Meet Prepared

Time to Step Up: Professional Associations and their Risk Management Failures

2011-02-24T08:20:00.011-05:00

We the meeting professional look forward to joining organizations like MPI, PCMA, SGMP, RCMA etc… Each has their own rewards for being a part of them which may include networking, professional advancement or even obtaining a new job. So why is it that these organizations fail miserably when it comes to a key component of any event? If you peruse any online or hard copy edition of any of these organizations’s magazine or newsletter, once a year they will focus their attention on Risk Management. Most of the time this will occur immediately following some significant global issue; H1N1, Mumbai, 9/11 etc… To me, this is a sad commentary on something that every single meeting professional be they meeting manager, hotel sales or 3rd party contractor faces at some point in their professional career.

I have had the privilege of attending and speaking at conferences sponsored by many of our professional associations. Each time I attend a local chapter meeting, a regional meeting or a national conference, I am appalled how our professional organizations ignore the basic requirements of risk management. While I won’t identify the specific association, let me give you some examples of what I mean.

Room Set Up: I was attending a national conference of one of our professional associations within the past two years and was embarrassed when walking into a break out session to find a significant problem. The room’s secondary exit was blocked not only by a large screen but the cart holding the sound equipment also was blocking the doorway. I immediately pointed this out to one of the senior meeting planners and was informed that this set up was done by the venue. I was stunned by a meeting planner so willing to throw the venue under the bus for something that is clearly the responsibility of any meeting planner. So what’s the solution? It seems rather obvious but let me again reiterate that common sense is not common. Any meeting planner should always look at every room set up for issues like egress from a room in case of a fire or other problems where the primary entrance is blocked. Find the time to walk the meeting space after the venue sets up to ensure that not only is it set properly but that things like emergency exits are clear of obstacles.

Room Set Up Part II: Again while attending a national conference, I walked into a break out meeting room that had rounds of 10 which is different but not unusual. I arrived after most of the attendees had already entered the room and so I found a seat towards the middle of the room. As a side note and a speaker I am always amused how people will be very systematic on where they want to sit. Anyway, I noticed that it seemed rather crowded in the room and that to get to the empty seat required many people to squeeze their chairs in towards the table or to stand up and move their chair into the table. Do you see the issue yet? Had there been a need to empty the room quickly, it would have been a disaster. In order to get as many people into the room as possible, the meeting planner with the consent of the venue or maybe vice versa decided to ignore the safety issues in the hope that an emergency evacuation would not be required. This is unacceptable and happens more than you think. Next time you the meeting professional attend any meeting, take a look at the room from the perspective of trying to get out as quickly and safely as possible from the furthest point from the door and determine if it is reasonable. As my attorney friends have told me time and time again, it is always critical for any meeting professional to determine if they their actions could be construed as reasonable especially if down the road, they are forced to defend those actions in a court of law or through mediation.

Décor and Entrances: Once again I was attending a conference although this time it was not national but regional. As I made my way in to the general session room, I was amazed at the tripping hazards immediately upon entering the room. I decided to plant myself near the main entrance and watch the “fun.” I gazed at my watch and within 10 minutes, I watched as 25 people stumbled, tripped and walked into these hazards. The hazards included spot lights that were pointed at the beautiful side draping that was used to create a marvelous atmosphere. Unfortunately, many of the people who entered either were so caught up in the décor that they ended up falling or hurting themselves or missed the décor’s allure because they were trying to avoid the people who had tripped. One of my clients and I discussed this very issue at an initial walk through of their meeting space. After pointing out some of the same problems (lighting that could cause trips or spills), we immediately came up with some alternatives to ensure the attendees were amazed with the décor and still keep them safe. Again, my fellow meeting professionals, it is imperative that you look at décor set up with an eye towards safety and not just the WOW.

Although I could regale you with more stories, I believe that I have made my point. If we want to be considered professionals with professional organizations then we need to walk the walk not just talk the talk. If you sit on a board of one of the many meeting professional associations then make them read this or talk to them about being leaders not just in F/B or Décor but in issues like Risk Management.

Technology and Meetings: The Issue of Privacy

2010-10-06T14:48:00.002-04:00

Recently I had the privilege of being a committee member for the 2010 MPI Southeast Education Conference hosted by the Tampa Bay MPI chapter. Each year one of the four Florida chapters hosts this education event and this past August it was held at an amazing property, the Hyatt Regency Coconut Grove in Bonita Springs. This year a new technology was used by the attendees called Spotme. This is an electronic device that is a participant management tool, a networking device and does other interesting and some may say cool things.

I truly enjoyed meeting the folks who supported this device and who were extremely helpful in answering questions and taking care of issues that came up. This particular posting is not to give them the limelight nor is it to show the negative side of this device but it is simply to discuss one issue that we as meeting professionals need to be aware of and address prior to any event. In fact, this issue applies to any technology we use for any meeting, conference or event.

First of all let me cover some of the wonderful things that can be done with a device like Spotme.

You can be very green and use the device for exchanging electronic business cards. You also can have the entire agenda, a map of the conference area and bios of your speakers along with any handouts right at your fingertips. If you want to meet someone specific who is attending, you can use the device to alert you when that person is in the neighborhood (10 feet or so). You can also use a general radar function to let you know who is nearby that you may want to meet but did not realize at the time. These are just some of the very interesting things a device like Spotme can do for you and your attendees.

So let’s look at my big concern

Privacy: As I mentioned, you can have your device alert you if a specific person is nearby that you want to meet. That is terrific unless you are a meeting planner that is in the midst of a site selection for a huge piece of business and sales folks from the different properties you are looking at decide they need to talk your ear off about their property. For women (and I guess men too although it is not as prevalent), there is the issue of actual stalking. The device is supposed to limit your knowledge of the whereabouts of folks, but as a test, I took mine to my room and then walking the hallway, I used the general radar function, I was able to see certain names that were on the same floor as I walked up and down both in the early morning and late at night. Now it will not give you a specific room, but when I mentioned this to a female friend who was attending, she told me she placed her device as far from the door as she could to limit this issue.

So, what can we do as professionals? Ensure you have specific knowledge of what a device like this can and can’t do. If the device can locate attendees, then determine what can be done to protect the privacy of the individual. Make sure that each attendee who receives the device has been told of the features like the radar system. Some companies like Spotme say they can turn off this function at a specific time. Ensure that can be done and test it to make sure that the timing is correct. In addition, determine responses to issues that may come up regarding the use of this type of device for purposes like I described above. If someone is stalking another attendee and there is a complaint, have a plan in place with the vendor to resolve the issue.

In this era of identification theft, it is imperative that we as professionals understand the technology we are employing and what it can do to infringe on the privacy of our attendees. Don’t let this stop you from using devices such as the one I mentioned above, but just ensure that you understand the risks that comes with this type of technology.

Medical Dilemma: What is more serious a bedbug or a bacteria Superbug?

2010-09-15T14:06:00.001-04:00

So it seems we as professionals are very concerned about bedbugs. While I know this is a serious situation, I would propose we start to look at something that is a bit more disconcerting. For those that I have spoken to and have had the dubious distinction of hearing me talk or lecture on Risk Management, you know I have tried to remind everyone that H1N1 would not be the last “pandemic” to make an impact. Well, we don’t have a pandemic YET however, if you have been following the news, you will have heard of NDM-1. According to an AP report on September 13, 2010, “A new gene that can turn many types of bacteria into superbugs resistant to nearly all antibiotics has sickened people in three states and is popping up all over the world, health officials reported.”

Here is what we know so far. According to health officials, this bacterium has been seen all over the world but has originated in India. The three documented cases in the U.S. have all been associated with travel in India or having just moved to the U.S. from India. As you may recall from your Social Studies classes or maybe from Jeopardy, India is not a tiny country with a small population. In addition, to relate it to our profession, there are a number of clients, attendees and speakers who have either lived or travelled in India within the year. Now, I have no documented numbers but I am sure you can think of someone you met recently who has been to India.

Here is my concern. How is India going to react to this issue? How is the World Health Organization going to react and more importantly are we as meeting professionals going to be proactive at all? If H1N1 taught us anything, it should be that we cannot wait until this issue because a problem.

Normally I would provide a number of possible solutions or recommendations based on this issue. This issue may not have a solution, but we as professionals can take some simple actions that will enable us to be proactive should this superbug issue impact our professon.

1. Establish a method for you to track stories about things like NDM-1 or H1N1. You can do this by setting up alerts through a myriad of search engine sites. Google seems to be leading the way in this but I am sure there are others that might give you the same results. Just make sure you use terms that are specific. If you choose to set up an alert for pandemic, you may get stories that are too technical for most people. If you hold meetings in specific international areas, focus on those regions. If not, look at your meeting history or your client’s meeting history and focus on those areas.

2. Develop communication plans now rather than when a pandemic or situation arises: For example, when there are potential hurricanes here in Florida, I always recommend that my clients post a web face page to notify attendees, clients, suppliers and speakers etc… of awareness of the situation and steps that are being implemented to ensure the safety of the all. The same can be done with a pandemic situation. Work with your web master or develop your own methodology to rapidly address the situation using technology at your disposal. The quicker you provide the information, the more comfort you will be giving those attendees that the situation is being handled. If you don’t have any updates, tell them that as well. Don’t be afraid to pick up the phone as well. Sometimes we rely too heavily on people reading the web.

3. Use primary sources for all your information. Bookmark the World Health Organization’s website. The same should be done for US Dept of Health and Human Services and even the CDC. If you rely on the media or 3rd party web sites, you may cause more harm by spreading information that is not fully vetted. You owe your clients and all attendees an accurate picture of what is going on and what is being done.

While I could make at least four or five more recommendations, I think the ones listed above will start you in the right direction. As a consultant on risk management for our profession, I encourage you to use your resources to make sure you are ready for this issue or any other ones that may impede your success.

Meeting Planning – Even the professionals need to learn a lesson or two

2010-03-04T14:49:00.002-05:00

Although it has been a while since I have blogged, I continue to be amazed at what I discover when traveling, attending meetings or just having dinner. Recently, I was fortunate to speak at both PCMA and MPI conferences. While there, I observed some things that still make me cringe. Now, before you think I am criticizing these great organizations, I am not. My purpose is educating the meeting professional as to things we can do to continue to improve in the risk management field. As those of you who have read my previous postings know, I am not going to simply point out issues without also giving you suggestions on how to avoid, minimize or eliminate these problems.

At every meeting where I have spoken in the last 12 months, I have given the same introductory remarks. These always show where the emergency exits are located, what to do if the power goes out and, most important, what to do if I or someone else in the room has an issue during the meeting. In neither of the conferences I mention above, not once during a general session or a keynote address, did the opening remarks contain any of that key information. MPI states that Risk Management is one of its core competencies and yet they, along with every other group, seem to disregard this basic step that would greatly help in an emergency situation.

How hard is it to provide 30 seconds of instruction to our attendees so that we demonstrate real care for their safety? If we are worried about that as much as we worry about food allergies or transportation, we would be doing what some of my lawyer friends call reasonable efforts to mitigate situations. I am not an attorney, but I do know that our profession is failing miserably when it comes to demonstrating the concern we profess to have for our clients, attendees, vendors, sponsors and speakers when we don’t give them the basics.

So how do we remedy this situation? First, every event needs to have someone who is responsible for the contingency planning/risk management aspects. That individual or individuals become responsible for implementing a standardized method of ensuring attendees, sponsors, clients and speakers all know emergency exits and what to do should there be an issue during a presentation. Second, our national organizations have to implement this strategy with their chapters. They need to ensure they are leading the way in risk management and not just giving passing mention to the issues.

As I walked the hallways and rooms during the two national conventions and during some of my smaller talks, I would hear from fellow speakers or attendees about some of the problems or issues they observed when it came to either risky situations or just typical disregard for safety or security. Here are a few that stuck in my mind:

According to an attendee at a recent conference, she was following a friend down the stairs when her friend’s foot caught between the railing and the stair. There was a panel that was several inches above the stair. Supposedly, the attendee’s heel slipped, her foot went under the panel and she fell. Luckily she did not sustain any serious injuries and was able to walk it off.

So what could have helped in this situation? The planning staff needs to use a site survey checklist that highlights things like tripping hazards, such as the one I just described. Once identified, if they cannot be fixed or changed, then the staff needs to convey the issue so that every member involved in the administration of the meeting will be aware and can look out for potential problems. Also, put that information in part of the safety procedures that should be distributed to attendees. Highlight these things and you will have done all you can if you can’t prevent the problem in advance.

Food problems, as I mentioned in my posting on Gotchas last year are always prevalent in our business. The past few months have borne that out more than once. Many people have dietary restrictions, whether it’s lactose intolerance or allergies to cheese, peanuts or even certain vegetables.

I was recently dining with a colleague who is allergic to a number of items. She mentioned when ordering to exclude the cheese topping from her entree. The waiter very conscientiously mentioned that her potato had some parmesan in the mixture they use. Had this not been mentioned, there could have been serious consequences.

Do we meeting professionals insist on every menu detailing what is used in the preparation of the food? If not then again we are failing as professionals. Ensure that menus or other information about the food is provided in a way that your clients, attendees, anyone who will be dining knows what is in each dish, and what might have gone into the preparation, (e.g., peanut oil). I was told of a friend’s mother who died because there was a trace amount of peanut powder used in her entrée that was never mentioned on the menu. We all know the stories. It is our responsibility to not only ask attendees for dietary or food restrictions, but insist that your chef/catering manager or whoever is preparing the menu is very detailed in giving you this information.

Tripping hazards are another potential problem area. In the past seven months, I have attended more than 20 events in which I’ve either been a speaker or attendee. I believe our décor professionals do an amazing job, and their stylings contribute to fabulous events. Yet, I am astounded as to how many people I see trip over cords or fixtures that focus lights on the drapery, or other items they use to increase ambience that also cause people to fall. It’s our duty as meeting professionals to look at things like placement of focused lighting to ensure that our attendees don’t hurt themselves.

In another potentially hazardous situation, I attended a conference where the breakout rooms were set in rounds with chairs overly close together. If there had been a need to evacuate the room, it would have been bedlam. We know the rules for best distance when using rounds – and having just taken the CMP exam, I feel confident in reeling those off the top of my head – yet we rely on our venues to set up the room and we don’t consider the issues of evacuation or tripping hazards. Again, use a site selection risk management check list developed by a professional to ensure you take care of these issues.

As I said, I have no intention of besmirching the reputation of fine organizations like PCMA or MPI that present incredibly valuable training to our profession. I do, however, want to challenge them to really lead the way in Risk Management by demonstrating these principles in their conferences, not just incorporating them into a session or training track. It is what professionals like all of us are required to do to ensure the well-being of our attendees.

Multiple Scenarios: It’s never just one thing

2009-08-26T10:28:00.003-04:00

My good friend Brenda relayed a story to me about a conference attended last year. As the time approached to drive to the multi-day meeting, a hurricane was looming. She arrived safely and the following day was sitting in the internet café when a hotel staff member came in and announced calmly that a tornado had been spotted and was possibly heading towards the hotel. As Brenda watched, hardly anyone sitting in the room moved. The staff member was at a loss for words, so Brenda quietly told each patron to move to safety.

Why do I tell this story? I do so because it illustrates a couple of things. First, where was the meeting planning staff to help facilitate a move to safety? Second, hurricanes are not always the primary crisis cause. Tornadoes, like the one that threatened Brenda’s hotel, give very little warning of their arrival. Earthquakes, as my California colleagues can tell you, give no notice at all. With these unexpected problem makers in mind, let’s look at the areas that may spiral into meeting crises, which you may or may not have planned for:

1. Health issues, primarily food-related problems like salmonella, may seem to be straightforward. However, what happens if your client was among those sickened? Do you have a chain of command document in your contingency plan allowing you to move to the next decision maker should your primary have to go to the hospital?

2. Weather problems. As my story above illustrates, hurricanes can – and often will – produce tornadoes. However, should you need to remain in your venue for safety reasons, take a look at your basic needs. What supplies do you have on hand to ensure that medical issues can be handled? Most hotels have a hurricane evacuation plan. Many don’t have a hurricane remain in place plan. You may lose power, water or communication. Talk to the property about their backup systems and what you may need quickly, (e.g., water for those who need to take medication), and what the hotel or venue can help with immediately.

3. Technology has become a both blessing and a curse. Sometimes, it fails to perform. What your contingency plan should include are scenarios on what moderators or room monitors should do in those instances. You may suggest the attendees take a five-minute break, have a venue staff person available to round up snacks, water or sodas, if possible, or start the break really early. Insist, also, that each presenter bring two hard copies of their presentation when they arrive. You should keep one and they should keep one to use if the projector fails.

4. Human frailty. We all understand that at some events there is the possibility of alcohol being served. We understand the issues that this will potentially cause, including underage drinking, intoxication, boorishness and the like. Since you have been following my blog, I am sure in your contingency plan there is an incident report form. But again, what does your contingency plan have that helps you if an attendee becomes unmanageable or ill due to drinking too much? I was attending an MPI function several years ago where a young woman abruptly sat down on the floor and began to be ill. I looked for a hotel staff member or a meeting staff member and could fine none. Finally, I located a server who notified their boss. After 10 minutes, the hotel began to assist the attendee. At no time did they notify the meeting planner or their staff, (I asked), and the next day I tried to find out if the attendee had been looked after, was she okay and not one member of the meeting staff had any idea. We tend to focus a great deal on liability issues when it comes to serving alcohol but let’s not forget to train the hotel and your staff to be aware of issues and to take care of them immediately

.I am sure as you read this that you can recall incidents that seemed straightforward but then turned out to be filled with additional dilemmas. Be aware that any issue may have branches or sequels – a military term meaning that multiple issues and consequences may arise that you need to be able to handle. Never forget that a good communications plan between yourself, your staff and the venue will be your best resource for resolving these problems.

Waiting for the next H1N1: How do we Prepare?

2009-07-10T09:47:00.003-04:00

Michael Jackson, the Governor of South Carolina and the death of Steve McNair have somehow – through the vigilant efforts of the media – managed to throw the H1N1 (swine flu) virus off the front page. For MPI members, this weekend starts the World Education Congress or WEC. Ask yourself if we, as industry leaders, have taken precautions should an outbreak occur on Friday afternoon. My guess is not much time has been given to such preparations. I don’t blame MPI or any other organization for failing to do so. Instead, I blame us as meeting professionals for not insisting upon it. So what should be done? Join me as I suggest five things that any organization can do to be prepared should a pandemic alert happen again.

1. Communication: I had the great fortune of attending a leadership conference in Ft. Worth, Tex. for MPI board members. One of the great talks, by Amber MacArthur, covered the use of social media, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, et al to communicate. So to aid in fostering communication with all attendees, have a pre-written statement ready to post immediately in the event of a travel alert, terrorist attack or anything that may delay the start, postpone or cancel the event. The statement doesn’t have to be specific. One example could be: “We are aware of the heightened concern in light of the reports of a potential pandemic.” A decision will be made within the next 24 hours as to whether or not the conference will continue. Please continue to check back here to obtain additional information. Phone calls about this issue will not be answered while we await a decision.” Will this placate fears? Maybe not, but at least this small proactive gesture will allow event attendees to know that the decision-making body is on the ball and actions are being taken, instead of keeping them in the dark.

2. Designate a body on the event team to be the point person for gathering information and provide them the resources to do so. If at all possible, appoint one person to be in charge of safety, security and crisis management. They may not be used specifically for these tasks, but do not make this a secondary or tertiary function. By having a fully prepared staff member or employee be responsible, you are taking the first step in being prepared. Resources they need may be a basic contingency plan and being aware of decisions that may need to be communicated rapidly.

3. Create a contingency plan that covers basic issues. For example, if someone is ill or becomes ill, ensure that your plan includes the location and driving directions to either an emergency room or a 24-hr urgent care clinic. In case an attendee needs to fly home immediately, have your plan lay out general guidelines on working with the hotel for immediate check out and transportation guidelines. This could mean having airline phone numbers on an easy access sheet of paper or using a travel service. If you develop methods to handle immediate transportation needs, when the time comes, you can use them to help you efficiently take care of the situation.

4. Develop a crisis action team. Ensure that this team is small, has training in decision making, and has knowledge of the conference goals. I would recommend that at least one member of the team be a senior decision maker from the venue. This reduces communication problems and allows the team to hear alternative solutions from a key player. Be ready with a public relations representative or spokesperson to handle questions from the media or government agencies should the need arise.

5. Train, train, train your staff, client contact, suppliers and any other event team members. During the initial stages of the H1N1 virus when information was on overload, many venues and meeting planners did not know where to start to begin the process of communicating to clients about the next steps. Take a morning once a quarter and talk through your processes. Ensure new staff or employees are aware of who to speak to about situations like the H1N1. You don’t want individuals to depend on spotty information from the media or the Internet to make decisions that may have a financial or public relations downside.

It is not possible to predict events like H1N1. Many people have told me that the SARS issue should have been an industry wake-up call. I won’t quote the exact phrase, but many people know that those who fail to study or remember the past are doomed to repeat it. If SARS and H1N1 are not perfect examples of that, I am not sure what would fit the definition.

My goal is not to scare you or make you instant crisis planners. My goal is to ensure that you have all the information you need to start getting prepared for the next H1N1.

If you need professional assistance in developing a crisis contingency plan, feel free to contact me for a no-obligation introductory consultation, or call upon another contingency planner in the industry. Just please don’t ignore the potential risk to your attendees, clients, company and, not least of all, your professional reputation.

Contingency 101: Retail Event’s Not So Grand Opening

2009-05-28T09:04:00.001-04:00

I cannot read about an event crisis without putting on my contingency planning instructor cap and providing readers with an educational opportunity. So when my local newspaper wrote up a grand opening charity event gone bad last week for a national chain store, I mentally began creating the contingency plan that they should have had in place. To give you the short version of this not-so-grand opening event: The power went out, caterers were stuck in an elevator and torrential downpours backed up the busy valet parking service 35 cars deep. What could a contingency plan have done to alleviate some or all of these issues? Let’s study this together:

1. Power – Those who have taken my seminars on contingency planning know that most crises fall into one of four categories: Natural, Accidental, Technological and Human Frailty. In this case, the power going out could have fallen into any one of the four, or a combination. The first question for any organization holding an event in Florida needs to be: “Do you have a back-up power source?” If not, would the event planner have been correct in telling the client that generators should be brought in to prevent a situation such as the one that occurred? I would wholeheartedly say, “yes!” Power at any meeting is critical and not having the wherewithal to have back-up for a national corporate-sponsored charity event – especially one that will likely garner press coverage – can ruin your reputation as a meeting professional.

2. Stuck Caterers – Yes, I know that many of you will say there is no way to foresee this issue and you are right. The issue you need to consider is what happens if elevators fail, regardless of who is in them at the time. If your client is bringing a VIP upstairs and gets stuck, that is not going to be a happy client… Or VIP. Is there anything to do? Yes, if there is no backup power in a building, have them take the stairs. If it’s too far to climb, then you need to find out what the building can do to ensure continuous operation of the elevators. Is this realistic? Maybe not, but your job as a planner is to look at those issues that could force you to change, delay or cancel the event.

3. Valet Predicament – The issues surrounding valet parking are never going to be completely resolved. I once held a small meeting of 40 physicians driving in from the surrounding area. I specifically addressed my concern about the valet issue since there was such a limited drop-off area. I was told that extra valet staff would be used to prevent a problem. Guess what, we still had a problem because the extra valets had nowhere to park the vehicles that much sooner. In the example of the store’s grand opening, the issue was created by bad weather, according to the newspaper account. This could have been anticipated with an accurate weather forecast. Planners and suppliers need to work this issue together. Some potential solutions could involve adding staff, moving valet to a separate area away from the traditional front of the venue or using a relay system where you stage cars nearby and once the influx has subsided, you move them to their final area. Finally, this issue also rears its ugly head at the end of the event. Venues must use the scheduled wrap-up times as a cue to again, stage cars or set up a separate area away from the building to reduce waiting time.

4. Weather: As I write this, I hear thunder in the distance. In Florida, we have to understand the impact of rain and thunderstorms on our events, especially in our notorious Hurricane Season of June through November. (Not planning for earlier or later storms, as the retailer with the grand opening did, is done at your event’s peril!) I had a discussion recently with a member of the press corps. He was selected to be an honorary chairman for a charity event. Everything went well, he told me, except that they forgot to plan for a sudden rainstorm. Sure enough, it rained. When I asked what they did, he replied: “Panic ensued.” Although we as professionals will typically work out an inside venue back-up location should an outside event need to be moved, it’s imperative that we look at the myriad things that will be impacted by weather, even with an indoor function, such as the valet issue and power outage cited above, or access roads flooding.

Contingency planning failures and crisis management woes should not be the subject of news reports or horror stories told at association meetings, (or contingency classes). Yet they continue to be an afterthought within our industry. Join me in fighting that shortcoming and push your company, your suppliers, your staff and your clients to do better at creating a contingency plan. It may never be used but, like an insurance policy, it is crucial to have.

Note: I invite the company in question, or its public relations firm, event planner or other professional involved in this grand opening event to reply with their perspective, if they wish.

Crisis Response Spotlight: Swine Flu Pandemic and the Meeting Professional

2009-04-28T15:22:00.007-04:00

I was quoted yesterday in a PlannerWire article about what to consider when deciding whether to cancel or continue a meeting potentially impacted by the Swine Flue pandemic. After sharing my thoughts with the article's writer, it struck me that we could be doing more as meeting professionals to educate each other in crisis response and management, so that everyone is empowered to handle scenarios like the one we find ourselves in right now.

Decision-making during a crisis requires a number of key elements. Each element contributes to the overall process, but in vastly different ways.

1. Data Collection - The current Swine Flu mania that is sweeping through our mass media like the plague, (no pun intended), provides the public with a torrent of 24/7 information. Some of it is factual, some is rumor, some innuendo and some outright false. When the time comes for a meeting professional to gather data, you have to return to what my thesis professor called primary sources. For example, this current crisis should compel decision-makers to turn to the Centers for Disease Control, World Health Organization, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, the State Department and other official agencies. The mass media should never be used as a primary source when deciding whether to continue or cancel a meeting.

2. Communication - For those who know me well, I focus on this issue a great deal. In this case, communication is vital to the decision-making process. Once you have obtained your primary source data, you have to inform not only the client or whomever is responsible for paying for the meeting, but you MUST include attendees, speakers, exhibitors and, of course, the venue or venues. Listening to all of these groups will help the decision-makers to weigh the insights of those impacted when deciding to continue or cancel.

3. External Factors -We all know that the financial impact from canceling a meeting or event can be devastating. In addition, the public relations impact can also be serious. Consider a hypothetical meeting professional who still wants to hold her Mexico event in the coming days... Everyone has their airline tickets already; the site is far from any of the current flu outbreaks; the topic is extremely time-sensitive and keyed to a crucial product release; the client stands to lose significant market share if the meeting is not held in May. Consider the impact on the client, the brand, the planner and almost everyone else involved if someone took ill during the meeting or, heaven forbid, died as a result of this illness. Aside from the tragic, preventable loss of life and terrible impact on the victim's family, those who survive the event may not survive the PR fallout.

4. Alternatives - It never fails that when a person is faced with canceling or proceeding with a meeting, those are the only choices they consider. There are potentially better alternatives. If you were to hold a meeting in a hotel that is part of a chain, talk to your representative about moving it to another city or location, depending on the emergency, while staying with that chain. Sometimes the event schedule can be altered to keep your event in the planned location and not be impacted by a crisis. If, for example, you are in Florida and a hurricane may hit your location on the last day of your four-day meeting, shorten the meeting to two days, (to allow for everyone's safe departure), and extend the hours of the meeting. Disruptive and a pain, yes, but if it avoids a larger loss of revenue or inconvenience, then bring it up as part of the decision-making process.

Ultimately, hard decisions have to be made in crises like the current Swine Flu outbreak. My own schedule and travel plans will be impacted by this pandemic, as our Florida MPI chapter presidents decide whether to hold, cancel, move or reschedule our joint May Cancun planning workshop.

Although no process is perfect, and we have to be mindful that situations vary from location to location, it is imperative that those of us in the industry develop methods, tools, techniques and plans to help us become better decision-makers and, ultimately, better meeting professionals.

Contingency Planning: Planes, Trains and Travel Woes

2009-04-21T09:20:00.004-04:00

I know I should have titled this posting, “Planes, Trains and Automobiles,” but come on, did you really expect me to be that obvious? No, this posting specifically addresses the meeting professional’s nightmare called travel.

Now, I could easily make this posting short and sweet by talking just about air travel, but what I want to focus on today is using our creative minds – isn’t that part of being a meeting professional – to explore some simple yet effective tools to deal with travel issues as they relate to a meeting, conference, convention, or even a wedding.

Issue #1 – Weather and the Ripple Effect: Today’s travel is vastly dependent on airlines being able to fly. Now while that statement should elicit a “duh,” what I mean is that if one major airport has to cancel or significantly delay its departures or arrivals, the ripple effect throughout the air travel system can be devastating to those trying to fly from anywhere to anywhere else, even thousands of miles away, on that day. While you cannot prevent bad weather, I do have a suggestion to help meeting planners work around it.

If you are using a travel company, ensure that they provide you with a 72-hour assessment of weather issues throughout the country. If your meeting involves international travel, then you want to include the surrounding nations, as well. Most weather prognosticators will be pretty secure in giving you an accurate weather forecast 72 hours in advance. With that knowledge, you and your travel company, (or your staff), can look at where your attendees are coming from and assess who may be impacted by weather delays in connecting cities. Yes, this will require some tedious administrative work. The result, however, is that you are being proactive in ensuring that you’re doing everything you can to get your attendees to the conference or to get them home. Remember, weather in Denver or the Northeastern U.S. can significantly impact travel from Dallas, Phoenix or even San Francisco. Plan for ripple effects!

Issue #2 – How come I cannot find my hotel on Google Maps or my GPS? True story time: I was asked to help create a contingency plan for Florida hotel-based conference. I had never been to this property, so I decided that I should venture forth as if I were an attendee. I used Yahoo Maps and Google to obtain driving directions and off I went. The trip should have taken 45 minutes from my home following the directions with no traffic. I was lucky, there was no traffic and I made it in two hours. WHY….Good question. It turns out that the hotel was on an island reachable by one bridge. Up until four weeks prior to my visit, the bridge had been closed for repairs and a temporary bridge had been set up. Unfortunately, to my chagrin, both Yahoo and Google had been notified of the temporary bridge, but not the fact that it was no longer in use. I followed their temporary route instructions, and was frustrated by a dead end with barricades and big signs that said the other bridge was now repaired and I could use it again. The temporary bridge was one mile away from the “in repair” bridge, and to reach it required a vastly different route. Having never been in this town/city before, I had to back track, find signs, ask directions and finally arrived at the hotel. Fortunately, because I’d allowed for extra travel time, I did not impact anyone’s plans or deadlines.

Solution: Despite the best intent of online maps or even your local navigation systems, sometimes you do not have the most current information on road closures or detours. Talk to the hotel. Ensure that you get maps and printed directions from them or the local CVB and remind them to update you with any changes or detours. If many of your attendees or speakers are driving to the event, drive the most used routes yourself and picture it as a newbie would to that area. Ask yourself, what would you need to give them to make them feel safe and secure in getting to your meeting?

Issue #3 – Departures – the other part of travel: Despite our best efforts, most of us may agree that we focus on getting our attendees/speakers or exhibitors to the event more so than focusing on getting them home. Yes, many of us verify flights or have our travel company verify flights. Yes, we always remain on site until the last attendee departs. Yes, we make sure that all attendees know how to depart. No, we never think that any of the points above will be an issue.

Solution: I know that many planners who use travel companies will insist on having them take care of these details. Yet, here are a few things to consider when thinking about departures. Ensure attendees or your staff can receive text/phone/email updates on departures. This will make you look like you are on top of things when your attendee or speaker says to you that they were told their flight was canceled. You can respond by saying you are aware of it and are in the process of fixing the situation, instead of having to say you did not know and will have to get back to them about the problem. Next, always have a procedure in place that will expedite flight changes. It never ceases to amaze me how many times as a planner I was asked by an attendee if there was any way they could leave early due to some issue at home. By thinking of this procedure before the meeting, you can save yourself some work in developing a method. Finally and most importantly, be proactive. Don’t stop looking at weather, traffic to and from the airport and other events in the area. Yes, your ground transportation company, (if you use one), should be doing so, but it will never be a problem if you talk to them each and every morning during the conference to get their perspective on travel times to the airport, train station or even the bus terminal. If you don’t use a GT provider, talk to your concierge, front desk staff, or local law enforcement to find out what is going on in the area. Read on for a true story, as told to me by a fellow meeting planner.

Picture, if you will, (with apologies to Rod Serling), a meeting planner with six attendees ready to depart on a Saturday morning from a hotel in New York City. GT company arrives early and informs the planner that they are about to shut down the street in front of the hotel. All guests will have to exit through a side door, walk down to where the GT van is sitting and, oh by the way, it’s raining and traffic is abysmal. The van barely made it in time for one of the attendees to catch his flight. Know what may happen and be prepared.

Thus, I conclude this posting by touching on barely 10 percent of the issues a planner can face when dealing with travel. Yes, I know the title said trains, but as much as I love trains, I am not a fan of Amtrak and just don’t have the space to write about all the problems they can cause. As I said, communicate, be proactive, and never stop thinking about the travel aspects of your event. While it won’t save your life, it will make you a better planner and protect your reputation as a professional able to manage the entire process.

Enjoy These Related Posts:

Meeting Planning Gotchas - The Evacuation
Meeting Planning Gotchas - Food Fiascos

Coming Next on Meet Prepared: Top 10 Resources for Event Contingency Planners

Contingency Planning: A View from the Venue Side of the House

2009-03-31T18:09:00.002-04:00

Contingency planning seems to be gaining acceptance as a needed practice among corporate and association meeting planners. But it is not only the responsibility of the planners to make contingency planning a standard practice. It is also imperative that the supply side of our industry be just as engaged.

What creates the best all-round meeting contingency plan is to make venue staff conscious of their responsibilities. In this week's post, I am not going to discuss how a hotel protects itself from liability. For that, I would recommend contacting Jim Goldberg, Tyra Hilliard, Barbara Dunn, Jonathon Howe or one of the other top attorneys who specialize in our industry.

No, today we examine what a venue should prepare in advance, and how to deal with the issues that arise during an event. Again, I will stipulate that most meetings proceed with few, if any, major issues. What a venue needs to be aware of are the potential dilemmas that can arise when a less experienced planner, (or someone without training in this field), is organizing and managing the meeting. Let's take a look at some of questions that you, the venue pro, can ask the client to reduce the likelihood of an avoidable situation arising.

Question #1: Are you aware of our evacuation procedures, hurricane plan, tornado shelter, closest medical facility, etc.?

Rationale: Most meeting planners only think of these questions once an emergency occurs or is imminent, (e.g., forecast predicts major storm in the area three days in advance). Venues can ease the concern that these questions may evoke by informing clients that asking is standard operating procedure within their contingency planning process. If the planner answers 'no' to any of the questions above, help them by providing documentation and, where applicable, pointing out storm shelters, evacuation routes, fire exits and extinguishers, etc. during a tour. Provide a map in your pre-con packet showing the closest 24-hour walk-in clinic and also the closest emergency room.

Question #2: Is there anyone on your staff trained in CPR, the Heimlich maneuver and basic first aid? Does everyone on your staff know how to use a fire extinguisher?

Rationale: While most venues will have staff members trained in these areas, the problem sometimes can occur when there is no venue staff in the room. If the planner doesn't have any team members on site to meet these potential needs, the venue can assist by ensuring there is a trained staff member either in the room or close by at all times. Once you tell your meeting planner that you want to help them with this issue if need be, then you may see a huge sigh of relief if they realize that they are not adequately prepared. Make sure that if you have a defibulator at the venue, that your meeting planner is aware of its location relative to his or her meeting rooms.

Question #3: Do you have a plan in place should there be an injury?

Rationale: The answer to this question is likely to generate a verbal response along these lines: "Yes, we know what to do." While that may be the case in theory, I can tell you from frequent observation that many people react too slowly or without recollection of these plans in a real live crisis. By gauging a planner's too-hasty or overly-hesitant reaction to this question, or lack of a written plan, venues can determine the level of situational awareness that their staffs will need to maintain at all times.

If the meeting planner can show you a plan or an incident report sample from past meetings, then you know you're dealing with a professional who is well-prepared for potential injuries. In any case, you want to ensure that planners notify you of an injury or illness on your property, so that you can take appropriate actions as determined by your standard operation procedures.

Question #4: Are you aware of all of your attendees' emergency contact information, allergies or food sensitivities?

Rationale: Once again, by determining the answer to this question, you know that there will be a reduced likelihood that the menu you hammered out after weeks of negotiation will be less impacted by strange food requests or a food allergy/sensitivity issue requiring medical attention.
By ensuring that the planner has the needed information, the venue will also reduce its involvement in notification to families should there be an incident.

Question #5: Do you expect any situations to arise because of your speaker, attendees or subject matter?

Rationale: I call this my Harrison Ford question. For those who have taken my class at the University of South Florida's Meeting and Event Planning certificate program, you know that I'm referring to a scene in the Fugitive where Ford's character strolls casually into a pharmaceutical meeting, assaults one of the speakers and disrupts the entire event. While most meetings and events rarely have such a problem in real life, a venue can be better prepared for a 911 call to the police or a call to its security team if they know that either a speaker or the subject matter may be well-publicized and controversial. (Even knowing in advance that a meeting - e.g., global trade conference - may be picketed would be helpful in planning extra staff.) Asking the question also ensures that the meeting planner is also considering these issues and preparing for potential incidents. Security is never a problem if the venue and the meeting planner are prepared.

These are just my brief thoughts on how a venue pro could work with a meeting planner to limit risks arising from a meeting on their property. It is very likely that this list is going to grow. I welcome all additions, comments and criticisms from the supply side of our profession.

Coming next on Meet Prepared:

Trains, Planes and Meeting Planner Travel Crises

Meeting Planning - Crisis Management Gotchas (Part 2): Food Fiascos

2009-03-17T20:28:00.001-04:00

It is inevitable that when managing a meeting, food issues always arise at the least convenient time. Almost all meeting professionals - planners and suppliers - can remember when they had a crisis involving food. If you have not experienced that "Uh-oh" moment, then consider yourselves lucky... And warned!

So join me now as we explore my top four Food Gotchas and some not so obvious ways to handle them with oven mitts.

* Gotcha #1 - It is a beautiful day for your client's outdoor BBQ. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and 200 participants will soon enjoy it all. The hotel, in its effort to be prompt, sets out the accoutrements for the lunch, to include the potato salad and coleslaw. Forty-five minutes later, you tell the hotel that your attendees are still not ready for lunch. They put the slaw and potato salad back inside, awaiting your call to bring them out again. Sure enough, three hours later, your attendees get sick.

* Gotcha #2 - The VP of Marketing - your most important client - is Jewish and has requested a Kosher for Passover meal. You made sure the request was acknowledged by the hotel and she unwraps her specially handled meal to discover a bagel with cream cheese, lox and a kosher pickle. (For those who don't know - bread is a no-no during Passover.)

* Gotcha #3 - No matter how much you plan, one of your participants will forget that they have a reaction to some kind of food. Now, I am not referring to a food allergy requiring immediate medical attention. This scenario is an attendee who turns an unappealing shade of purple because their digestive system has rejected the passed canapés. Maybe that reaction happens during the actual meeting, and they come to you for assistance. Or, perhaps, they go up to their room an hour after dinner, sick to their stomach. This is sometimes referred to as "food intolerance." It's unforeseeable and potentially unavoidable. Now it's in your hands.

* Gotcha #4 - The last Gotcha encompasses the oddball Snafus that often occur, but few plan for. For example, the sterno can catches on fire or someone burns themselves on a serving implement. One of the oddball Gotchas I see at least once a year is the spring-loaded cover on a chafing dish crashing down on an unfortunate buffet guest's hand.

So, what do you do now, to keep the Food Gotchas from leaving a bad taste in your client's mouth!

1. The planning for spoiled food starts with communication with your banquet staff. Most venues will tell you that the banquet staff relies on their documentation as to when to set out the food. I invariably find the on-site manager and explain that while we always hope to be on time, many meetings run early or late. Always insist that items that can spoil or go bad be placed out as close to the start time of the meal/break as possible. In addition, your responsibility does not end with communication. Get out from behind the registration desk or from the meeting room and take notes on times that food is placed, temperature of food, if it is outside, how hot or cold is it and what will that do to your meal. You want to have some type of paper trail that says, 'I ensured that the slaw was kept refrigerated or that the hot chocolate was kept hot.'

2. While knowledge of every religious and cultural doctrine related to food may be easily acquired today, thanks to the Internet, it is the communication between you and the vendor that is key. Ask them to send you a detailed description of every special meal plate. This way, you will not be caught unaware when your vegan attendee shows you her vegan entrée with butter-drenched rolls. (Butter comes from cows, and cows are a no-no for vegans).

3. Remember, food allergies can be devastating, even fatal. If someone is reacting very quickly or severely to any type of food or beverage, seek medical attention immediately. According to Dr. Lawrence Wilson, a nutrition consultant, "Food sensitivities are nothing to sneeze at. Over 60% of the population knows they must avoid certain foods. Many others are not aware they have food sensitivities. Many think that fatigue, itchy skin or a runny nose are normal." Have a plan in place for known food intolerance issues. Document the incident; ensure your contingency plan has directions and a map to a 24- hour walk-in clinic. Make sure you have designated in advance a point person who would accompany any attendee or staff member requiring medical attention. Those are great reactive methods for low impact food allergies. What do you need to help prevent or limit those incidents? We know you have asked attendees, speakers and staff for any food allergies or restrictions. You should also post complete menus, if possible, to help attendees avoid foods that impact them negatively, or interact dangerously with their medications. Make sure in your pre-con and staff walk-throughs that you talk through potential food issues.

4. This series of Gotchas are easy to react to, but harder to plan for. Make sure you always have either a staff member or venue representative in the room at all times during the meal. Fire extinguisher locations and training on how to extinguish a Sterno can are things all staff should be aware of prior to the meeting. Always have someone monitoring the buffet line for serving implements that remain in the chafing dish and will become too hot to touch safely. Pre-test your chafing dish covers. It may sound silly, but I can attest that all my digits are still intact because I routinely check all the chafing covers.

Food Gotchas can bite you hard, but with good communication between you and the banquet staff, along with some simple training techniques to react to situations, you should prevent the majority of them at your next meeting.

Meeting Planning – Crisis Management Gotchas: The Evacuation

2009-03-10T22:58:00.002-04:00

When faced with the probability that you will have to evacuate your meeting space, the thing I find most interesting is that most planners believe that the issue is complete once everyone is safely out of the building.

Although no one – not even professionals – can help you plan for every contingency that arises from an evacuation, I have come up with my top five Gotchas that can get you in trouble in an evacuation situation.

Gotcha #1 – You can't use your cell phone because everyone wants to talk to their office/loved ones/dentist, etc. You, the meeting planner or the hotel convention service manager, cannot get your team or client on the phone to ensure they have accounted for everyone from the meeting.

Gotcha #2 – Everyone is safe and you have accounted for all attendees and staff, but you notice that some of your attendees are wandering around – even wanting to go back inside, if necessary – looking for water. They have to take medication every four hours and now they're overdue.

Gotcha #3 – Everyone is accounted for and no problems have arisen yet, but you are told it will be at least an hour before you can go back in. This should not be a problem, except that some of your attendees are not able to sit on concrete and cannot stand more than 20 minutes at a time.

Gotcha #4 – Where is Waldo… or Bob… or Wilma? Turns out they partied pretty hard the night before and you were not aware that of the 75 attendees, one is missing. Where are they? Who is taking care of them? Did they oversleep and not even know there was an evacuation. Maybe they are on the beach?

Gotcha #5 – Umbrellas, galoshes and ponchos, oh my….If the weather starts to turn bad, there is trouble, which starts with T and rhymes with C, which starts a new crisis.

So let's look at strategies to get rid of the Gotchas:

1. Have a plan that does not rely solely on cell phones to communicate. In the military, we called it a phone outage tree. One person starts the information flow using a pre-determined plan, which passes to two others and so forth to ensure that communication is not impeded.

2. When it comes to medication or seating issues, your challenge is greater. I always have two bottles of water at the registration desk, which I can grab as I depart. I also have seen what is referred to as a sippy cup in the contingency kit, or even five or six paper cups can take care of the issue.

3. Seating is one of the most difficult issues for those that can't stand or sit on pavement, such as a parking lot, (the most likely evacuation destination). If you have access to a car, have them sit in the car. If not, talk to the hotel and find out about golf carts. If there is a legitimate emergency, talk to an Emergency Medical Technician. They will be your best bet in that scenario.

4. I can not stress enough the importance of a hard copy, (i.e., paper) of your attendance roster. If you have more than 20 attendees, have more copies on hand. I use the one to 25 rule for rosters. Usually you can determine within 5 minutes that all 25 are there. The quicker you can account for all of your staff and attendees, the less stress you put on first responders and your own team.

5. Weather should be on your mind for every conference, even a board meeting. If your property has a golf course, see about golf umbrellas. If not, when you do your site inspection or pre-con, look for possible shelter outside. If you believe the weather will be bad every day, then you will be thinking about your next steps. If not, then I suggest a large quantity of towels to dry off after you come back to the meeting room.

While not the kind of problems you necessarily anticipate, these Gotchas can get your meeting in trouble. Think about them, plan for them and safely improvise if worse comes to worse.

Coming next on Meet Prepared:

The Case of the Meeting Planner and the Food Gotchas