Site Selections Considerations
Site Inspections Checklist
• The destination Accessibility
• Ease and cost
• Proximity to airport
• Permits access by people with disabilities
• Adequate taxi/limousine service
• Sufficient parking space
• Availability and cost of shuttle service
• Adequate airport assistance
• Adequate number of flights into destination
• Seasonality of destination (peak season vs. off-season)
Environment
• Availability of local attractions
• Shopping
• Recreation
• Restaurants
• Weather conditions
• Appearance
• Safety of area
• Economic health of community
• Reputation of area/facility for hosting meetings
• Support and services available from local convention bureau
• Availability of experienced suppliers, such as audiovisual firms, exhibit service contractors, temporary help, and security
The facility
• Efficient, friendly doormen and bellman
• Attractive, clean lobby
• Registration desk easy to find
• Sufficient space in relation to guest room;
• Ability to handle peak check-in/check-out times
• Modern elevators in sufficient number
• Rapid response to telephone calls
• Availability of guest services
• Comfortable clean rooms
• Adequate closet space and hangers, fire exit.
• Availability of beverage and ice machines
• Service elevator accessibility
• Size of standard room vs. deluxe room
• Availability of “towers” or executive floor offering special guest services
• Rooms equipped for people with disabilities
• Number and types of suites and availability of suite floor plans
• Reservations procedures policies
• Room category classifications (floor number, non-smoking, ocean view, etc.)
• Number of rooms available for early arrivals and late departures
• Current convention rate and rack rate for individual guests (not part of the group)
• Date hotel will provide firm rates
• Guarantee and deposit requirements
• Check-in and check-out hours
• Cutoff date for the room block
• Check-cashing policies and types or credit cards accepted
• Refund policy for cancellations
• Number of non-smoking floors (standard and concierge)
• Dates of any planned renovations
• Any change in hotel ownership being discussed
• Availability of a health club, hours, and cost
• Telephone access charges (long distance, local, and calling card)
• Key system for guest rooms
• Adequate parking space (free or for a fee)
• Hotel emergency plan (meeting manager should review it)
• Hotel emergency exits clearly marked
• Comparison of king-bedded versus double-bedded room categories
Meeting space
Meeting rooms come in all shapes and sized, and with a number of obstructions and inadequacies. The meeting manager must evaluate the potential of each room under consideration. They should measure the room, prepare scale diagrams, incorporate all equipment, staging and decorations, and calculate the desired square footage per person for the required setup. Below are some questions the meeting manager should be prepared to answer before the site inspection:
How many meeting rooms will be required?
In addition to the formal program, will meeting rooms be needed for committee and business meetings?
• What is the estimated attendance for each session?
• Are attendees to be seated theater style, classroom style, or conference style?
• Are rooms with high ceilings and no columns or obstructions?
• Is space needed in or near the meeting room(s) for refreshment breaks?
• What pre- and post-meeting space is required for affiliated ancillary groups?
• Are meeting rooms accessible to people with disabilities?
Food & beverage service
• Public outlets
• Appearance and cleanliness
• Cleanliness of food preparation areas
• Adequate staffing at peak times
• Attitude of personnel
• Prompt and efficient service
• Variety of menus
• Cost range
• Reservations policy
Group functions
• Quality and service
• Diversity of menus
• Creativity or access to companies specializing in this
• Costs: tax and gratuities; projected price increase by the time of the meeting;
• extra labor charges for small group functions
• Liquor laws (restricted times)
• Cash bar policies: bartender cost and minimum hours, cashier charges, drink prices
• Refreshment break pricing: guarantee policies,
• when a guarantee is required, number prepared beyond guarantee
• Special services: tailored menus, theme parties, food available, table decorations, dance floor
• Size of banquet rounds (eight people or 10 people)
• Room service: diversity of menu, prompt and efficient telephone manner, prompt delivery, quality
Exhibit space
• Number of loading docks and proximity to exhibit
• Availability and locations of freight receiving area
• Location of utilities
• Maximum floor load
• Security of area
• Location of fire exits
• Proximity to food service areas & phones
• Availability of sufficient time for move-in and out
• Reputation of facility regarding union relations
• Decorations to enhance facility appearance
• Availability of supplemental lighting
• Proximity of exhibit hall to other portions of the meeting
• First aid station
• Availability of office space for exposition manager, service contractors, and suppliers
• Crate storage areas and policies
Offices and other services
• Sufficient space for furniture and equipment necessary to perform the business at hand
• Good lighting
• Easy for attendees to locate
• Adequate electrical outlets
• Availability of house telephone or telephone jacks
• Ability to secure space after hours
• Is the hotel flexible regarding the tentative agenda, or is meeting space locked in by a signed contract?
• Are doors to meeting rooms wide enough to accommodate wheelchairs?
Equipment
• Tables: six feet long, eight feet long, schoolroom width (15”-18”), rounds, 60 inches, 72 inches
• Chairs
Food and Beverage Arrangements
Catering Checklist
• What is the estimated attendance?
• What are the table linen color choices?
• Are centerpieces and decorations needed for head and buffet tables?
• How many places are required at the head table? Will the head table be on a platform?
• Is a floor or table lectern needed? If so, what type and where?
• How much time is needed for set up? When will the room by accessible?
• Are meals to be served at the head table, or will dignitaries take their places from reserved tables after ?
• Is service is buffet style, are head table guests to serves themselves, or are servers to prepare their plates?
• If meal tickets are to be collected, who will collect them at the door or the table?
• How are late arrivals without tickets to be handled?
• Are tickets required for head table guests?
• Is a registration or supply table needed outside the function room?
• Is an award table needed behind the head table?
• Are programs or menus to be placed on tables or chairs or distributed at the door?
• Is a room needed for VIPs prior to the function?
• Must special arrangements be made for guests with dietary restrictions?
• Are there banners that need to be placed?
• Is a coat check room needed?
• If awardees are seated in audience, how will the approach the lectern?
• Will a spotlight be used to illuminate their approach to the platform?
• Is the master of ceremonies to be spotlighted?
• Is the national anthem to be played?
• In the US, the American flag is required.
(The American flag must always be displayed to stage right, and state flags to stage left.)
• Will there be an audiovisual presentation? What type?
• Is background or dance music planned?
• Will there be a show or entertainment (including a band)
• For which an additional stage or platform is needed? If so, what size and height?
• Are platforms and stages to be skirted and/or carpeted? Are there lighted stairs with handrails?
• Is a rehearsal planned? When?
• At what time will the doors be opened?
• What is the timing for all aspects of the event?
(Pre-program music, entertainment, meal service timing, formal program and presentations, dancing, etc.)
• Where are the restrooms?
• Arrangements should be made to allow guests to re-enter the function room if door controls will be placed?
BUDGETING CHECKLIST
Since every meeting is different, the following is a guideline of possible expenditures that may be included in producing a successful meeting.
1 .SITE SELECTION
• Researching sites, including costs of directories, software, etc.
• Preparing and distributing requests for proposals
• Travel, housing, ground transportation, and other site visit cost
2. STAFF
• Salaries and benefits for permanent staff
• Wages and temporaries
• On-site expenses for travel, housing, and other costs
• Custodial, security, electrical, audiovisual, and other contracted
3. PROMOTIONAL
• Production and distribution of promotional pieces and other delivery vehicles
• Telephone fees
• Advertising costs
• Registration/housing confirmation
4. PRINTING
• Forms for registration (and housing if done in house)
• Tour and special event order forms
• Tickets for meals and special events
• Program agenda booklet
• Badge blanks and holders
• Special handouts and announcements
• Banquet menus and programs if separate from program booklet
• Enclosures, order forms in registration packets
• Exhibit programs (if separate from program booklet)
• Special invitations
• Materials for divisions, committees, board members, special interest groups
5. PROGRAM
• Planning: committee meetings, telephone, mailing, duplicating
• Expenses of speakers: honoraria, amenities, travel
• Audiovisual services
• Meeting room rental costs
• Special events, entertainment
• Golf or other sporting events
• Decoration costs
• Signs
• Awards
• Flowers
• Food and beverage costs
• Office furniture and equipment
• Staging
• Registration equipment
• Telephone
• Press room
• Simultaneous translation and audience response equipment
6. EXHIBITS PROMOTION
• Communication contracts
• Room rental costs
• Decorator services
• Audiovisual
• Duplication services: manuals, lists, regulations, charts, etc.
• Drayage
• Electrical costs
• Storage fees
• Staff office accommodations
7. SPOUSE, CHILDREN, GUEST PROGRAMS
• Coordinator expenses
• Gifts and amenities
• Printed program
• Transportation costs
• Entertainment
• Committee expenses
• Insurance
• Signs
8. MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSES TO KEEP IN MIND
• Office supplies
• Insurance
• Taxes
• Shipping
• Storage
• Gifts
• Shuttles, limousines, and other transportation
• Accounting
• Legal services
Negotiation Techniques
The following general principles must be remembered and applied for negotiations for any site, service, or supplier. By following these simple guidelines, a meeting manager can utilize the methods and lessons of meeting management in a more efficient manner.
Remember!
· Present and maintain a professional attitude
· Control stress and tension
· Avoid politics and egos
· Take time to gather all facts and requirements beforehand
· Meet with the proper hotel or site people who have the authority to make decisions
· Know all the following Do’s and Don’ts
DO
· Define the purpose and objectives of the meeting
· Know the event
· Have printed copies of meeting plans available
· Make key contacts in all services and sites
· Follow up frequently
· Obtain peer referrals
· Contact union stewards before an event at a union venue
· Communicate with clarity and outline everything in writing
· Make all agreements part of the written contract
· Possess the authority to make a decision (or sign a contract)
· Be ethical
· Ask questions
· Listen and pay attention
· Minimize all distractions
· Verify all legal clauses of the contract with an attorney
· Know the budget
Don't
· Sacrifice quality for cost
· Make unreasonable demands
· Insist on being the final authority
· Be inconsiderate of a supplier’s profit margin and business needs
· Escalate and overestimate needs
· Hesitate to ask questions
· Be apprehensive about negotiating for everything required
· Promise what cannot be delivered
· Lie or misrepresent
· Jump at the first offer
· Pass up a good deal based on a personality conflict
· Be intimidated
· Hesitate to advise the facility of changes
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HOW TO NEGOTIATE WITH A HOTEL
 The demand for hotel services has steadily increased these past few years, tilting the negotiating leverage in favor of preferred rather than the event planning clients. This has put extra pressure on event planners to find ways to negotiate with hotel sales to lower some of those expenses.
Depending on an event planner’s circumstances, these tips will help achieve some measure of savings with guest rooms, meeting services, and catering.
- Leverage multiple meetings at same location. One of the more effective strategies to saving money is to hold the bulk of your events throughout the year at the same property. Hotel sales managers are looking to achieve certain revenue numbers that they are likely to show more flexibility to a client who they know will return throughout the year vs. a one time client.
- Leverage total number of guest rooms for the event. Hotel sales managers will show flexibility on meeting room space costs and even catering expenses if they know that an event will incorporate a block of rooms. Guest rooms offer a greater profit margin that any other even service.
- Leverage additional discounts on guest rooms. Sales managers will also discount guest rooms or provide their clients with the lowest rate at that time. Event planners should compare the prices that sales managers provide against any corporate contract already established with that hotel – especially if it’s a chain – to secure the best price.
- Negotiate food and beverage requirements. Many planners will cut costs by adjusting this category, and hotel managers are happy to assists. The menus are designed to be adjusted to meet anyone’s budget. However, its better to identify your preferred food and beverage needs, and request discounts as the price exceeds budget. Hotel managers understand that event planners are in the business of keeping their guests happy and so is the hotel.
- Negotiate the audio/visual expense. A/V is an area where hidden expenses can quickly add up, and sometimes can be negotiated, but not always. Renting LCD projectors varies from venue to venue, and can be priced quite outrageously. As long as your venue doesn’t demand unionized labor, be bold and suggest discounting here, even quoting your own preferred fee. And ask for some expense items to be waived, if possible. Hourly rates on labor are non-negotiable. Venues are aware of client frustrations with A/V fees, and are outsourcing operations to third party companies instead, eliminating any negotiating responsibility.
- Leverage total event spend at the hotel. Sales will provide an event planner with costs for each expense item and/or service separately. This “line item” approach favors the hotel or venue and not the client. As this occurs, an event planner should compile the total investment in their program at a property, and discuss reductions based on the total amount of money being spent on all services. At the end of the day, the hotel sales manager knows how much money they would like to receive in exchange for their services. For those who tally their costs and address the bottom line, more savings will follow
- Be extremely flexible on time, space, and dates. Hold a program during non-peak dates and watch how flexible the hotel sales manager will become. Also, if a planner is flexible on their space requirements, hotel sales are likely to find them a spot and an optimal price. While an event planner is searching for that one space during a small window of time when the hotel has everything else otherwise booked and doesn’t anticipate selling that space, this creates an opportunity for both parties.
Compare quoted hotel guestroom discounts to online consumer travel search engines. It’s amazing how often you may notice that that search engines such as Expedia or Travelocity, and other sites that may offer more cost effective rates than those offered by a hotel sales manager to a corporate or organizational client.
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