Expect the Unexpected | Do you have a Plan B, C, D…?

11/07/2011

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by Deanna Tassoni

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Plans, plans, plans. Many of us got into the meeting and event industry because we’re good at planning. Whether it is planning floral arrangements, menus, itineraries, or entertainment schedules for meetings, we all make plans. That’s what we do. That’s why we’re called planners!

Recently, I was reminded how much plans can change.

One of my company’s agents was traveling to a client’s event in a remote part of Canada. On-time arrival at her destination involved the coordination of travel by plane, ferry, and rental car. Before leaving, she carefully ran through that what-if scenarios in case her flight was delayed. She went through all the details to ensure a foolproof backup plan. As I went home for the weekend, she got on a plane and began her journey.
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Remember the Time…?

08/31/2011

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Resorts are places where people go to relax and let loose. Sometimes, this combination of atmosphere and attitude can result in some “unusual” meeting scenarios. The following story, submitted by a planner who (understandably!) wishes to remain anonymous, made us reflect on the factors that just can’t be anticipated.

“There was the time I made arrangements for all 700 branch managers at a luxe golf resort for the annual training and motivation meeting. The seminars were going well, the food and lodging were flawless, no one even complained about the temperature of the meeting rooms!

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Starting Over

08/30/2011

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In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, which slammed New Orleans back in August, many meeting planners were left without a location. Amongst fears for family members and residents trapped in the flooded city, planners who’d chosen a New Orleans site had to face another crisis - beginning anew in their preparations. How would you handle it? 

When Katrina Struck 

The New Orleans Sheraton was to be the location for the 24th annual Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers conference this past November. But by August 26, Executive Director John Gruber knew plans might be changing.
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Got Backup? | How these planners overcame the weather.

07/07/2011

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Massive flooding in Minot, ND. A devastating tornado in Joplin, MO. For many meetings industry professionals, in the wake of recent, tragic headlines regarding destructive weather occurrences, thoughts often turn to contingency planning and what-if? questions. For instance: what if disaster strikes during your event?

Here in the Midwest, most residents are familiar with the seasonal woes and serious dangers caused by weather patterns such as floods, tornadoes, snowstorms, and the like, but even minor weather upsets can cause serious glitches in the event agenda. How do the locals carry on, business as usual, around such uncooperative natural factors? How do planners stay abreast of unpredictable situations that can occur suddenly and without warning during their events? In short... how do folks plan for this stuff?
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