The February 2010 luncheon meeting
of the New York Area Chapter of PCMA was held in the Hudson Theatre at the
Millennium Broadway Hotel New York. Following lunch, session attendees joined
in a variety of discussions on topics currently affecting our industry.
There were five topics, each with
its own moderator to lead the discussion. Attendees rotated through the various
topics in a round-robin format, with each round of discussion lasting about 20
minutes. Most attendees moved as a group from one table to the next, spurring
conversation and connections. This also broadened the discussions, allowing
attendees to refer to ideas or thoughts generated from a previous topic.
Each group of attendees had a
different experience, but the moderators helped ensure the major themes
of
discussion remained consistent. The topics and moderators included:
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When the Chips Are Down, Call
Your Bureau - Amber Levy,
San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau and Philomena Petro, Philadelphia
Convention and Visitor's Bureau
-
Developing Future Leaders -
Elizabeth George, New Orleans Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau
-
Motivating Your Staff in Tough
Economic Times - Greg Smith, Deniham Hospitality Group
-
Contracting Matters -
Anita O'Boyle, Institute for International Research
-
Best Industry Practices from 2009
to Implement in 2010 - Elizabeth Maisonet, Fairmont-Raffles-Swissotels
Those who met with the convention bureau
representatives discussed using the bureau as a one-stop shopping location for
hotel selection, digital service kits, community connections, voluntourism
opportunities, and attendance generation.
Ideas for developing future leaders
included participation in a mentor plan and support team; joining professional
organizations such as PCMA for training and education; providing the tools,
resources, and training for staff to succeed at their jobs; and fostering
flexibility and an openness to change.
There were a number of suggestions on
how to motivate staff in these difficult economic times, with recognition as
one of the essential motivators. Other non-monetary ideas included encouraging
staff to pursue their own interests, finding opportunities to move to the next
step, including them in decision-making and budgeting discussions, and making
them feel like an essential part of the team.
The groups who discussed
contracts seemed to agree on a need for an industry standard of accountability.
Hotels are concerned about rate integrity while planners are focused on clauses
that protect their events, but both parties need to share their concerns at the
beginning of the negotiation.
Among the best industry practices discussions, meeting planners examined what worked best to assist in monitoring and assessing room block pick up, last minute budget cuts, and the elimination/combining of meetings. Suppliers were asked what worked best in dealing with constant change in their customer needs in 2009. Both planners and suppliers shared ideas on how to stay focused on the job at hand instead of "am I going to have a job for long?".
The round-robin format led to
active discussion at all the tables, as planners and suppliers met with
friends, networked and shared ideas. The experience of exchanging thoughts and
interacting with peers in this type of setting can often have a greater impact on
attendees than when listening to a single speaker.
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