 Meeting Consultants cuts cost, maintains quality Situation A major multinational hardware/software firm approached Meeting Consultants for help in maintaining the quality of its annual partner event while coping with the downsizing of the internal event staff and the need to impose rigorous cost controls. The business-critical nature of the meeting made it imperative that the event retain its premier status and in no way appear downgraded. Solution The Meeting Consultants team integrated seamlessly with the internal core event team early in the planning process. This early integration enabled us to make suggestions on hotels, registration staff, and product showcases, thus saving the client hundreds of thousands of dollars. Working with Meeting Consultants’ Event Portfolio Master™, a fully customizable turnkey event planning and management solution, the team analyzed the cost build-up of the event over time and identified areas for savings and efficiencies. With information stored in one easy-to-access location, clients and suppliers had access to accurate information throughout the process. This transparency facilitated teamwork between the internal teams, suppliers, and partner groups. A simplified information flow resulted in fewer meetings, fewer discussions, and fewer hours billed from the suppliers. The Meeting and Scheduling tools ensured the hotels and convention center received accurate data and communications in real time, eliminating last-minute rush charges. The result: huge savings in time and costs for our client and increased partner satisfaction with the event. Benefit Partner motivation is at an all time high for this event, and the client is extremely pleased. The events team and the business executives use the customizable reporting tools available through Event Portfolio Master to relay information on partners ready to sell their products. At the end of each partner event, we utilize the information available through Event Portfolio Master’s Closed Loop Process to get an early jump on improvements, attendee satisfaction, and reduced costs for the following year’s event. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Event Registration Master™ answers ROI challenge for medical device manufacturer Situation A worldwide manufacturer of medical devices asked Meeting Consultants to help them gain a more comprehensive understanding of the value of their event portfolio and to help them determine the return on investment (ROI) of each event. Solution Meeting Consultants began the project based on the intuitive approach that has helped us exceed client expectations for more than 30 years: We listened, carefully and reflectively. Once we had gained a thorough understanding of the client’s concerns and goals, we proposed a solution crafted and scaled to answer their very specific requirements. Event Registration Master, a proprietary tool developed by Meeting Consultants to “master” the entire event process from start to finish, was customized to provide the information set required by the client. Event Registration Master provides registration templates, web site templates, a simple data interface, multiple payment options, and real-time reporting. The solution enables event team members, attendees, and suppliers to input information into the system. Each event team can create an event website quickly and easily. The easy-to-use sites enable customers, suppliers, and internal attendees to register online. Event teams can track the spend, attendance, leads, and other metrics for each event. All data can be seamlessly integrated with the client’s CRM system, closing sales and ROI loops. Event Registration Master’s executive dashboards were customized to supply the boardroom with data on event spend and performance. Reports are easily modified to provide real-time data, which enables faster and more informed decision making. Analysis can now be done by the events team based on data and facts, rather than anecdote and emotion. Benefits The events team and the business executives can now see and articulate the ROI of their events using accurate real-time data. Decisions can be made to expand events that perform well versus events that do not. Meeting Consultants is now working with the client to expand the system to more regional and local events as well as to other geographies. |