Risk Management

Part of the RDL team recently returned from the University of California’s Annual Risk Summit, which was held in Los Angeles this year. As you might imagine, there were workshops on topics spanning all types of Risk Management from Worksite Wellness to Driver Distraction to legal and contractual issues. As the meeting planners for the event, I wonder if there was an adequate assessment of risk for the event itself. We seldom encounter emergency situations but even a “small” emergency such as an attendee experiencing the onset of a mild asthma attack, as happened at this year’s Summit, needs to be handled quickly and knowledgeably.

It could all be a bit overwhelming to think of every possible area of event management. Enter the EMBOK, which stands for Event Management Body of Knowledge and is a project developed by Julia Rutherford Silvers (EMBOK.org). There are five areas of management for an event of any kind, whether it is a music festival, training meeting, a large conference, or tradeshow. They are:

Administration

Design

Marketing

Operations

Risk

Each of these five management domains has what Silvers calls “classes” or subdivisions. Each one of these needs to be considered in a safety plan or risk assessment.

 

As the meeting planner, it may not be our role to make the decision to evacuate a building but it is our responsibility to have an emergency plan in place. By asking “what if…” or “what could go wrong?” in each of the areas of event management and documenting it, will be crucial in case anything does go wrong and evidence of this consideration is needed in court. Ask the question, “have we done our due diligence?” and discuss this with all members of the planning team, including the venue.

As a natural optimist, I don’t personally look to what can go wrong in life. But as a professional meeting planner, I see this as an important and necessary part of the planning process in which we need to always be thinking two steps ahead. As Silvers states, “We cannot control things; the only thing we can truly control is our ability to respond if problems occur.”

~ Ginger Myrick • Meeting Planner, RDL enterprises

Thinking Outside the Box for Small Meetings

It is amazing to see how the current economic situation is bringing out great new ideas in many industries. I recently read an article in Corporate Meetings & Incentives that described a process for meeting planners and administrative personnel to help their companies save two very important resources – time and money – with regard to the meetings they do on an ongoing basis.

It is becoming known in the business as “Meeting in a Box.” The article is a bit lengthy and may be somewhat confusing to someone not directly involved in the meetings industry. However, the concept is basically that the planner and hotel partner to create pre-negotiated packages for a client who does many small meetings. You can read the full article here.

We have done something similar in the past with a series of small trainings held throughout California which involved developing pre-negotiated packages with preferred hotels that included set menus, meeting space, basic audiovisual, and standardized contracts. “Admins can then choose a package that meets their needs and book the program without having to negotiate costs or review contract terms and conditions.”

This relationship is a benefit to everyone involved – the planner and hotel are able to provide their services to more companies and the client (admin person and their company) is able to more accurately track the expenses, save money, and increase efficiency. I’d say these benefits are always important, no matter the economic climate!

- Ginger Myrick • Meeting Planner, RDL enterprises

What is a Hybrid Meeting?

The dictionary defines a hybrid as a mixture, a combining of two elements to produce a whole new thing.

When someone uses the word hybrid, what images or ideas does it bring to mind? You may think of your pretty Prius in your garage, or maybe that tomato variety you just planted in your garden. Perhaps you think of your bicycle – not a sturdy mountain bike with wide, knobby tires, yet not a road racer with skinny, slick tires.

Here’s something new to think about – Hybrid Meetings. They take the elements of a live meeting and a meeting via the internet and combine them to produce a whole new kind of meeting. The participants sitting in the meeting room and the participants sitting in front of their computers are “attending” the same event. They may both participate and interact together and with the presenters. While this may sound like a Webinar, it is not. Usually, a Webinar is simply a presenter, alone in front of a web camera, presenting to “attendees” exclusively over the internet.

Here are a few ways that an organization can take advantage of the Hybrid Meeting format: (1) a situation where the conference has drawn less than the expected numbers of attendees; (2) for large associations with thousands of members but only several hundred can physically attend the annual conference; and (3) a situation where a conference is sold out and cannot accommodate any more attendees at the physical event. The online participants register for the event just as the “in person” attendees but with a different fee. This has the potential to really boost participation in and revenue for your event. It can even allow you to build interest virally online and build interest for future events. Archiving is another benefit of Hybrid Meetings and can produce residual revenue for the organization if you make conference presentations available after the event has concluded.

Most experts don’t foresee them replacing live, in-person events, though. People will always benefit from the face-to-face networking opportunities that internet-based meetings can’t fully provide. While there are quite a few companies out there to assist with the technical and production aspects, Hybrid meetings don’t eliminate the need for extensive planning and a cohesive team headed up by an experienced Meeting Planner.

- Ginger Myrick, Meeting Planner

Thoughts on Collaboration and Cooperation

In these challenging times in which we find ourselves, it is more important than ever to work together to achieve not only our own goals but really keeping in mind the helpful, service-oriented attitude to help the other person or organization reach their goals as well.

As John Donne wrote back in 1624, “No man is an island ...” So while the “power of one” can and has accomplished seeming miracles, consider that the “one” was actually standing on the shoulders of those who have gone before.

By blazing your own trail you may just end up in the weeds or even off a cliff! How much better to have a map and some companions (or experts) to bounce around ideas with! Self-confidence is a great thing but use your wisdom and sensitivity to guide yourself away from arrogance.

You may not think my reflections apply to you but I’m just saying…

- Ginger Myrick

Meetings are still relevant!

I’ve just returned from an educational conference and tradeshow put on by the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) called Affordable Meetings. It was held June 10-11 at the convention center in San Jose and was attended by approximately 450-500 meeting planners from many different organizations of every type and size, including associations, corporations, government, military, religious, incentives, social, ethnic, special events, sports and educational groups.

Exhibitors at the tradeshow (200 of them!) included hotels, university conference centers, unique meeting sites, convention and visitor bureaus, transportation companies, software companies, audiovisual companies, destination management companies and other meeting and convention suppliers.

In the seminars and on the tradeshow floor there was the expected talk of business slowdown from both the planners and suppliers, however most everybody was upbeat and hopeful about continuing to do business together, which means – having meetings and conferences!

For another take on the importance of meetings, check out this video from CBS News by Ben Stein.

Staying current is critical in these rapidly changing times, knowing the latest in legislative mandates and travel restrictions is so important when considering holding a conference or meeting. By networking with peers and attending educational conferences such as HSMAI, meeting planners can be equipped with the information necessary to coordinate successful and cost-effective events.

I definitely learned some new tools and tricks that I will be sharing with you in the weeks ahead to make your Food & Beverage budget go a little farther, how to think clearly under pressure, and more!

- Ginger Myrick, Meeting Planner