Outsourcing Meeting Management

May 27, 2013 // Meeting Management

Outsourcing Meeting Management: When Partnership Pays

Knowing what to look for in a third-party meeting management company, your business can benefit from streamlined processes, improved vendor relations, and cost reductions. In today’s tough market conditions, outsourcing meeting management is often a line-item cut from the budget. In many cases, because of staff reductions and diminished budgets, in-house meeting planners, or those with little to no experience in planning events, are being asked to take on these activities on top of their other responsibilities.

While this step appears to be a means to save money, in reality, it often results in higher costs and lost focus on the event and its goals. However, by knowing when and how to best engage with a meeting management services firm, you’ll benefit from streamlined processes, improved vendor relations, and obtain possible cost reductions.

Budget Control: An experienced partner will be able to assist you in establishing a realistic cost proposal for your event. Without extensive experience in meeting planning, it can be difficult to assemble a comprehensive budget. Common items that are often overlooked include onsite copies and last-minute printing, food/beverage taxes and service charges, airfare and travel expenses, signage and more.
Leverage Relationships: Meeting managers have the added benefit of knowing the proper resources. A meeting planner with experience in your area or national venue can leverage existing relationships with vendors earned through coordinating programs with a variety of clients. The result is the ability to negotiate better rates and discounts. In addition, because they do this on a daily basis, they know what types of concessions to look for in contracts such as complimentary Wi-Fi and planning visits, reduced fees on items such as audio visual and food-beverage.
Fresh Ideas: Another benefit of partnering with a meeting support services firm is the influx of fresh ideas that are brought to the table. Experienced meeting management outsource firms will have a variety of theme and networking ideas to ensure program objectives are met and the event is successful in engaging attendees.
Part of the Team: If your organization has a meeting planning department or internal contact, third-party meeting management partners can still be of value. The use of a third-party can help reduce workload, drive strategy and focus, as well as ensure the smallest of details are implemented.
Under/Over: Food and beverage under/over factors is another area meeting management firms add value to the process as they are experienced in determining the right amount to order based on best practices. For instance, if you have a group of 500 and are planning a breakfast before departure, an experienced meeting manager will be able to guide you on how many you can really expect to eat that morning, ensuring you don’t incorrectly estimate your food/beverage order.
Connectivity: Another area that requires expertise is Internet access as meeting attendees expect easy access in today’s age. An experienced meeting manager is able to evaluate these requirements, work with the appropriate IT teams and make sure the connections are in place that are needed. Your partner should also ensure the appropriate firewalls are in place to sync with necessary networks, polling technologies and other reporting systems to ensure accessibility while onsite.

Getting Started

If you are outsourcing meeting management and planning, the firm you select should be a collaborative partner. To get the most of their expertise, be sure to incorporate them as one of your team. This engagement should include site visits, participation in the decision-making process, as well as strategy sessions. Be sure to give them access to reports and the data they need to apply best practices to your event.

Your meeting planning venture should start six months to one year in advance, depending on the size, scope and location of your event. Depending on your needs, some partners will be better than others as some specialize in specific functions such as tradeshow exhibits or transportation, while others are well rounded in all meeting management services. Regardless of who you partner with, make sure to have back-up plans in place. And, once you’ve selected your partner, clearly define areas or responsibilities you want to keep in-house and what you should outsource.

To learn how metroConnections can be a valuable extension of your meeting management team, contact Kim Holste, Director, Conferences & Meeting Services.
With almost two decades of expertise in all aspects of project management and meeting/event planning, Kim Holste serves as the Director of metroConnections’ Conferences & Meetings division. She started with the company in 2005 as a program management lead. She has the proven ability to manage multiple projects concurrently with strong detail, problem solving and follow through capabilities. In her current role, she is responsible for managing her team as well as outside vendors, negotiation of contracts as well as the oversight on multi-million dollar budgets for a variety of clients. To learn more about how you can successfully partner with metroConnections for meeting management, contact Kim directly.