The economic situation has produced some superficially spectacular offers from a number of conference and meetings providers – but organisers mustn’t take them at face value. That’s the belief of Conference Centres of Excellence Executive Director Anthony Lishman.
“There are some astonishingly tempting headline rates that are being thrust at organisers, but as with any special offer, they need to be very carefully evaluated,” explains Anthony: “That’s so not only in terms of the actual value they represent, but also how relevant they are to the event or meeting that’s involved.”
CCE is the UK’s leading consortium of specialist meeting providers, and its 37 member venues – all of them with many years of experience -- pride themselves in their ability to optimise the meeting experience cost-effectively. The consortium’s Hotline venue finding team is skilled at working with organisers to identify the precise specifications and aspirations for their meetings.
Anthony cites recent examples of meeting spaces being offered at under £10 per delegate. “Closer analysis shows that these are normally hourly rates, per delegate, and are for room hire only -- so when you calculate the actual cost of meeting for several delegates lasting half a day or more, the rate is no longer anywhere near so attractive.”
Then there are the add-ons: the cost of refreshments, lunch, presentation equipment, pens and note pads, break out rooms and so on. “With most special rates, organisers are highly likely to find that almost everything is an add-on, often at extortionate rates,” adds Anthony.
And there’s one other key factor: risk. In the final analysis, no organiser can afford to compromise the event. Whether it’s a staff meeting or a presentation to customers, allowing cost to be the sole driving force creates risks of various sorts. For example, a very low rate is likely to mean that professional on-site support will be minimal, because the provider can’t afford to pay for it. “Go for a cheap deal, and you can lose far more than you gain in budgetary terms. Any meeting must respect the people involved.”
With its members, CCE is working as hard as possible to offer even more competitive deals. But it is determined not to mislead organisers by omitting key elements, which would allow it to lower optical rates even further, but at the cost of what the group stands for. Every CCE member operates the same agreed policy of offering all-inclusive packages that are transparent and comprehensive -- including the main meeting room, a syndicate room, all equipment, refreshments and meals. It’s all clearly defined, so there’s no risk of unexpected extras.
If you need proper, professional guidance on achieving meetings that optimise your spend in every respect, call CCE’s Hotline service. It’s free, and it’ll help you get behind those headlines and find out what’s really best for you, your event – and your budget.
Contacts
Tel: 0845 230 1414
Web: www.cceonline.co.uk
Conference Centres of Excellence members including many of the UK’s best known and respected specialist venues, ranging from established centres to successful new providers, some located in or near town and city centres and others in rural locations and on country estates.
• Arden Training & Conference Centre, Warwick Conferences
• Ashorne Hill Conference Centre, Leamington Spa
• Ashridge, Berkhamsted
• Aston Business School Conference Centre, Birmingham
• Austin Court, Birmingham
• Imago at Burleigh Court Conference Centre, Loughborough
• Chartridge Conference Centre, Chesham
• Cotswold Conference Centre, Broadway
• Cranfield Management Development Centre, Bedfordshire
• Egrove Park Conference Centre, Oxford
• Eynsham Hall, Witney, Oxon
• Henley Business School, Henley-on-Thames
• Hitchin Priory, Hitchin
• Lane End Conference Centre, High Wycombe
• Kents Hill Park Training & Conference Centre, Milton Keynes
• Latimer Place, Chesham, Buckinghamshire
• Lensbury, Teddington, Middlesex
• Missenden Abbey Conference Centre, Great Missenden
• NCSL Learning & Conference Centre, Nottingham
• Radcliffe Training & Conference Centre, Warwick Conferences
• RBS Williams F1 Conference Centre, Oxfordshire
• Roffey Park, Horsham, West Sussex
• Royal College of Physicians, Regent’s Park, London
• Savoy Place, London
• Scarman Training & Conference Centre, Warwick Conferences
• Stirling Management Centre, Stirling
• The Beardmore, Clydebank, Glasgow
• The East Midlands Conference Centre, Nottingham
• The Manor House, Godalming
• The Moller Centre, Cambridge
• The Pitt Building, Cambridge
• The Robinson Executive Conference Centre at Wyboston Lakes, Beds
• The Wellcome Trust Conference Centre, Cambridge
• Uplands Conference & Training Centre, High Wycombe
• Waterfront Centre at Wyboston Lakes, Beds
• Wilton Park Conference Centre, West Sussex
• Woodland Grange Conference Centre, Leamington Spa