< PreviousDe p ositPho to s. c o m 10 June/July 2023 | Corporate & Incentive Travel | TheMeetingMagazines.comNote that when we speak about the future, we often talk about a “new normal.” Rather, as we note in new print-and- play boardgame The Future is Yours (which teaches how to adapt to new trends and technologies), at the pace we’re mov- ing these days, we should be thinking about the “next” normal — and you can bet that several of these “next normal” states or operating conditions are about to come on fast and furious. This means that your meeting and event industry firm’s tal- ent, workforce management and operating strategies should be designed to be more adaptable from top to bottom — not- ing that flexibility, in effect, is the essence of future-proofing. As you start to reexamine what the future of work looks like for your organization, focusing on four key areas of stra- tegic thinking can help guide your planning efforts: Vision Establishing a more future-focused and flexible plan for how your organization will work and operate in an unpre- dictable business environment … and challenging your firm to adopt evolving workforce strategies that better align with its forward-looking business strategies. Productivity Reconsidering your fundamental approach to workforce management and engagement given new working models — and contemplating how to best leverage technology and connectivity to optimize employee empowerment, support and productivity, whatever circumstances that you and your staff may be asked to operate under going forward. Culture Embracing greater diversity and inclusion at every turn, actively seeking out fresh insights and perspectives, and stu- diously working to bring non-traditional voices (e.g. those of younger generations, outside thought leaders, etc.) to the table to help drive added engagement and innovation. Oversight Working to build strong, resilient and accountable cul- tures and preparing your organization to adapt to growing workforce issue complexity and the growing demands of regulatory compliance and oversight. As you can see, there will be no one-size-fits-all solution to working models and setups going forward. At the same time, redesigning meeting and events firms’ working solu- tions and strategies to be more flexible and resilient will also be key to planning for tomorrow. Thankfully, by taking the time out to rethink how you engage, empower and interface with your employees today, you’ll be far better equipped to deal with the organizational demands of tomorrow. C&IT Hailed as the world’s leading business strategist, award-winning expert witness, 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;” “Make Change Work for You: 10 Ways to Future-Proof Yourself, Fearlessly Innovate, and Succeed Despite Uncertainty;” and “Fast >> Forward: How to Turbo-Charge Business, Sales, and Ca- reer Growth.” The president and CEO of BIZDEV: The International Association for Business Development and Strategic Partnerships, his website is FuturistsSpeakers.com. In addition to investing in areas like research, development and operational planning, it’s going to be critical to invest equally heavily in workforce- related training, education and support in the years ahead. DepositPhotos.com TheMeetingMagazines.com | Corporate & Incentive Travel | June/July 2023 11B udgeting for the audiovisual costs of a meeting can be as nuanced as pricing a meeting’s food and beverage package. There is often a menu of equipment and setup options alongside other integral cost decisions, which range from whether to use an in-house or external AV company to whether to invest in extras, such as an LED wall. The importance of AV for a meeting scores high among planners, according to a recent study by Encore, which is the industry’s largest in-house AV company. Encore’s Spring Planner Pulse, based on input from some 2,000 meeting pro- fessionals in the U.S. and Canada, showed that three-quarters of planners intend to spend the same or more on their events in 2023 as compared to 2022, with a range of $5k to $50k in their budgets for AV. According to the study, planners list AV along with transportation, speakers and production, as areas where they are less likely to make a cut if an overall budget needs trimming. “For those who are working to balance their budget and are looking for ways to extend the ROI, AV and production we have seen are less likely to be reduced due to the neces- sity of having meeting content produced and executed well,” says Tara Higgins, president of Hargrove and SVP of Com- mercial for Encore. AV is a top priority for Katie Bohrer, CMP, Chief Expe- rience Officer at Onwardly, who plans both corporate and incentive meetings and events. “I tend to produce pretty content-heavy events, and audiovisual is a huge part of that,” Are You Budgeting Enough for AV? BY MARLENE GOLDMAN How To Make The Most of Your Audiovisual Spending Plan 12 June/July 2023 | Corporate & Incentive Travel | TheMeetingMagazines.com PLANNER TIPSBohrer says. “If you can’t hear or see or understand the mes- sages being delivered, then it’s all for naught. So, it’s a big area that we invest in.” One of Bohrer’s first strategies for budgeting for a meeting is to meet with somebody from the in-house AV team on her site visits, even before the contracting phase. “Audiovisual sometimes is treated as an afterthought. Planners often go on site at properties and look at venue prices and room rates, but the actual cost of AV and how that gets filtered is normally not discussed or considered until after the venue is selected.” Encore also emphasizes bringing AV in early in the bud- geting and planning process. Higgins suggests planners come to the table with a list of event objectives rather than a list of products. “Let your partner be a consultant on how to achieve your goals within your budget.” Proper forward planning with the help of an AV company is also a key to achieving a planners’ goals while staying within budget, according to Higgins, including provisions for whether an event audience size grows, or whether additional elements will be added that require different technology and production. It also allows them to understand a planner’s desired out- come so they can advise where to spend and where to save. For example, Encore had a request for an LED wall that was not possible due to its weight for the room it would be in and the size of the back screen. Instead, they used stacked projec- tors — a substitute that was cheaper, lighter, easier to install in a short time frame and offered the same effects as LED. “I feel our AV partners have become more adept at being experienced designers as well, so we use them the same way you would customize a menu with a chef to create what you want,” Bohrer says. “I treat strong AV teams, especially for bigger events, as a partner allowing them to collaborate, ask- ing them what works well in their space.” In-House vs. External AV Providers One of the first decisions in the AV selection process is choosing whether to use the hotel or venue’s in-house AV team or hire an external AV vendor. Some hotel contracts mandate the use of the in-house AV team and either prohibit or charge extra for the planner to hire their own provider. Knowing the restrictions ahead of time can help in the negotiating process. The benefits of an in-house production team like Encore includes the up-front investment the company has made at the venue for items, such as rigging points, integrated house equipment and digital signage. Many of the pieces are already in place, rather than when bringing in an outside company. But Sara Ross, CMP, Senior Director, Event Operations at 1105 Media, warns there can be additional service charges and taxes slapped on by a hotel that is not reflected in the quote from an in-house AV provider. She recalls for one meet- ing being quoted $47,000 in AV costs only to find out that, after taxes and fees from the venue, the final bill was closer to $70,000. “I think planners have been upset to be presented with the final bill, and it’s 35% more than they thought it was going to be,” Ross says. “I argued with the provider when that happened, and they [said], ‘Well that’s not our tax.’ But, that is still is the final cost to me. I can’t get around the service charge and tax from the [venue], so you should include that.” Instead, Ross, who spends from 15 to 20% of her overall budget on AV, prefers to work with an external team who travels to her events, despite the added cost for transportation and accommodation. “They come to all my events, and my speakers know who they are; it’s reassuring to our speakers.” For venues that require union labor, Ross brings in her own supervisor. “We were just in Las Vegas, and we had to use union labor at all of our breakouts but baked into my hotel contract was bringing my own supervisor.” She also advises for those hiring equipment from in-house or external vendors to be ready to negotiate. “When you get quotes back from differ- Because of the importance of audiovisual elements at meetings, AV and production budgets are less likely to be cut. Courtesy of Encore TheMeetingMagazines.com | Corporate & Incentive Travel | June/July 2023 13ent AV providers, they all quote different projectors and dif- ferent microphones, so it’s very difficult to compare apples to apples, but there’s a ton of padding on pricing. If you press the slightest bit, you’ll be amazed that suddenly the price drops.” Having her own team can save money in the long run. “I can go up to my supervisor 30 minutes before a session starts and say, ‘Hey, my boss just says he wants that session’s audio recorded so editors can write a story about it.’ And he’s says, ‘Okay.’ He’s not going to charge an extra $200 or $1,500 on an invoice and say, ‘Hey, you added this on site.’” Bohrer also uses external companies for certain situations. “If I have a super complex program from an AV level, with lots of presentations, lots of walk ups and walk downs and lots of different speakers, I want somebody who can be a pro- ducer on that with me. A lot of times an external production company is going to offer a producer to manage that piece the same way somebody would manage food and beverage.” She often opts for a hybrid approach using external com- panies for producing the content while sticking with local teams for items such as equipment rental to save on costs. “I have found that in-house is willing to work with me so I can bring in my own positions but then we use all their equip- ment, all their local labor for setup and teardown. Also, track- ing gear city to city is not normally the most cost-efficient way to do AV,” she says. Bohrer has also incurred issues with consistency of expertise for AV personnel, especially at in-house compa- nies. She recalls a 50-person event that her company hosted that required very minimal AV, although there were many speakers, audio cues and specific walkout songs. “Normally, I would expect a team to be able to handle that, but this team was really junior and green, and it ended up being something that I had to dedicate one of my planning team members to.” Challenges When Budgeting for AV One impediment to forward-planning for AV is the cur- rent trend of a short planning window in the industry. The time crunch is proving a challenge even for a large in-house AV provider like Encore, which has the most equipment inventory in the country. The reduced amount of time that planners are scheduling meetings makes it more difficult to source equipment for special requests, such as an LED wall, a trending feature currently in high demand. Requesting equipment, a month or even six weeks out, can potentially drive-up costs if a provider needs to rent equipment or sub- stitute for what is available. There are general cost-saving measures that planners can follow for AV. One suggestion from Encore is to inquire whether it’s possible to piggyback on a prior event to save costs; for example, bringing in incentive groups to the same location, which can save on setup, breakdown and labor. Also checking on the timing to save on labor, such as not setting up a meeting that will require loading in on holidays or weekends. One thing she does is trying to figure out what setup the group before or after is using, and seeing if they can use that same setup from an AV per- spective so that the team can minimize labor costs. Bohrer explains, “So, if you asked for two screens that were a certain size and the group before is using a larger screen, can they go ahead and put that in for your room? Would that save every- body money and time? I think it is on the AV team to take a look at that and make suggestions to planners, but I always try to ask as well.” For costs savings, Encore also suggests building sets with modular, sustainable rentable equipment versus custom builds. Planners can access self-serve content templates, such as Encore’s Event Now, an online portal for ordering equip- ment and more. The option can be used for meetings that need creative impact but don’t require custom content creation. What Are Some Hidden Costs? Labor costs can vary from city to city, which can affect staffing decisions by planners. “I look at whether it is a union city,” Bohrer says. “What does labor look like if I bring in outside partners? Are there additional costs for that?” One of the biggest meeting costs for Ross is labor, which she also notes can vary depending on location. “Even at a non- DepositPhotos.com According to Katie Bohrer, CMP, chief experience officer at Onwardly, lighting for events can come with extra costs depending on the venue. 14 June/July 2023 | Corporate & Incentive Travel | TheMeetingMagazines.com Let your partner be a consultant on how to achieve your goals within your budget. TARA HIGGINS President, Hargrove and SVP of Commercial, Encoreunion property, labor costs are probably about 40% of the bill. And if it’s union, it’s probably 50% to 60% of the bill. In union towns, they usually more heavily discount the equipment because they can’t discount the labor.” Hybrid events can come with more costs than planners might expect. The on-site AV equipment will likely differ from the remote AV equipment and there will be more labor and setup costs. “Recording and/or streaming gets very expensive because it’s challenging to record or stream without having a tech in the room,” Ross says. Her events normally include from four to six breakout rooms with simultaneous sessions. “When you’re recording or streaming you have to have somebody in that room the whole time; plus, the additional equipment and the additional internet bandwidth for streaming and all of that. The costs quickly become challenging.” Bohrer agrees that virtual elements can have prohibitive costs, such as the warehousing of the recorded content, the stor- age for all the files and the cost of a firewall or other privacy pro- tection strategies. “The cost can quickly become burdensome.” Some meetings, especially in the tech field, can run up costs when all attendees are on computers simultaneously. Extra costs can include the need for power for some 500 attendees. “That’s a labor cost that’s going to hit your AV line,” Bohrer says. “If you don’t have those power lines, that’s something that you’re going to have to invest in.” According to Bohrer, lighting for events can come with extra costs depending on the venue. Many events are held at non-tra- ditional venues, such as beach dinners, lawn receptions or pool- side parties – spaces that don’t have built in lighting. “That’s a huge thing to think about. If you do market lights one night and the next night you do moving lights or Airstars (balloon lights), that really changes how that space transforms,” she says. Bohrer even focuses on lighting in her more traditional venues, investing more in her budget than many planners. “I use lighting to really transform spaces. You can create some- thing so different in the exact same space from day to day. How do we want to actually transform these rooms for din- ners or receptions? How do we make them really special? Lighting is the best way to do that.” Insider Tips One of Ross’ strategies for smooth production is to feed the AV techs during lunches, even if they have per diems, so they can be on-call when speakers are setting up their pre- sentations. “A lot of meeting planners have the attitude that I’ve already paid for their meals, so they’re not included and I’m not going to feed them. But, I don’t want them leaving to get lunch and then a presenter wants to do a render during the lunch break, and I can’t find anybody to help them. If they’re all sitting at one of my banquet tables eating, I can just walk over and one of them will get up and go help.” Bohrer’s tip is to be aware that there are potential hidden costs for events surrounding entertainment. “My advice is to make sure you know what your entertainment riders are going to be and price that appropriately. If you’re bringing in a big name musician or a great DJ, they’re going to have a more complex production rider for what you need to provide. That’s sometimes an afterthought – you think about lighting and a sound system, but you don’t think about the fact that, if you’re bringing a band, they’re probably not going to bring their own instruments. In the budgeting process, find out what is expected and making sure there’s a line item for that.” Still, the biggest tip from all sides is to include AV as early in the process as possible. “I do think that the AV space has upped their game to be more like experienced partners,” Bohrer says. “They’ve offered a lot more creativity and input to the design. They are less like order takers and more like true collaborators to create what you want.” C&IT Courtesy of Encore Make sure your room accommodates your AV plan. You may want a 12 ft LED wall (pictured) but it may not fit the event space. TheMeetingMagazines.com | Corporate & Incentive Travel | June/July 2023 15T he American melting pot consists of many ingredients. It’s what gives our nation depth, character and diversity. According to the Brookings Institute, studies indicate the annual population changes by race and eth- nicity since 2016 show that the nation’s white population dropped in size. Thus, all of the U.S. population growth from 2016 to 2020 comes from gains in people of color. And the number of ethnic Americans will eventually represent the majority of the U.S. population. Despite this fact, some meeting planners continue to use a homogeneous approach to meetings and events while others are jumping on the proverbial “multicultural bandwagon.” But with so many different kinds of people boasting multicultural back- grounds and languages – corporate meeting and event plan- ners need to incorporate multilingual elements into today’s meetings and events to establish an inclusive element to corporate gatherings. “The world is getting smaller. Virtual options are allowing the world to collaborate more and more, crossing time zones, Mind Your Language BY MAURA KELLER Multilingual Considerations in Today’s Meetings It is important to know what type of multilingual considerations need to be put in place prior to your meeting. Courtesy of Nikki Yep 16 June/July 2023 | Corporate & Incentive Travel | TheMeetingMagazines.com INDUSTRY INSIGHTborders and even language barriers,” says Nikki Yep, chief operating officer and meeting planner at Event Solutions. “Effective communication and inclusion are two of the most important elements of today’s meetings and events. Meetings are especially important to have effective communication to ensure the goals are accomplished.” There are key multilingual components that need to be included in all types of meetings and events. For example, as with all events, Yep and the team of meeting planners at Event Solutions first establish what multicultural attend- ees’ needs are. How many people need translator services and to what degree? What languages need to be included? Should all printed and online materials be translated? During Event Solutions’ recent Access Asia event, guests from all over the world required multiple translators for different languages. Specifically over 300 attendees from across the globe gathered at Pacific Palms Hotel in the City of Industry, CA. “To keep the communication clear, we provided head- sets. Translators worked from booths during the presen- tations and then were assigned to individuals during the breakout,” Yep says. “Signage was also provided in multiple languages to ensure that we provided an inclusive space for all guests.” Cindy Lo, meeting planner and CEO of Red Velvet, says if you want to be more inclusive, you do need to offer either live translation or over-communicate what language(s) the sessions will be given in. “Yes, it’s true that the default is English but I have been to American-company hosted events in other parts of the world where the attendees mostly do not speak English so it’s imperative to have a plan that works for these non-native English speakers,” Lo says. “And beyond language, I also would encourage the hard-of-hearing and blind.” Indeed, more and more planners are incorporating translation ser- vices for those who are unable to hear as well as accommoda- tions for those with sight issues. If you know in advance that your audience is a pretty evenly divided between native Spanish-speakers and Eng- lish-speakers, Lo suggests proactively translating website, registration materials and any handouts/slides to both lan- guages. She would then also have all of the sessions clearly marked on the agenda if they will be spoken in English, Span- ish or even both. “Incorporating multilingual components sets the foundation for a culture of inclusivity at the event, making those who speak different languages feel valued and welcome and encourages participation and collaboration among Providing headphones that translate into your attendees’ native language is important for effective communication. Courtesy of Nikki Yep TheMeetingMagazines.com | Corporate & Incentive Travel | June/July 2023 17 By putting your message out to people of other languages and cultures, you’re going to get a wider range of input. SARAH BUCHBINDER Meeting Group Broker, Meetings Made Easyattendees,” says Sarah Buchbinder, meeting group broker at Meetings Made Easy. “It also reduces the possibilities of echo chambers and opens the dialogue to a more diverse set of contributions and feedback. You get what you give — by putting your message out to people of other languages and cultures, you’re going to get a wider range of input. The more diverse your attendees, the more distinct contributions you’ll receive.” Buchbinder worked on a pharmaceutical event in Costa Rica, discussing use cases of a new treatment and how to focus it on where it’s most needed. The speakers included those who spoke English, Spanish and Portuguese. “We had real-time interpreters in phone-booth-sized glass boxes in the rear of the room and I specifically remem- ber one of the Spanish-Portuguese interpreters gesturing wildly and passionately during the speeches,” Buchbinder says. At the end of the meeting when the attendees were returning their headsets, so many commented about how engaging and captivating the presentation was because of this interpreter, and requested her contact information for their future events. What could have been a lost oppor- tunity to reach these attendees, had there not been real- time translation, instead created a community even more engaged and committed. Lost In Translation The challenges of properly managed multilingual components of corporate events that may have attendees from many locations, who speak different languages, are certainly broad. The good news is that incorporating multilingual considerations is easier than it looks — and not always an expensive proposition. To avoid embarrassing mistakes or potentially improper translation issues, Buchbinder stresses that meeting plan- ners or their team members shouldn’t try to translate meeting components themselves. Rather, hire local translators because they are not only translating the content but the culture as well. “There’s a reason the phrase ‘lost in translation’ exists, because you’re not just translating words, you’re interpreting a message,” Buch- binder says. “And being aware of cultural intricacies of the language and local interpretations can protect you from embarrassment or worse, misconceived messages. If you need examples of how this can go horribly wrong, just look at how Nikita Khrushchev almost started World War III, when Jimmy Carter expressed his ‘carnal desires’ for the Polish people [rather than what he meant – that he was happy to be in Poland], or more recently when Justin Trudeau mistak- enly praised the ‘railroad stations in Motorola’ [due to speech recognition errors].” Other translation tips that Buchbinder recommends include: • Give your interpreters access to the speeches and top- ics with as much lead time as you can … First, for them to learn any industry or topic-specific verbiage, and second, to be able to review their interpretations and clarify any unclear idioms, phrases and messages. “While someone may be able to speak about their heart in French, they may not be familiar with the medical terminology surrounding a thoracic aortic dissection repair,” Buchbinder says. • Hire registration and hospitality/information desk staff that are multilingual in as many of the languages of your attendees as you can. Having somewhere for an attendee to reach out to when they have questions will Courtesy of Nikki Yep Having legible signage in multiple languages is important. 18 June/July 2023 | Corporate & Incentive Travel | TheMeetingMagazines.com If you forecast complicated terms and ideas, it is helpful to print out one sheet for guests so they can see the takeaway points in their native language. NIKKI YEP Chief Operating Officer and Meeting Planner, Event Solutionsimmediately make them feel like a valued guest and encourage their participation. Buchbinder studied to become fluent in Spanish and Portuguese, and it has proven invaluable when she is working onsite at a meet- ing to be able to assist a wider contingent of attendees, and communicate with local staff. • Utilize a way to show what languages people speak when meeting others – what about lapel pins, ribbons, or even flags or colors on their name badges. This will not only foster networking but also acts as a conversations starter when meeting someone new. • Incorporate translations both audially and visually using subtitles on presentations whenever possible. Yep agrees that planners should consider the potential of content being lost in trans- lation. If possible, she says it is a best practice to give the translator a script so they are aware of terms. “If you forecast compli- cated terms and ideas, it is helpful to print out one sheet for guests so they can see the takeaway points in their native language,” Yep says. Also, don’t make assumptions that everyone speaks the same language. When in doubt, ask. “Some people are able to understand written but struggle with speech. Some can understand spoken but struggle to speak the lan- guage themselves. Every- one benefits from effective communication, so it is well worth the consideration and effort,” Yep says. Besides added costs being the biggest hurdle for most planning organizations (especially right now when compa- nies are looking at every line item of the budget to cut), Lo suggests investing in a live translator vs. someone that will translate writing only. “As far as mistakes to avoid as it relates to translation, the planner may not be sensitive to cultural differences and nuances in the language, or opt for low-quality or inacces- sible translation services,” Buchbinder says. “If you’ve ever put something in Google translate and then tried to translate in a few different languages and then back to English, you’ll see why this is a bad idea.” Also, not testing the audio equipment beforehand or not giving enough instruction in how to utilize it is a common mistake. Another is not communicating to attendees before- hand that there will be translation services or that there will be multilingual content. “You may lose attendees before you start if they don’t know they are going to be able to be under- stood,” Buchbinder says. “And be sure to cover slang, as that has hurt us in the past. Something that is usually common slang in American English is considered offensive in some other languages,” Lo says. Globalization Means Translation The multicultural meetings and events attendee is becoming the mainstream attendee. As demographics in the U.S. continue to shift to make way for a new “minority majority,” multilingual expe- riences within the realm of meetings and events will continue to become more mainstream and reflect those in the rest of the world. As ethnic Americans quickly become a significant popula- tion segment, many meeting planners are realizing that the “one size fits all” tech- nique for the events industry simply doesn’t work. What’s more, with the rebound of meetings since the COVID pandemic and compa- nies looking to globalize even more than before, multilin- gual considerations at meet- ings and events is paramount. Plus, as Buchbinder explains, the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of virtual and hybrid events, and increased the access to tools available to facilitate multi- lingual programs. “These tools have become more cohesive and cost effec- tive, giving planners more opportunity to reach a wider audi- ence and have more successfully inclusive attendee experi- ences at their events,” Buchbinder says. Lo is hoping one day, since most attendees have smart phones, that they can easily plug in a headset that takes the on-stage speaker’s amplified voice and automatically trans- late to the attendee’s preferred language. “This would be the ideal situation – that way everyone can get the talk in their preferred native tongue and we don’t have to worry about noise pollution since everyone is able to tune into their own ‘frequency’ on their smart phone,” Lo says. “I think we’re very close to this type of solution as I already got to beta test something.” C&IT Translation technology has improved a lot since this device that had different channels to listen to the proper language translation, says Cindy Lo, of Red Velvet, who says that these days, she can often just use her smart phone. Courtesy of Cindy Lo TheMeetingMagazines.com | Corporate & Incentive Travel | June/July 2023 19Next >