Meeting News - April 7, 2008 - (Page 16)

MN Exclusive Research Call for strategic vision by planners at a critical time By Robert Carey iven the state of the economy, it’s no surprise that so many planners responding to the latest MeetingNews survey cited managing budgets and G controlling costs as the most complex issue they’re facing. Unfortunately, the increased complexity of planners’jobs goes well beyond that. Organizing programs on shorter lead times, improving the quality of meeting content, and managing executives’ expectations were the other most cited issues that planners find harder to handle these days. And, because those last two duties are strategic in nature—beyond the purely logistical elements of meetings that planners routinely handle—this much is clear: Planners, wor- Crunch Time What percentage of your meeting planning responsibilities addresses logistics, versus strategy? 100% 1.2% 1.3% Association Planners Corporate Planners 75%-99% 11.7% 12.2% 32.7% 50%-74% 39.5% 25.7% 25%-49% 26.5% 22.2% 1%-24% 18.5% 6.5% Harbor Views. And Bring Your Party Shoes. Looking for the perfect setting for an opening reception? The best parties are launched at Seaport, where our waterfront location offers dazzling skyline views and so much more. With both indoor and outdoor venues, our professional team will help you create a memorable event. As Boston’s most accommodating host, we’ll delight your guests with personalized menus created by our world-class chefs—and inspired service that’s sure to ﬁll your sails. 0% 2.0% 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% Source: MeetingNews survey of 318 meeting planners 800.515.5913 SeaportBoston.com/go/harbormn TA I L O R E D TO YO U ried about keeping their jobs in 2008, must prove to management that they not only have a handle on the details, but also on the bigger picture that drives their organizations’ meetings and events. Our survey revealed, however, a serious obstacle for planners seeking to become more strategically focused and prove their value to their organizations: time. Fully 77 percent of survey respondents spend more than half of their work hours devoted to the logistical elements of their meetings, while 34 percent spend three-quarters or more of their work hours on such tasks. “In the past two months, I can see that more of our members have a tangible fear of losing their jobs, because meeting planning is often among the first areas to have jobs eliminated. The reason is that continued on page 32 www.meetingnews.com 16 MeetingNews April 7, 2008 http://www.mimegasite.com/mimegasite/research/index.jsp http://www.SeaportBoston.com/go/harbormn http://www.meetingnews.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Meeting News - April 7, 2008

Meeting News - April 7, 2008
Contents
What’s Up @ MeetingNews.com
Successful Meetings University
Advertisers Index
Live from the Forum

Meeting News - April 7, 2008