Contracted Services

1
Contracted Services

• Chapter 17

2
Objectives

• After completing chapter 17, the reader will be
  able to
• Understand basic principles to follow when
  arranging any contracted service for a meeting.
• Evaluate a security supplier for a meeting or
  exposition.
• Determine the advantages and disadvantages of
  using temporary personnel for a meeting.
• Understand how to obtain a supplier of meeting
  décor.

3
Introduction

• The common objective that both meeting managers
  and exhibitors share is the desire to be certain
  that attendees return home with pleasurable
  memories of an exciting, professional, efficient
  meeting or exposition. To accomplish this, their
  use of auxiliary services has assumed critical
  importance.

4
Types of Service

• Security and safety
• Temporary personnel
• Office furniture and equipment
• Florists
• Photographers

5
Security and Safety

• Security planning should begin between the
  security staff and the planner on an early site
  inspection trip.
• Security needs vary for each meeting. Check the
  security staff in both the meeting and hotel
  facilities to see if there is a need for
  additional security personnel.

6
Exhibit Security

• Exhibit security needs
• have increased
• with the growth of trade shows.

7
Badges

• Issuing badges to participants is another good
  security measure.
• Can be simple
• More complex with photos encoded with identifying
  information.
• Distribute maps to all staff, exhibitors and
  auxiliary services providers, in advance and
  on-site.

8
Temporary Personnel

• To reduce staff travel costs, organizations and
  exhibitors benefit by hiring local personnel to
  handle a number of on-site responsibilities.

9
Traditional Needs for Personnel

• Registration personnel, typists and cashiers
• Ticket sellers
• Information and message center clerks
• Registration card file clerks
• Badge checkers and meeting room monitors
• (continued)

10
Traditional Needs for Personnel

• Receptionists
• Exhibitor product demonstrators
• Poll-takers and evaluation form distributors
• Computer-trained personnel

11
Meeting Related Personnel Requirements

• Identify the specific responsibilities within
  each area for which local personnel will be
  hired.
• Determine what skills are required.
• Write a job description of each post that needs
  to be filled.
• Develop a schedule of required dates and hours
  for each post, and add time for orientation.

12
Exhibitor Personnel Requirements

• Local individuals employed by exhibitors to staff
  booths may need to have the ability to absorb and
  understand company goals and product lines in a
  relatively short span of time.

13
Office Furniture and Equipment

• Desk versus draped tables
• Copying machine versus trips to copy center
• Business machines
• Include delivery and pickup, discount and be
  specific to the needs.
• Provide 24 hr. emergency service.

14
Office Furniture

• If the meeting includes an exposition
• The service contractor can be helpful in
  recommending an office furniture rental company.
• The contractor is normally called upon to deliver
  the equipment from whomever it may be rented,
  and
• Developed information as to dependability of
  suppliers and quality of their equipment.

15
Florists

• Exhibit managers and meeting managers may work
  with designer/decorators, also known as
  interiorscapers, to provide the meeting décor
  required to make a visual impact and create a
  theme.

16
Florists - The Proposal

• Contact florists as soon as you have finalized
  the theme or the look you are trying to
  achieve. Give them enough time to create a
  proposal that will provide the best visual value
  for the money.

17
Florists Proposal

• Should contain
• Cost to the organization and to the exhibitor for
  foliage, flowering plants, cut flowers and
  containers. As a basis for comparison, identify
  several specific items, such as a six-inch pot of
  azaleas or a seven-foot palm, and compare prices.
• (continued)

18
Florists Proposal

• Availability of company staff on-site to take
  late orders and to freshen and replace floral
  arrangements when necessary.
• Any discount offered to exhibitors if specific
  orders are placed in advance.
• Name, address, and telephone number of the
  meeting managers the company has serviced
  previously.
• Any applicable discounts for the organization.

19
The Best Proposal

• In the next overheads are listed additional tips
  provided to secure the best proposal.

20
Photographers

• In addition to the usual use by the media and
  meeting sponsor of photographs of special events
  and dignitaries, a number of organizations use a
  photographic record as an aid in planning setups
  and decorations for future meetings.