Meeting Planner Careers

Everyone in the office has some levels of responsibility when it comes to ensuring the collective well-being of the office. Part of that well-being is ensuring that there are plenty of incentives for workers to remain loyal and perform at or above expectations.

While the majority of what motivates workers tends to be financial or related to benefits, there are some things that meeting planners can do to influence motivation. Some offices may give meeting planners the freedom to implement these ideas on their own, while others may require running the following ideas by the powers that be. Use your own discretion when deciding how to go about implementing any or all of the following ideas:

• Special coffees – Many coffee vendors offer special flavors at prices that are only marginally more expensive than non-flavored coffee. For a few dollars a month the powers that be could win a lot of hearts and minds. There’s little like vanilla or hazelnut coffee in the morning.
• Seating arrangements – Some people have peculiar desires when it comes to seating, while others have more obvious desires. Some want to be next to the boss so they can have their ideas heard, others might want to be seated next to that attractive new receptionist, and just about everyone wants to be seated as far away from Flatulent Freddy from finance. Find a fair way to determine who gets to sit where when competition arises and see how inspirational meeting planning can be.

One of the most important aspects of an incentive cruise is choosing the right ship. There are several types of ships from which a business may choose when planning meetings at sea. The type of sailing vessel chosen for this type of corporate travel will depend in large part upon the number participants. There are 4 basic ship types from which a business may choose: mega ships, mid-size ships, small ships, and yacht-like ships. Each of these ship types can offer many advantages to those embarking on incentive travel and gives businesses the opportunity to customize the cruise event for their participants.

Mega ships typically offer 3-day, 4-day, and 7-day cruises. These ships can accommodate up to 4300 passengers comfortably. They offer many entertainment venues, dining options, and are equipped with the latest in audio visual equipment. Mid-size ships can accommodate up to 1600 passengers. Incentive cruises on ships of this size can be customized and personalized to meet participants needs and desires. Small ships can accommodate up to 1000 passengers. Participants will enjoy a high level of services, and these ships often visit more exotic destinations. Yacht-like ships can accommodate up to 400 passengers. These ships are ideal when luxury accommodations and services are desired.

Some clients have special needs or desires. That’s all part of event planning and you learn to go with the flow.

Most hotels can adapt to any physical or dietary need with enough advance notice. A small number of clients will insist on accommodations that totally fit in with their lifestyle. What if your client is vegetarian and prefers a vacation with like-minded people?

This can be an interesting challenge. Many omnivorous restaurants offer vegetarian alternatives to their meals but finding a resort that actually caters to vegetarians gets a little tricky. Veggie Snow is a good resource for finding resorts that specialize in ski trips especially for vegetarians and vegans. You can book a trip in Austria, Bulgaria, France, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, or the United States.

Wait, France? The French are known for many things but not their vegetarian cuisine. La Source Ski and Adventure Ltd. promoted and sponsored the first Veggie Snow tour. Just because it is vegetarian does not mean the chef has to forsake his beloved cream, cheese, or butter.

Special needs are not insurmountable problems for the experienced meeting planner. It may take a bit more web surfing to accommodate these clients but it’s well worth the effort.