Avoiding Attrition

/in

by Sheila Vichich-Beutin
March 31, 2015

 

Attrition can occur in a number of instances, but the avoidance of attrition requires consideration from both you and the hotel. Monitoring your room block on a weekly basis is the best preventative to avoiding attrition. If the hotel is experiencing high levels of occupancy, they may be willing to lower the block without penalty if notification is received early enough. In the case of cancelled reservations close to your event, your business will need more creative solutions. Reminder emails or special promotions sent to your attendees may generate more hotel reservations.

In a recent instance, a group had monitored their room reservations right up to the day before the event. However, an unfortunate miscommunication left the group short for their block requirement. This type of avoidable attrition could have resulted in unnecessary costs to the group. Had the group known about the short fall, they could have moved guests from a double room into two single rooms and met their room block total.

While the group was responsible for the attrition, with the help of pec meetings company, the hotel agreed not to enforce the contract clause. With a valued history of working with the hotel, pec meetings company was able to negotiate an amicable solution and save the group a considerable amount of money.

Your business will need to respond appropriately to fill those final guest rooms and meet your attrition requirement. As the hotel has a stake in helping you avoid attrition, always include them in your plans.

 

-Sheila Vichich-Beutin is a Meeting Advisor at pec meetings company and a member of the Wisconsin chapter of Meeting Planners International.

Denice Recaps “Awe-Inspiring” IMEX America 2014

/in

IMEX America 2014 exceeded my expectations and has inspired me to reach out to prospects and clients for their upcoming meetings to share what I learned. I discovered so many opportunities for our associations and corporations looking to bring their meeting experience to a higher level. Tremendous exposure was provided on destinations that are sure to increase delegate attendance. Destinations that engage, while at the same time are cost effective.

Read more

Enforcing Your Force Majeure

/in ,

Not too long ago, a Force Majeure Clause traditionally covered only limited situations in which holding a meeting would be impossible. Now, given the times and circumstances, the clause should include much more. The list of events to be included is a matter of negotiation between you and the hotel, however, the following elements should be addressed in a force majeure clause:

Read more

The Clause and Effect of Food and Beverage

/in

Many hotel contracts have a food and beverage (F&B) clause that requires a group to generate a minimum amount of food and beverage revenue through the course of the meeting.  The F&B clause goes on to state that if the minimum amount of revenue is not generated, the group is responsible for making up the difference.  The F&B clause will require the shortfall plus the tax.

Read more

Your Meeting and the Site Selection Process

/in

When it comes to hosting a meeting or convention, an unattractive and ill-equipped location can spell disaster for an event that you have taken considerable time to plan.  The site selection process is a crucial piece of planning, and inspections of viable hotel properties are mandatory. You are seeking to ascertain that the destination including hotels, off-site venues, also air and ground transport, can host your meeting exactly to your specifications.

Read more

Disaster Preparedness for Meetings and Events

/in

Sometimes even the most thoroughly planned events have unexpected incidents that are beyond anyone’s control.

In the past several years, Americans have experienced unthinkable disasters resulting from terrorist activity. We’ve just been lucky that nothing serious has happened during our meetings or conventions so far. When it comes to terrorist threats, many planners maintain a “see no evil attitude”. We don’t talk about terrorism or other factors that could disrupt our meetings because we think it won’t happen again.

Read more

FAQ – Why Should I Hire a Corporate Event Planner?

/in

This month we are sharing some of our most Frequently Asked Questions when it comes to outsourcing corporate meeting and event planning. Selecting the right hotel and coordinating meeting details can become overwhelming without having an experienced professional on your team. Your corporate event planner will also have extensive knowledge of negotiating an effective and fair hotel contract to ensure the greatest number of concessions and include clauses that protect your bottom line.

Read more

How to Take the Confusion out of Multiple Hotel Contracts

/in

Meetings and conventions that require numerous hotels in order to meet room demand can force meeting planners to navigate hotel contracts with templates that are all written very differently. They may say the same thing, but it can be challenging to interpret. Why not have all your hotel contracts read exactly the same?

Read more

Negotiating a Room Block Review Clause

/in

You’ve made a commitment to book a block of rooms.  You think you’ve got the right number reserved, or is it too many?  How is one to know for sure when you are booking a hotel three years or more in advance?

Guarantee yourself some flexibility during the planning process by including a schedule of room block review dates in your contract.

Read more

Blessings in a Backpack

/in

PEC Meetings Company, formerly known as Professional Events and Consulting, LLC, gives back to Blessings in a Backpack.

PEC Meetings Company has a long standing history of giving back to the community, and in 2014 we are supporting Blessings in a Backpack. Blessings in a Backpack directly impact the lives of under-privileged elementary school children by providing them with much needed food on the weekends. Currently in 45 states, donations to Blessings can be made locally and 100% of the donation is given to the children in the form of nutrition.

Read more