I am going to take the above and try to answer from a planners perspective.
When a planner is sourcing in a brand new market/location, where do they start? What do new planners need from a CVB/DMO?
A. New planners can use the CVB/DMO to assist in finding the right venue for their meeting/event. Talk to the CVB and send them your RFP or high-level meeting specs/needs. They are there to assist in bringing meetings and events to their cities.
What can planners provide in the RFP Details to speed up response time?
A. You need to establish a deadline for responses and decisions and STICK TO THEM.
Q. What's the best way for hotels to reach out to planners when they need additional information regarding the RFP? Do planners check the messages sent via Cvent?
A. Well, I certainly monitor the messages via Cvent and my email when I have an RFP out for bids. Within the RFP submission, make it clear how to get in touch should the venue have additional questions.
Q. What can a sales manager do to make their proposal stand out?
A. I know that this will sound basic but make sure to answer all of the questions asked and possibly even some that they didn't. Offer additional incentives or concessions above and beyond the ask.
Q. When you as a planner compare bids, how late is too late for a hotel's response? How important is the Response Due Date set in the RFP?
A. Response due dates are imperative to a planner in order to be able to appropriately evaluate all venues at the same time. Sticking to the deadlines established in the RFP, including the decision date, are of primary importance for all parties involved.
Q. How do you compare bids, do you use reports from Cvent or set up your own?
A. I use the reports from Cvent as they are terrific in comparing side-by-side the venues that meet the criteria. The reports are easy to set up with the information that drives your decision-making process.
Q. When a planner checks the dates flexible box, how flexible are they really? Corporate runs reports on Turn Downs when a planner checks the dates flexible box, but will planners consider dates a month out?
A. That really depends on the planner/organization. The RFP should at least narrow down month and requested pattern of their meeting/event.
Diagramming:
Q. What do planners and hotels think about leveraging Event Diagramming's Interactive Floor Plans for virtual onsite tours?
A. I LOVE using the event diagramming platform! I have found it to be a true representation of the meeting space and really assists both planners and hotels in designing spaces with true measurements. I think it would also help with virtual onsite tours but nothing beats a true hands-on site visit.
Q. Last year at Cvent CONNECT there was a demo using 3D Virtual Tours with VR, would planners and hotels pivot to VR tours more in the future?
A. Good question and I believe that depends on the planner and the organization. Some are just not as comfortable yet with this technology.
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Melinda Burdette
Senior Director, Events
Meeting Professionals InternationalUnited States
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Original Message:
Sent: 04-26-2023 17:29
From: Alaina Del Real
Subject: Ask the Expert - April 27 | Learn how tech can help hotels deliver on planner expectations
Jumping in to share a few questions I got from customers, they would love to hear from their peers!
There's quite a few, so I'll try to group them.
Prospecting & Meeting New Planners:
- With so many new planners entering the industry, how do venues prospect? Are venues going to more tradeshows and going on the road more? Have venues tried Cvent's Planner Navigator for a tech solution?
Demand Generation (Hotels & Planners):
- How can a hotel in a smaller/lesser known market stand out and attract planners?
- When a planner is sourcing in a brand new market/location, where do they start? What do new planners need from a CVB/DMO?
Response (Hotels & Planners):
- What can planners provide in the RFP Details to speed up response time?
- What's the best way for hotels to reach out to planners when they need additional information regarding the RFP? Do planners check the messages sent via Cvent?
- What can a sales manager do to make their proposal stand out?
Managing RFPs:
- How do hotel sales team cut down on response time as the lead volume continues to rise?
Managing Supplier Responses:
- When you as a planner compare bids, how late is too late for a hotel's response? How important is the Response Due Date set in the RFP?
- How do you compare bids, do you use reports from Cvent or set up your own?
- When a planner checks the dates flexible box, how flexible are they really? Corporate runs reports on Turn Downs when a planner checks the dates flexible box, but will planners consider dates a month out?
Diagramming:
- What do planners and hotels think about leveraging Event Diagramming's Interactive Floor Plans for virtual onsite tours?
- Last year at Cvent CONNECT there was a demo using 3D Virtual Tours with VR, would planners and hotels pivot to VR tours more in the future?
Room Block Management (Hotels & Planners):
- How can hotels and planners leverage tech to track & promote special add-ons?
Reporting & Analytics (Hotels):
- How do you report and evaluate YoY performance?
- How do you stay on top of sales team performance when you have little bandwidth?
- What do you use to evaluate sales team performance?
Regards,
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Alaina Del Real
Lead Client Success Advisor
Cvent
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