RFPS: MEETINGS
Getting the inside track
Martin Ferguson fi nds out why the successful outcome of meetings RFPs requires buyers to prepare and engage with colleagues and peers
will be directly impacted by the final outcome of the process, says one of the industry’s subject matter experts. Jane Dibble, director of business
B
development for Inntel, recommends a stakeholder team of no more than ten people be formed, including representatives from departments with the highest meetings and events spend. “Together you can agree the needs of the meetings RFP, collective objectives, time frames and how criteria will be measured,” she says. The data will be key to understanding these objectives. “Collect as much as you can,” says Roger Peters, senior purchasing manager for Capgemini. “Look at expense, booking and agency data, and understand where, when and why you are doing business in certain locations. Ask questions internally and understand if there will be an ongoing requirement.” Richard Eades is global procurement manager for BP and recently won the Strategic Managed Meetings Programme (SMMP) category at the ITM's annual buyer awards. He advises novice buyers creating RFPs for the first time to remember the meetings category is built around service and should not be treated as a commodity. “You’re dealing with experiences,” he says.
“It is emotive, and the quality of the service is reflective of what you are trying to achieve. You have to deliver value – don’t just push for savings or to streamline processes.” Eades says that in an RFP the buyer should separate the “nice to haves” and the “need to haves”, and believes that the focus should
“ It’s important for the supplier or venue in question to understand
how the buyer is expecting to pay as this can often impact the rate or choice of venue
”
efore drafting a meetings request for proposal (RFP) template, it is vital to talk to the people within your business or organisation who
booking and agency data, and understand where, when and why you are doing business in certain locations”
“Look at expense,
be on what is best for the company. “Some meetings transactions can run
into the millions,” he says. “You have to ask stakeholders, 'What would you do if this were your money?' And remember, a programme won’t necessarily be a success overnight, so manage the expectations of management and the user group,” Karina Steinberg, an account manager for meetings and groups for HRS, says that buyers should stay focused on practicalities, such as the purpose of a meeting or event, the type of industry, dates, budgets, numbers and locations. “It’s also important [for the supplier or
venue] to understand how the buyer is expecting to pay as this can impact the rate or choice of venue,” says Steinberg. “If a buyer knows there could be delegate drop-out nearer the date of the meetings, it is better to anticipate this to maximise flexibility.” In recent years it has become commonplace
for buyers and suppliers to use meetings RFP technology to simplify and automate the process. Anitra Elliott, UK operations
manager for ATP Events Experts, says an important aspect of an RFP is for the supplier to outline their preferred strategic meetings management technology and explain how data will be processed. “The buyer needs to know: from where
will the data be gathered? How will it be transferred? How will data integrity be assured? What data will be returned? And who will be involved?” BP’s Richard Eades adds: “Ensure that
the technology is used as the facilitator and not the driver. People still need to be interacting whether that’s in the booking process or the meeting.” The length of time it takes to conclude a meeting and events RFP could be anything from 12 weeks to six months. A number of factors have to be taken into account: is it venue specific, UK-wide or part of a regional or global SMMP? But most experts recommend a shorter
request for information (RFI) be issued in the first instance in order that RFPs go to only the most relevant suppliers.
THE BUSINESS TRAVEL MAGAZINE 73
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76