NEGOTIATING CONTRACTS

"Yes, You Can Get Blood Out Of Turnip"

Copyright 2007- AAAMPRO

 

 

As a meeting planner or site selection committee person you need to make sure that you are getting maximum results for your organization or event. These are few items to consider if you have not already done so.

 

 

  1. Ask how local tourism development funds or anything similar can assist your organization.  
  2. Comp or discount rooms for board, VIP or special guests
  3. Room rebates from hotels
  4. National co-op funds from manufacturers or distributors because you may use certain brands for banquets or other food events
  5. Are hotels, convention centers or other facilities purchasing advertisements in your program book or program
  6. Special reward program points for meeting planners or other organization heads when booking the hotel. If you do not ask about it, they will not tell you. (for instance, one hotel will give you so many of their points to your account for future use based upon number of room nights booked)
  7. Will all front desk and other employees wear customized welcome tags during your organization or event stay.
  8. Will hotels include welcome notices in all elevators to promote your organization not only with your own delegates but also other hotel or convention guests?
  9. Hotels need to keep restaurants open until 12 midnight
  10. Will the hotel provide "old school, jazz or other acceptable music in their lounge, elevators and other public places?
  11. Hotels provide special group telephone messages to your delegates at no charge to you.
  12. Will hotel and convention general managers be ON SIGHT to officially welcome your delegates and your VIP and board members?
  13. Will the hotel, convention center or other facility allow you to approve their chef and menu? ( you have the right to have the type of food you want and prepared the way that you desire - don't just select off the menu)
  14. Will the hotel, convention center or other facility allow you to include messages on their TV network, reader board or other signage?
  15. Does the transportation provider give you a rebate based upon number of buses or other vehicles
  16. Encourage your delegates to ALWAYS put all hotel and other charges to their room account and pay when they check out. This gives your organization a traceable history for future bookings.
  17. Survey your delegates and see how many booked outside the block and contact those hotels for room rebates.
  18. Does the hotel provide complimentary airport shuttle service ?
  19. Does the cost of meal functions include the use of AV equipment and operators ?
  20. Can you bring in outside vendors for specialty foods?
  21. Ethnic empowerment clause - Front desk, sales, management, wait staff...
  22. Overnight parking fees waived for staff and VIP
  23. Who gets the airline points?
  24. Civil Unrest Coverage that may effect your event
  25. Recognize how hotel accounting and profit centers work and what that means for your negotiation process
  26. Identify how to present your business in its best positioning
  27. Compare hotels, convention and meeting facilities and learn how to leverage one hotel offer against another
  28. Need for Convention operation center which includes registration tables and/or counters
  29. Two Way Radios
  30. Volunteers from CVB, Hospitality School or Seniors to assist with registration packets, airport greeters
  31. Local clergy for invocation - sponsored by whom?
  32. Is high speed internet provided at no charge or discounted price ?
  33. Hotel, Convention Center and/or City's ethnicity empowerment report card - how you make this work for you
  34. Do you coordinate with the hotel, convention bureau, etc. for their final report to Destination Marketing Association International or other reporting facilities to make sure that you have full credit for room nights, food, beverages, etc.
  35. Local business sponsorships for printing, programs, receptions, etc.

 

 

Roy Jay

IDEA WORKS, LLC

 

Meeting & Event Planners

Marketing Consultants

Project Development

 

PORTLAND- CHICAGO- WASHINGTON DC - LOS ANGELES

 

Roy@Ideaworks.ws

503-244-5794, Ext. 245 - Main Office

800-909-2882, Ext. 245 -

 

202-747-6301- Washington DC

312-962-0265 - Chicago

323-799-1159 - Los Angeles

© 2006 Idea Works, LLC