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| U.N.I.C.EO | Best of M.I.C.E. Forums | ABC Corporate Business Solutions |
Copyright © ABC Corporate Business Solutions 2004-2013
All suppliers listed in ABCevents.com have been previously selected on their capacity for hosting professional corporate events. The rigorous quality standards asked to be listed in terms of location, services, facilities and staff professionalism are the guarantee of success of your event. You may find incomplete supplier information files which correspond to suppliers in basic listing: They have been selected by us for their services or facilities but are not full members of ABCevents.com.
The letters D.M.C. stand for Destination Management Company and provides ground handling services for its destination. This can include airport meet and greet, transfers, transportations, hotel and restaurant reservations, tours, conference venues, team building activities and logistics.
It depends very much on the chosen destination of your existing contacts onsite, and the amount of time you have available to organize your event
Obviously a D.M.C. will charge you for services but will greatly help you to solve all "time consuming" problems such as finding transportations onsite, reserving restaurants, negotiating with venues, audiovisual support, entertainment, interpreters, .. An educated and dedicated D.M.C. will, if it does its job right, reduce your workload as a meeting planner and become a valued member of your team.
Do not choose one until you are satisfied with all the answers to the following questions:
Another point to remember is that a D.M.C. can be brought in at different stages during the planning process. However, it is recommended that a D.M.C. be appointed as early as possible since their experience and expertise can ensure you avoid the many pitfalls and unnecessary expenditure which are frequently encountered during the early stages of conference planning.
Incoming Services Companies and D.M.C.s are usually considered together because they both provide knowledge of their destination and the services they are able to offer.
While an Incoming Services Company is certainly able to cater for the needs of individuals or groups, particularly those interested in leisure, a D.M.C. can handle all aspects of meeting needs whether it is a corporate special event or an international congress with thousands of participants. You should be aware, though, that many companies call themselves D.M.C.s in order to get event business although they are not really D.M.C.s since they do not have dedicated staff for this purpose. You will need to ask for references of previously organized events in order to avoid later problems.
An intermediary works on behalf of one person or party for a fee or commission payment.
These middle men, could be or represent a Travel Agency, a Destination Management Company or a Professional Congress Organizer, for example, all of whom work on behalf of their clients. The kind of activities in which an intermediary is involved normally includes planning and organization of meetings or congresses, incentives and events. More specifically:
The obvious answer is yes if you do not have the knowledge, resources, time or technical facilities. An intermediary normally offers:
P.C.O (Professional Congress Organizers): As their name suggests, these specialize in Congresses, Conferences and Conventions as their core business, and are suppliers who can arrange, manage and/or plan any function or service for an event.
INCENTIVE HOUSE: This is a company that runs incentive programmes, often involving travel, for other companies. SPECIALIZED TRAVEL AGENCY: These travel agencies have a dedicated department or fully specialize in organizing conferences, incentives and business travel in general. D.M.C. (Destination Management Company): For all onsite organization as the name suggests, a D.M.C. provides ground handling services for its destination. This can include airport meet and greet, transfers, transportation, hotel and restaurant reservations, tours, conference venues, team building activities and logistics. CONVENTION BUREAU: This is a not-for-profit organization, often supported by governments or private membership, which assists in the long-term development of an area promoted through the corporate events held there. Its members include hotels, D.M.C.s, travel agencies, P.C.O.s, conference & exhibition centres, restaurants, AV companies, ... (More information about Convention Bureaux) P.R. AGENCY: A Public Relations Agency is responsible for handling and maintaining a positive relationship with the media. It supports Event Managers by helping to ensure the appropriate image of their company at the event. A P.R. Agency plans and implements press launches, prepares press kits and materials as needed, and writes press reports detailing media activities and upcoming activity. FULL SERVICE CONTRACTOR: They are experts in concept and design, project management, production, graphics and decoration, installation and dismantling, transport and warehousing, ...
The criteria for selecting an intermediary should include having a professional image, offering a clear exposition of what they can do for you and providing evidence of previous achievements through references.
An important question to ask is how they will want to be paid (a set fee, commission or hourly payment). Here is a checklist on what you should do when selecting an intermediary to work on your behalf:
A P.C.O. or Professional Congress Organizer is a company or individual who specializes in the management of conferences, congresses, and conventions. The company will act as a consultant to an organizing committee, implementing its decisions whilst utilising the experience and knowledge it has gained over many years in organizing events.
Many other companies offer P.C.O. type services, including travel agents, D.M.C.s, Convention Bureaux, Marketing and P.R. companies and even Convention Centres.
If there are areas of conference management for which you cannot provide the knowledge, resources, time or technical facilities, then a P.C.O. will handle these for you. A P.C.O. will also act as a link between different committees and suppliers. The committee or association will normally retain control of the event and set the policy, with the P.C.O. acting as Project Manager and ensuring that the administration runs smoothly. In addition, they will provide advice on all aspects of conference management, and work with you in partnership to ensure the success of your conference.
A P.C.O. can be brought in at different stages during the planning process. However, it is recommended that a P.C.O. be appointed as early as possible, as their experience and expertise can ensure you avoid the many pitfalls and unnecessary expenditure which are frequently encountered during the early stages of conference planning. In the earliest stages, a P.C.O. can offer advice, help, knowledge and administrative support in both venue research and feasibility, as well as in establishing a preliminary budget, short-listing suppliers, and developing a timeline for the planning and organization of your conference. They can also offer help in the preparation and presentation of bids to win a conference for a particular destination; this may be in partnership with the local convention bureau where appropriate.
In order to identify the most appropriate P.C.O. for your needs it is helpful to seek information from a number of companies. The process would normally involve various steps:
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