Conferences UK Issue 4

Interviews from the ConferencesUK Team & top tips from industry experts

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Introducing 76 Portland Place Distinctive Georgian architecture meets bespoke event design Versatile rooms and dining suites

Walking distance of five tube stations

Suitable for a wide variety of events

Friendly experienced team offering a truly professional service

Central location close to Regent’s Park

Excellent food and outstanding facilities

For the perfect place to meet, train or entertain visit www.76portlandplace.com or call 0207 470 4884

76 Portland Place – Exceeding your expectations

Issue 4 Hello and welcome to the fourth edition of the ConferencesGroup newsletter. We are slowly approaching summer (although from the weather, you would never have guessed it!) and it seems like a perfect time to showcase some fantastic venues.

Summer can be a great time to organise a conference, as a number of venues offer compelling deals and incentives to run events during this period. Some of these are featured in this booklet, alongside some industry comment from key players in the sector.

2013 has continued to be strong for ConferencesGroup. I believe it is all down to my team. Having an experienced, knowledgeable and dedicated team is fundamental to the success of any venue finding agency – no matter how good the technology that is in place.

Therefore, this issue is all about the team at ConferencesGroup – expect to find out what they believe to be the most important piece of advice for both venues and conference organisers and what their top money-saving tips are. One of the aims of this issue is to show the faces behind the company and to bring to fore some of the expertise that we share with our clients on a day to day basis.

I hope you enjoy this latest edition and as ever we welcome you to get in touch with any comments, questions or suggestions.

Simon Thompson, Managing Director, simon@conferencesgroup.com

Q&A with Mel Horton

Q&A With Mel Horton at Doubletree Chester Q1 What tips and advice would you give to people who are looking to run conferences and events over the summer?

Make sure you pick a venue with some outdoor space. Although we can’t guarantee the weather, if it is warm it’s good if people can get outside.

Q2 What are the advantages of holding a conference or event over the summer period?

Lots of venues are quiet during the summer months so there are often great deals to be had.

Q3 What is your venue doing differently to attract conference business over the summer?

We are offering Hilton Honours Events Bonus to all bookers, and offering 1 place in 10 free on all Day Delegate packages booked for July and August.

Q4 What steps and changes have you made to make sure you offer a great experience for your clients over the summer?

We offer clients the opportunity to have lunch and coffee breaks in our gardens - we find that a bit of fresh air makes them feel more focused and refreshed ready for the rest of their meeting.

Q5 What are the favourite types of events that you hold at your venue over the summer?

Summer is a great time for team building events. We get delegates out using the lawns and outdoor space doing all sorts of activities from Segway to falconry.

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Q6 Can you give us an example of a successful conference or event that you regularly hold at your venue?

One company use us on a monthly basis. They book the Day delegate package, but then upgrade to a seated lunch and have a glass of wine to accompany their lunch. This is a popular event with all delegates.

Q7 What are the main trends you have seen emerge in the sector over the last 12 months?

The demand has slowed down for conferences over the last 12 months and companies don’t have the same size budgets that they had in the past. People are looking for good value for money.

Q8 What is your venue doing to address these trends?

Hilton Honours Events Bonus means that bookers can collect rewards for all the events that they place at Hilton properties.

We are also much more flexible with our pricing, trying to make what we have to offer fit in with people’s budgets.

Q9 What mistakes do clients typically tend to make when organising events over the summer period and how can these be best avoided?

They should learn never to rely on the British weather. When planning activities outdoors, they should always make sure they use a venue that can accommodate them inside or out depending on the weather. Here at the DoubleTree we have all the space required to make the event perfect whatever the weather.

DoubleTree Chester

Past meets present in this elegant countryside retreat.

With prices starting from ÂŁ38 per delegate, and a special offer of 1 in 10 delegates go free (T&Cs apply); Doubletree Chester offers a first-class business venue for low-cost prices.

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140

1 in 10

Use of 2

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delegates go free (T&Cs apply)

spacious meeting rooms

stylish restaurants and the tranquil Club & Spa

luxurious bedrooms including 15 suites

acres of landscaped gardens

ÂŁ38 From

per

visit: www.doubletreechester.co.uk tel: 01244 408 800 email: events@doubletreechester.com

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gate

Meet The Team Simon Thompson

“It has been hugely rewarding to have built a fantastic team over the years �

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SIMON thompson Position: Managing Director Best thing about your job: It has been hugely rewarding to have built a fantastic team over the years and seen the business grow from strength to strength.

Top money saving tip: Always negotiate on price. It seems like a simple piece of advice but people often don’t and miss out on savings. Also never take the price of a cup of tea for granted!

Catering costs can mount up and it is as important to negotiate on the prices of items that seem peripheral as it is on the core costs of the venue.

Most important piece of advice for conference organisers: Simple. Proper planning prevents poor performance!

Even the smallest meeting or event requires plenty of preparation to make sure everything goes to plan.

Common mistakes to avoid: Not planning far enough in advance leaves many conference organisers chasing their tails and making unnecessary compromises when bringing their event together.

Favourite Conference Venue: Langham Hilton Hotel is a superb conference venue with some stunning conference spaces.

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Q&A Robert Barclay Cook

Q&A with Robert Barclay Cook, CEO of De Vere Hotels and Village Urban Resorts Q1 Your mantra is “doing the simple things done very well” How do you get things done?

We all need a reliable “goto” person which I have found through a highly skilled management team. As a meeting booker, you need a “go-to” brand that balances totally unique locations (from De Vere Hotels & Resorts) with a consistently superb offering from property to property, as you do under the roof of any Village Urban Resort.

Q2 Balance and choice is key. What highlights do you have to offer?

From the newly refurbished Grand Brighton to the shores of Loch Lomond, we have everything a road warrior would desire - 25 Village Urban Resorts and 9 De Vere Hotels and Resorts. Also, look out for new sites in Aberdeen, Portsmouth, Edinburgh and Glasgow in 2014.

Q3 You hint at significant investment in key properties. Can you give us any examples?

Definitely the Grand Brighton, the Grand Dame of the South Coast Riviera. We’ve built a new sea food restaurant called GB1, an elegant spa, and improved the rooms, including Chambre Unique.

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Victory chop and ale houses have been added to the Victory pub brand at Village and we have developed a new spa - Viva

Urban spa - which has already received great praise, amongst other things. In the Village Urban Resorts brand we’ve also added UpperDeck rooms to parallel the Chambre Unique room in the De Vere Hotels.

Q4 Can you tell us a bit more about Chambre Unique and UpperDeck?

Anyone staying away on business requires a touch more luxury that doesn’t cost the earth. Chambre Unique and UpperDeck make the room upgrade possible; both feature must-have extras that make your stay away from home so much more delightful, including Sky movies HD and bespoke toiletries.

Q5 You mention “Business Your Way” on De Vere Hotels. What does that mean?

I’m quite stuck in my ways.

There’s only one way I do business, and that’s my way on my terms. Similarly, At De Vere hotels & Resorts we offer unique experiences to help you do business your way. If you want a dozen delegates to meet on a Northumbrian moor on Segways, or a cruise around Loch Lomond, we can do that. It’s all about providing a unique and refreshing platform for you to achieve your goal.

www.devere-hotels.co.uk Hotels & Resorts Conference centre

Village Hotels Banqueting

Hotels & Resorts Conferences

Village Hotels Leisure facilities

Hotels & Resorts Outdoor activities

www.VillageUrbanResorts.com

Village Hotels Meeting & Events

Village Hotels Room upgrades

Hotels & Resorts Golf courses

For all your meetings, conferences and events at De Vere Hotels & Resorts and Village Urban Resorts Imagine a single place to book two of the UK’s best loved meeting and events spaces with 34 locations across the UK. Perfect for all occasions from an intimate boardroom meeting to a fabulous event, gala dinner or conference with that wow factor.

Our facilities offer the perfect surroundings & flexibility for training, team building, product launches, award ceremonies, incentives, exhibitions or corporate golf days.

All De Vere Hotels & Resorts and Village Urban Resorts offer complimentary Wifi, complimentary car parking, excellent choice of dining, use of on-site health + fitness club + pool, and a dedicated point of contact.

Booking has never been easier. One e-mail address. One Telephone number.

De Vere Hotels Belton Woods, Lincolnshire Cameron House on Loch Lomond Carden Park, Chester Dunston Hall, Norwich The Belfry, West Midlands The Grand, Brighton Mottram Hall, Manchester Oulton Hall, Leeds Slaley Hall, Newcastle

Village Urban Resorts North East & Yorkshire Hull Leeds North Leeds South Newcastle North West Ashton, Manchester Bury, Manchester Cheadle, Manchester Blackpool Hyde, Manchester Liverpool Warrington Wirral Midlands Coventry Dudley, Birmingham Nottingham Solihull Walsall, Birmingham Wales Cardiff Chester St.Davids Swansea South Bournemouth Farnborough London Elstree Maidstone Swindon

0844 980 0047

Meet The Team

You’ve met the MD

now meet the rest of the team...

Meet the team ConferencesGroup takes particular pride in the level and quality of service that we offer to our clients. The people who work here have always been key to that and our focus has always been to hire experienced professionals who assist our customers by offering expert support and advice.

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This is your opportunity to meet the team, find out a little bit more about them and for the team to share some of their collective wisdom.

Meet The Team Carl Brindley

Carl Brindley Best thing about your job: Finding venues for meetings and events is about problem solving. Getting the right venue at the right price for my customers is a bit like completing a puzzle and brings fresh and fun challenges every day.

Top money saving tip: I always advise my clients to book their meeting on a Monday or a Friday where they have the flexibility to do so. It is often significantly cheaper to book on these days and the savings can really mount up.

Most important piece of advice for venues: Prompt responses to enquiries are absolutely vital. The quicker that we can get a response the more likely the venue is to get a confirmed booking. Venues that offer their best price first time often benefit from a shorter decision making process from the client.

Favourite conference venue: The Riverbank Park Plaza is an amazing venue which never fails to make an impact on delegates.

“ A lways book on a monday or a friday.�

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Meet The Team Vanessa Steel

Vanessa

Steel Best thing about your job: The diversity. Each day is different as the range of clients we have here at ConferencesGroup means that I have about 50 different enquiries to manage at any one time. These can range from large multinational organisations through to SME’s looking to book a small board room.

Top money saving tip: Be cautious with your numbers. Event organisers sometimes over commit on numbers and then struggle to meet contractual commitments. An initial caution on delegate numbers can ultimately save you lots of money.

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Most important piece of advice for venues: We find that our client’s requirements are becoming increasingly technical. Quite a lot of them are looking to integrate mobile and tablet devices into their conferencing programmes, so excellent WiFi connectivity is a must, for example.

“ a n Initial caution on delegate numbers can save you lots of money.”

Meet The Team Neetan Kishore

Neetan kishore Best thing about your job: Being able to make a difference. ConferencesGroup is a dynamic, growing business and it is possible to see your ideas and initiatives come to fruition very quickly.

Top conference money saving tip: Be as flexible as possible with dates and location.

The more flexible you are, the greater the range of choice of venue you will have. This range of choice will open up opportunities to save you money.

print of any contract you agree to. If you are contracted to 200 delegates, for example but only have 150 you end up paying for other 50. If you build flexibility into the contract from the outset you will avoid these pitfalls.

Favourite conference venue: Grosvenor House is a great conference and meeting venue.

Most important piece of advice: Always read the small

“ B e as flexible as possible with dates and location.�

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Meet The Team Stan Posner

STAN POSNER Best thing about your job: I get a real sense of reward from building strong relationships with our venue partners and helping them to build their business.

Money saving tip: The ‘cheapest’ deal often does not work out to be the cheapest. Check the small print to see what is included and what might end up as being extras on any day delegate package. This is an area where an agency like ConferencesGroup can really help, particularly when you are under time pressure to find a venue.

Most important piece of advice for venues: Service is a

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critical part of the offering for our clients. Great service can make up for weaknesses in a product but nothing can really compensate for poor service, which will always have a lasting impression on a delegate.

Favourite conference venue: The Business Design Centre is a great venue, which responds rapidly to conference enquiries and always demonstrates great flexibility when accommodating delegate requirements.

“ g reat service can make up for weaknesses in a product.”

Meet The Team Richard Newman

Richard Newman Best thing about your job: I am fortunate to have a really diverse range of clients, each one with very different needs. It has been really rewarding to build long term relationships with clients and be able to quantify the positive impact that ConferencesGroup has had for them.

Money saving tip: Not everyone understands that using a third party agency such as ConferencesGroup is actually free. There is no cost associated with using the service and the customer benefits from the savings which our expert team of venue finders are able to achieve.

Best price first is critical in the current climate. Venues that respond quickly with their keenest pricing are more likely to secure that all important booking. Secondly, chairs! There is no excuse to roll out ÂŁ20 conference chairs and expect delegates to sit on them for eight hours. Ergonomic chairs improve delegate comfort and ultimately customer satisfaction.

Most important piece of advice for venues: Two things.

“ B est price first is critical.�

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Meet The Team Jayne Winstanley

jayne winstanley Best thing about your job: Helping customers to find the best meeting venue for their requirements is immensely satisfying, particularly when they realise the service is free and how much money I am able to save them.

Top money saving tip: Always take a look at the breakdown packages, as they can work out cheaper than a day delegate rate. I always do this on behalf of my customers and it often results in a saving for them. People are often time pressured and don’t get time to make the comparison – this is really where an experienced venue finder can help.

“ A lways take a look at the breakdown packages.”

these rooms and some great deals to be had.

Most important piece of advice for venues: Offer flexibility on payment terms as this will help make the conference organiser’s decision to use your venue a straightforward one and is likely to result in a loyal customer.

Favourite conference venue: The Hilton London Metropole effectively offers three venues in one. The staff are very accommodating and respond promptly to enquiries.

Top tip: If you are looking for a small meeting space, for example a 20 seat board room, leave the booking until the last minute as there are a plentiful supply of

Want to find out more?

Call our team on 0845 351 9917 today.

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Purpose built conference facilities in the centre of Manchester.

2 tiered theatres

14 meeting & syndicate rooms

Exhibition, catering & event space

Bar & Restaurant onsite

Free WIFI

Dedicated Conference & Events Team

117 3* bedrooms

We know that value for money is key, which is why all conferences confirmed and taking place between 1st June - 31st December 2013, one in every ten of delegates will be FREE! To ensure your event stands out from the crowd, we’re offering complimentary themed afternoon breaks when you book a Day Delegate Package.

To redeem your themed break & free delegate places, please quote: “MCC Free 2013!”

NEW ENQUIRIES: conference@days-mcc.co.uk or call 0161 955 8000 S A C K V I L L E

S T R E E T ,

M A N C H E S T E R ,

M 1

3 B B

All offers & rates are subject to availability

Q&A with Jo Hansen

Q&A With Jo Hansen at Four Pillars Oxford Thames Hotel Q1 What tips and advice would you give to people who are looking to run conferences and events over the summer?

Go for something different.

Get outdoors for team building activities, for example.

Q2 What are the advantages of holding a conference or event over the summer period?

You can add value to your event, by booking a bbq or outdoor evening drinks reception as part of a networking event after a meeting.

Q3 What steps and changes have you made to make sure you offer a great experience for your clients over the summer?

We’ve just opened our new luxurious garden rooms some with unique views over the picturesque river Thames and offering great opening 24 hour rates! We’ve also built a new Conservatory to accommodate indoor reception drinks and indoor bbqs if the weather’s not great! In total we’ve spent £2million to complete the work and upgrade existing standard bedrooms.

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Q4 What are the favourite types of events that you hold at your venue over the summer?

Team building events, we work with some great outdoor event companies to utilise our grounds for all sorts of activities from duck herding to motorised activities to Scalextric!

Q5 What are the main trends you have seen emerge in the sector over the last 12 months?

Companies are starting to book summer parties/team building for their staff again after a lull due to tighter budgets. Staff incentives are increasing and therefore showing how they value and appreciate their staff.

Q6 What is your venue doing to address these trends?

Trying to be flexible and offering ideas to bookers to be a little bit different and us being competitive on price.

Q7 What mistakes do clients typically tend to make when organising events over the summer period and how can these be best avoided?

Forgetting about wet weather options! Ensure the venue has ample indoor activity space available in case it rains!

City-centre convenience in a countryside retreat.

With our idyllic setting and spacious grounds offering 84 rooms and a multi-functional conservatory; Four Pillars Oxford Thames is a perfect venue for your business event needs.

• £2 million refurbishment investment • 9 rooms for private events •2 2 new contemporary Garden Rooms with complementary wireless • Exclusive views of the river Thames

www.four-pillars.co.uk/thames Email Jo Hansen at businessmgr@four-pillars.co.uk Call 01865 334414

The Old Church, Albert Hill Street, Didsbury, Manchester M20 6RF Telephone: 0845 351 9917