 28% recently, and the hotel is keeping a portion of that money to cover their costs. Some portion of it is then going to the to the server, which is appropriate, but the server gets an increase every time the steak dinner goes up. I see a double whammy there. And I’ve had conversations about that with hotels – okay, I see the steak dinner going up, but I also see your service charges going up and we may need to talk about that.” Another aspect of contracts that has changed dramatically over the last couple of years is the guarantee process, accord- ing to Hopkins. “I understand the guarantee process. You don’t want kitchens preparing more food than is needed or vice versa,” Hopkins says, adding that the guarantee percentage at one time was 10%, and now more often 5%. “I got a contract the other day and it was 2%. Planners who are dealing with 1,500 people, hitting the 2% mark is pretty tricky. I think the meeting planner needs to take a close look at and have an open conver- sation during the contracting portion and not be blindsided.” One strategy for saving is limiting specialty drinks. “The special drinks are what will break your budget every moment because they start out at $21-plus, so I do try to shy away from those the best I can, but hard liquor drinks have come back in fashion,” Hopkins says. “The differential between one glass of wine and pouring one bour- bon and coke isn’t that great anymore, but I do stay away from top shelf.” Room Rates Hotel room rates in the U.S. in May averaged $157.45 a night, up 17% from 2019. Though in the case of DCA, the association is not responsible for the room night expense, Hopkins says they do their best to get a reasonable negotiated room rate for their attendees. Higher hotel rates can affect attendance, so even if the cost doesn’t affect the planner’s budget it can have an influ- 13 JULY 2023 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIES Becky Hopkins Director of Meetings & Education, Distribution Contractors Association (DCA) If segments such as food and beverage bite into the program budget, then I have to figure out other ways to make that up or increase registration, but there’s sensitivity to that. DEPOSITPHOTOS.COM DEPOSITPHOTOS.COM One of the largest chunks of the budget for association meetings is its food and beverage costs, which are still elevated. ence on the overall association meeting. Cason notes that finding a lower cost booking window is more challenging with the higher demand for hotel rooms. “I don’t know if shoulder season exists anymore. We used to have our win- ter meeting in Arizona, and we would always go the week before Thanksgiv- ing because that was considered shoul- der season at that time. I don’t know if that shoulder season exists anymore.” Another cost that often is passed onto attendees is the hotel’s resort fees, though Hopkins says hotels are gener- ally more open to negotiating the resort fees. “The first price they may put on paper is $40 a night, but we do pretty well at negotiating that one down. As far as a negotiating lever, they’ll pull that one first. The fees are just all over the place, meaning there are just so many things now that a hotel can and do charge for that have percolated up over the last seven or eight years.” Auxiliary expenses at the hotels also have an impact. Hop- kins recalled a recent stay where the cost for getting a coke or a sandwich by the pool was extremely high, which she says planners have no negotiating power over. “Our members are finally saying, ‘Look, I’ve got the plane, check. I’ve got the reg- istration, check. I’ve got the hotel accommodations that you booked, check. But not the auxiliary expenses at a four-star property in the Sunbelt.’” To compensate for the high auxiliary costs, planners need to get creative. One area is the production and entertain- ment, according to Hopkins. “Maybe instead of an eight-piece orchestra band, I might have a five piece. Instead of some of the audiovisual, maybe I’ll cut back on that because audiovi- sual charges have just exploded. A speaker will say, I need a conference phone and a projector and screen, or a computer and screens. Before I bat an eye, we’re up to $6,000.” She notes there are just a couple of major audiovisual players left in the industry. “It’s either one or it’s the other and they’re in all the hotels across the country. There’s a lack of competi- tion, which I’ve pointed out in a few industry meetings that I’ve attended. The in-house company will charge a 25% or 26% surcharge and I’m thinking, ‘I’m paying you for the labor. I’m paying you for the equipment. I’m not paying you a 26% sur- charge. Why?’ If it was an outside company coming in, they’re not charging me a surcharge. Well, there’s a lot of song and dance that goes on around that conversation, but 26% on say, $100,000 is a lot of expense.” Location, Location Some of the increased costs are dependent on the destination chosen for the meeting, and association plan- ners often choose locations based on their budgets. “We look more closely now, and I start asking about a city’s tax rates in the beginning conversations,” Hopkins says. “‘What is your tax on food and beverage? What is your ser- vice charge?’ I think it was New York property that had a 10% tax on food and banquet. I hadn’t seen that digit before. I’ve seen 7.7%, but it was just a bold faced 10%. There are some- times room taxes, what they call an occupancy tax. As we start a negotiation, I do say to them, please you need to provide me with all costs involved, not only the hotel room, but all the costs surrounding food and beverage. Some cities just don’t work.” Hopkins adds that DCA looks at four- and five-star properties, which means it may take more to afford that particular property, but some locations, such as California, are difficult because of the tax structure. Cason also considers the location when planning her meet- ings, though some locations will stay on the roster no matter the cost because of the popularity with its members. Las Vegas is one where her members want to meet, so she looks at ways to help reduce costs by planning ahead. She does have some wiggle room, though. “Our budget for Las Vegas is more than if we go to Dallas or another city,” Cason says. “We try to find ways to reduce costs, but we realize that costs are increasing.” Though Hopkins predicts that attendance at her association events will recover within the next 18 months, that recovery is dependent on the economy and whether other roadblocks pop up in the future. Continued high costs and inflation could be one of those. She is hopeful rates for airfare and hotels stabi- lize. “Otherwise, it will hurt the industry,” she says. “The hotels need us to come back, and we want the hotels to come back. Maybe both sides need to be a little bit more patient on how fast we can accelerate. Your hotels cannot make up the mil- lions and possibly billions that were lost by sitting out for a year, two years or or in some cases closer to three. I understand that and I’m sympathetic towards that, but you can’t throw that avalanche at the meeting planner all in one go. We’re all going to have to work our way back.” | AC&F | themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESJULY 2023 To compensate for the high auxiliary costs, planners need to get creative. One area is the production and entertainment, according to Becky Hopkins, director of Meetings & Education, Distribution Contractors Association, who says, “Maybe instead of an eight- piece orchestra band, I might have a five piece. Instead of some of the audiovisual, maybe I’ll cut back on that because audiovisual charges have just exploded.” Mary Cason Director of Special Events Iowa Automobile Dealers Association Our budget for Las Vegas is more than if we go to Dallas or another city ... We try to find ways to reduce costs, but we realize that costs are increasing. MAKING YOUR VISION OUR MISSION Located in the heart of downtown Austin, Texas 150+ nonstop flights to Austin from 95 destinations Austin-Bergstrom International Airport named Top 10 Best Airport in the U.S. by Condé Nast Traveler three years in a row SEE FOR YOURSELF WHY EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT AUSTIN, TEXAS. With world-renowned restaurants nearby, 12,000-plus hotel rooms within a two-mile radius of the facility, and iconic music venues just a short walk away, there is no better place to host your next event than the Austin Convention Center. With our cutting edge technology, customized network solutions and complimentary Wi-Fi throughout, we are ideal for many events with de- tailed and substantial technology needs. 100% CLIENT SATISFACTION Our service-first culture, with an all in-house staff, takes ownership of the guest’s entire experience. As a result, 100% of our clients would like to return for their next event based on survey results. TECHNOLOGY ACC_GBTB_AC&F_8.125x10.875.indd 17/18/22 12:05 PM NEW ORLEANS & COMPANY 14MAKING YOUR VISION OUR MISSION Located in the heart of downtown Austin, Texas 150+ nonstop flights to Austin from 95 destinations Austin-Bergstrom International Airport named Top 10 Best Airport in the U.S. by Condé Nast Traveler three years in a row SEE FOR YOURSELF WHY EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT AUSTIN, TEXAS. With world-renowned restaurants nearby, 12,000-plus hotel rooms within a two-mile radius of the facility, and iconic music venues just a short walk away, there is no better place to host your next event than the Austin Convention Center. With our cutting edge technology, customized network solutions and complimentary Wi-Fi throughout, we are ideal for many events with de- tailed and substantial technology needs. 100% CLIENT SATISFACTION Our service-first culture, with an all in-house staff, takes ownership of the guest’s entire experience. As a result, 100% of our clients would like to return for their next event based on survey results. TECHNOLOGYINDUSTRY TIPS themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESJULY 2023 Securing the Ideal Supplier How to Find the Perfect Match for Your Next Meeting By Maura Keller Being a meeting planner often requires a person to be a project manager, emergency preparedness specialist and crisis management expert – all rolled into one. Even the most orga- nized association meeting planner shudders when thinking of managing the details of the event alone, so many turn to a core group of vendors, suppliers and venues – people they know they can trust and who will do an effective job in facilitating an event. But what key elements go into finding that “perfect” supplier or venue? Quite simply, securing a quality supplier or venue is part art, part science. And there are undoubtedly key character- istics – from quality and reputation to contract flexibility to accessibility – that meeting professionals look for in their cho- sen vendor partners. According to Catherine Chaulet, president and CEO of Global DMC Partners, when securing a supplier partner for a program, the closer to the location this partner is, or the more connections this partner has, the better. “This means they do enough business to be relevant and have all of the critical relationships necessary to ensure a program’s success. Our industry is all about connections,” Chaulet says. “Working with connected, on-the-ground partners is the way to ensure planners will have the best resources available to them.” Once an association meeting planner establishes a comfort- able, communicative relationship at the onset of the partner- ship with a supplier, they’ll likely prevent any issues down the road. Also making sure to thoroughly evaluate the supplier or venue organization as a whole, taking into account simi- lar work styles, accessibility, company culture, transparency, stability and ensuring they fit into the budget, is paramount. Reputation Matters A mistake some meeting planners may make when trying to evaluate a supplier is conducting adequate research on the company. Without doing their due diligence and spending time researching the company, the supplier/client partner- ship can fall short of the planner’s expectations. That’s where “reputation” comes into play. As far as the quality and reputation of a supplier or venue, there are some key aspects that planners look for in their cho- sen partner. How meeting planners obtain this objective infor- mation is key to ensure the overall success of an event. Chaulet says that it is essential for planners to perform background checks on suppliers at multiple levels, i.e. insur- Matching the entertainment to the event is essential, and having the right partner to work with makes planning much simpler. ave you ever worked with a supplier or venue who meshes so well with your needs and requirements that it’s simply startling? You know the ones – they are organized, effective and deliver on their promises each and every time. They are the venues and suppliers you turn to time and time again because of their exceptional products and services. H 16ance, finances, reputation and expertise, and to continue eval- uations on an ongoing basis. “Very often, a planner will work with a vendor once or twice, and then many months or years later, the planner will go back to the vendor,” Chaulet says. However, many things may have changed in the meantime that can make this vendor not as strong.” Indeed, meeting planners should look at the level of exper- tise a supplier or venue has in their field. Are they fairly new to the event industry? What type of reviews have they received online? Most planners want to partner with professionals who have a deep understanding of event logistics, production and management of an event – from start to finish. It’s essential that they have experience in handling similar events and a strong track record of success. A potential supplier’s reputation within the industry should reflect a team that consists of skilled, knowledgeable, and reliable professionals. This includes both their core team and any supporting staff or subcontractors involved. Be sure to ask other event professionals for recommendations of suppli- ers and venues in the area. Word-of-mouth referrals are often the best indicators of success. Elizabeth Maddox, director of conference and events services at the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), and Kelly Frere, senior manager of contracts and event Ser- vices at ASCE, work diligently to secure suppliers and venues that exude professionalism and expertise for the events they orchestrate for ASCE. “Planners look for vendors that can be good partners. They should have good communication, provide the resources requested and have transparent pricing,” Maddox says. “Information about vendors can be found through internet research, connecting with other planners in person, on mes- sage boards, etc.” For Frere, communication and openness is key when assess- ing the quality of a supplier. “Your vendors should be able to answer any question that you may have and be able to explain why they can (or can’t) do something that you requested,” she says. With that said, for many planners, timely and efficient communication on the part of the potential supplier is para- mount. Seeking venues and suppliers that are quick to respond to inquiries, and proactive in their approach of contract nego- tiations is important. They also need to be responsive to any identified concerns or requests on the part of the planner. Location, Location, Location One element Maddox and Frere evaluate when securing suppliers is their location and proximity to an event. As Mad- dox explains, location and air access are impacted by many factors: Who is the audience? What is the event’s purpose? What type of local support is needed? More prevalent now, is the airlift sustainable? “An annual event often wants a location with a good air- lift, it must be easy for attendees to get there, and even once they get there, what are the transportation issues to the venue?” Maddox asks. Frere adds that local suppliers are better for certain items. As she explains, a local DMC can be a helpful one-stop shop 17 JULY 2023 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIES COURTESY OF GLOBAL DMC PARTNERS COURTESY OF GLOBAL DMC PARTNERS At Global DMC’s Connection in Dubai, their local partner — Pure Arabia — offered unique offerings for attendees like sandboarding.for a multitude of services, including transportation and tem- porary staffing. “Using a local printer can help cut delivery costs and are in close proximity to your event if an issue arises,” Frere says. “However, there are vendors that you have relationships with where location and air access aren’t a consideration. If you have a primary audio/visual vendor that you prefer to use, where they’re located probably doesn’t factor into your decision.” You also need to evaluate where most of the attendees are traveling from. For example, if the majority of attendees will be arriving from the East Coast, then you may not want to select a venue in Southern California as the travel time to and from the meeting or event could be exhaustive for attendees. Contract Negotiations Today, most meeting and event proposals (and their request for proposal counterpart) average a dozen or more pages in length and are often supplemented with association brochures, NDAs or other contract-type documents. From the event planner’s point of view, writing a request for proposal (RFP) can be one of most time-consuming and difficult chal- lenges they face, but it is vital when establishing a cohesive contract with a supplier or venue. “Planners need to be sure they have clearly defined their needs in the RFP. When they get to the contract, it is important to identify clear deadlines, timelines and make sure there are no hidden costs,” Maddox says. In fact, for many planners, the type of contact that is put forth by a supplier and/or venue after they have received the RFP can often make or break a deal. Often planners find hotels or ven- ues use standard “cookie cutter” contract/RFP responses and don’t take the time to prepare a custom response. That’s why it’s important to look for properties that are willing to take the extra time and respond with the same level of detail that a meeting or event team has prepared and requested in the original RFP. “Contract negotiation is extremely difficult, especially if you work internationally. Ultimately, a good contract should be a win-win and a fair one for both parties,” Chaulet says.“If themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESJULY 2023 Mainatining a solid relationship with a supplier, even after a meeting is over, is an investment for both parties. ASCE 2027/JASON DIXSON PHOTOGRAPHY Things to Consider when selecting a supplier In addition to reputation, flexibility of con- tracts and accessibility of the chosen venue on the part of attendees, other key elements that meeting planners should consider when selecting a supplier or venue include: • Aesthetics of the chosen venue: Will attendees be “wowed” by the overall curb appeal of a chosen space? • Parking availability: How easy and accessible is parking at the venue? And is it free? Selecting a venue that offers parking options aplenty is high on the list for many meeting planners. • Space constraints: Are the bath- room facilities conducive to the number of attendees present? Are there breakout spaces available for separate activities away from the main event space? Are their out- door spaces available for attendees to enjoy during breaks? • Upcharges: What type of upcharges does the supplier or venue have in place for such things as AV and catering? What other types of upcharges may be incurred and can these be clearly identified in the contract? • AV system usage: What’s the AV setup and can you bring in your own or do you have to use in- house AV systems? • Catering options: Does the venue offer catering on site? Can you use your own preferred caterer, and if so, will be there be an upcharge for using an outside vendor? • Cleaning and health procedures: How clean is the event space? What protocols do they have in place for health and safety? Are there air filters in place? 18a vendor pushes back hard on some elements, review it and try to under- stand what their reasoning is. Very often, there is a way to balance risks and opportunities and ensure that both parties feel 100% confident with the contract.” Also, Chaulet suggests using exist- ing relevant contract templates as much as possible to avoid the unneces- sary back and forth exercises around contract terms that are inadequate for specific programs. “The biggest factors when mov- ing to contract include meeting the requested needs and the overall cost. For many organizations good mutually agreed clauses, such as indemnification, deposit/payment schedule and force majeure are key,” Maddox says. Frere also suggests planners make sure the supplier or vendor is will- ing to negotiate the agreement. “Your organization may have clauses that need to be included and a vendor should be willing to work with you to add some version of that language into the agreement,” Frere says. For example, some meeting planners look for venues and suppliers who offer flexibility in payment terms such as stag- gered payments or the ability to negotiate payment schedules based on specific milestones or deliverables. This flexibility allows for better financial planning on the part of both the event planner and the association that is ultimately paying the bill. Associations often have budget constraints, so flexibility in pay- ment schedules is often readily embraced by the organization. And creating an extensive contract that clearly defines the role each entity will play is imperative. You need a firm under- standing of what each supplier is going to do in terms of deliv- ery, set up, cleaning and other labor involved. And thoroughly read through the final contract. Don’t leave anything to chance and don’t assume anything. Be sure the contract includes the unique specifications required, cancellation fees and payment terms within the contract. Tools To Use In addition to conducting a thor- ough evaluation of a potential supplier by connecting with other meeting professionals for their opinions, it is vital to perform due diligence by thoroughly researching a sup- plier or venue via the inter- net, as well as turning to CVBs or DMCs for supplier and venue recommenda- tions. Is the vendor capable of executing the scope of work in a quality fashion. What have other customers or planners said? Remember, the supplier’s logo, brand and other mar- keting materials, regardless of how well-designed, have very little correla- tion to high performance. “Using planner communities, webpages and internet reviews can give you a good picture of services,” Maddox says. Frere points out that some planners make their supplier and venue decision based on one factor (such as price) without looking at the whole picture. “For example, if you chose a ven- dor solely based on costs even though you’ve read a number of negative reviews about their work, chances are you’ll encoun- ter those same issues at your event.” And remember that a relationship with a vendor or sup- plier is just that – a relationship – and so both parties need to consider it as a partnership and work together to make a meeting or event successful. Nurturing the Good Relationship While an association event or meeting may only last a few hours or a few days, it is important to strive for a solid relation- ship between planners and suppliers. Building a relationship between an event planner and a service provider, whether that is a hotel or a caterer, is an investment for both parties. Planners agree that one way of accomplishing this is via open, honest and respectful communication between the all parties – the meeting planners, ven- dors, association staff, suppliers – on a frequent basis to identify continuous improvement opportunities through- out the event planning and implemen- tation stages. Depending on the size of the event and how long the planning stage lasts, the team should commu- nicate regularly and use tools such as MS Teams, MS Sharepoint or Slack to effectively communicate throughout the process. | AC&F | JULY 2023 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIES Elements to consider when planning an event include identifying your purpose, your audience, the airlift and the type of local support needed. Pictured: Duncan Wardle, closing speaker at the ASCE 2022 Convention. Elizabeth Maddox Director of Conference and Events Services, American Society of Civil Engineers For many organizations good mutually agreed clauses, such as indemnification, deposit/ payment schedule and force majeure are key. JASON DIXSON PHOTOGRAPHY 19Next >