The meeting professional's role is changing from educator/trainer/promoter
to creator of immersive experiences that focus on personal development for
delegates, on networking and on creativity. That's according to a survey of 180
corporate, association and third-party meeting planners in Australia, Canada,
North America and the U.K. conducted by Meeting Professionals International and
the International Association of Conference Centers.
The Meeting Room of the Future study found that in 2017, 80
percent of meeting organizers feel more responsibility to create impactful experiences
for delegates than they did five years ago and feel that attendee engagement is
now critical to meeting success. As primary drivers of this transformation, meeting
organizers cited always-on technologies, younger delegates with shorter
attention spans and immediate access to information.
"Access has led youth to rely less on info they receive
from teachers and parents," the study authors wrote. "Consequently,
they are less interested in lectures and more interested in having their
specific questions addressed. Indeed, helping delegates learn how to find
answers will be much more valuable than what the answers are. Connecting them
to the right subject matter experts, the right partners and the right peers
will be far more valuable than delivering content that may or may not be valuable
to them."
Survey respondents identified four key changes they made in
2017 to capture attendee attention:
- Integrate new technologies.
- Offer more opportunities for interaction, collaboration
and stimulation.
- Design shorter, quicker sessions to replace long-form
presentations.
- Provide more emphasis on creativity as opposed
to productivity.
Making Changes
Access to adequate broadband Internet connections, mobile
apps and interactive onsite technologies have become de rigueur for meetings, and survey participants rated these as top
requirements for creating immersive experiences.
The demand for engagement and quality networking
opportunities, however, has pushed meeting organizers to alter their choices of
meeting spaces, their session formats and even food-and-beverage formats,
according to the survey.
Meeting organizers also reported an increase in smaller,
daylong events, as opposed to multiday meetings that require delegates to spend
extended time out of the office. While most respondents continue to use big-brand
hotels and agree that branded properties play a major role in ensuring quality
for their meetings, some have expanded searches to alternative, non-residential
venues.
Speaking on a recent BTN webinar, Tony Wagner, Carlson
Wagonlit Meetings & Events VP for the Americas and South Pacific, and Linda
McNairy, American Express Meetings & Events global VP, highlighted this
trend as one to watch in 2018. "It's not [about] just running people
through the meeting, but creating an experience that changes behaviors and
thought processes," McNairy said. "Rather than being in a traditional
ballroom, [our customers] talk about finding the cabin in the woods where
people could be thoughtful and creative and not be encumbered by traditional
meeting space. You can create a different way of thinking."
Wagner said, "We see [customers] looking at unique
venues, maybe a boutique hotel where you couldn't normally hold a meeting
because of limited space, and then looking at an alternative venue [with] a
warehouse orientation or a unique offsite experience to ideate and get away,"
Wagner said. He noted that such unique spaces don't require decor and that
companies could invest the resulting savings back into the event. "[The
trend] has implications for us in terms of lengthening the sourcing process; it
might be two RFPs, or food and beverage has to be brought in because [the
event] isn't in the hotel. The end result is getting the attendees to have a
great experience to drive business results. We see that around the world today,
not just in the U.S."
In terms of the features that organizers want to see in
these alternative spaces, the MPI/IACC report called out the preference for
flat-floor spaces with comfortable seating and, often, light furnishings that
can be rearranged at will by delegates or meeting organizers. They specifically
noted the declining interest in more rigid classroom-style setups or
auditoriums that put a damper on delegate interactivity.
Meeting organizers also emphasized the importance of natural
light to create openness and spur creativity. A majority of respondents would
opt for natural light over screen/projection visibility for their meetings,
though, it should be noted, current projection technology should not require
this trade-off. Organizers also said access to outdoor areas has become critical
and would increase in importance over the next five years.
Changing food-and-beverage formats were also on the table:
accommodating more dietary restrictions, preferring venues that can provide
creative options and rethinking F&B overall. Some proposed longer meals and
breaks to promote extended networking time, but a higher percentage said more—but
shorter—meals and break times with less structure would be better.
Meetings consultant Scott Dart went farther. "The
traditional plated meal is going away," he said. "Probably continuous
breaks … will become more popular, offering individual attendees the ability to
[take a] break whenever they need/desire, rather than schedule time points for
everyone to do it simultaneously."
All these changes point to flexibility for the
delegate and offering experiences that can be personalized on demand. As the
consumer world shifts toward these goals, so do meetings, according to the
study authors: "The industry is moving into an environment where delegates
and attendees are looking for a personal experience, personal service and
content delivered based on personal preferences."