International meetings take 10
Q: Any ideas for engaging attendees who don't speak the same language? They'll be together for two days.
A: It’s always important to consider cultural integration in all of your programs, particularly with regards to language. First and foremost, there should be an official language established for the program which is made clear to all attendees. However if you know that there is a large number of attendees coming from one particular area where a certain language is predominant, you want to be inclusive to their language. You can provide other services like simultaneous interpretation and the like but those will only be good primarily for forums and educational sessions. When it comes to getting people to interact in more social settings, it’s important to go back to cultural understanding and seeing how people’s cultures affect their interest in branching outside of their own circles. It’s human nature to seek out those with like interests and identities, but setting up a program so that it allows people to freely interact amongst one another will get people engaged and experiencing new things. You can do mixers where you assign people to certain tables, mixing up the attendee base, and having at least one person be the “Type A” moderator who is good at pulling people together. If possible, try and include bi- or multi-lingual people who can help bridge the language gaps. There are a lot of activities out there for ice-breakers that can be done as well… it’s just a matter of the overall demographic and what you are looking to have occur as a final result.
Q: Are there some countries that will not negotiate a contract.
A: I don’t believe there is a general answer to any specific countries that will not negotiate. I believe everything everywhere is negotiable, it’s just a matter of, just like in any business transaction, how people value the business at hand. If you are looking to do a large-scale program in a property that is really interested and competing for your business, then the negotiability is obviously in your favor. The opposite is true as well if you are a small program that may not be “lucrative” for the property or service provider. But then again it’s also a matter of how each provider defines lucrative and if they see the long-term value in your program. There may be items that are in some places hard and fast non-negotiables while in others it can be negotiated down. One example that is common is paying for meeting space rental abroad. In the U.S., we are accustomed to having rental space fees waived as long as an F&B minimum is met. This isn’t always the case, but again it depends not just on the country, but also the property’s policies as well.
Q: At some point can you shed some light on how to find vendors to use internationally? I do events in Mexico City, Sao Paolo and Madrid and have a hard time finding production companies that are full service and speak English. Ideally we would love to find one global vendor that can do all cities for us or at least be an intermediary.
A: Finding international vendors goes back to searching within your network and asking around as to who has experience in working within certain countries. I have always recommended looking at the various LinkedIn groups, such as the one that Julius Solaris set up (Event Planning & Event Management - the 1st Group for Event Professionals, which now has over 207,000 members and various subgroups covering just about every region of the world). There are companies that provide representation services for global DMCs such as Hosts Global Alliance, Global DMC Partners and more, but no matter the service provider that you use you will want to properly vet the company to ensure that what you are being promised is what you are going to get. Research the service providers and ask them for a list of references of companies they have worked with and contact information. In regards to working with one global vendor for all your international needs, there are limitations in what companies may offer. There are global meetings/events management companies and PCOs, but more often than not they will also be working with local vendors and may just be local affiliates themselves.
Q: Can you address risk management and medical issues abroad. please.
A: Risk management abroad is quite a lengthy topic (which I also do a separate professional development program on). Risk issues abroad are wide and varied and must but looked at with more detail considering that there are multiple factors that can exacerbate a situation as compared to something happening at a program you are planning domestically. For example, when it comes to financial risk, one of the key things I always mention to people is to be aware of the volatility of the foreign currency in the country that they are going to be working with. Depending on the way that you are going to be approaching your budgeting, you need to place a buffer that will help protect your budget so that you are not blindsided by extra unforeseen fees as a result of working in other currencies. For medical (safety) conditions, you need to prepare yourself and your attendees for emergency management procedures in the event someone falls ill. You need to be aware of where there is a hospital, what the medical system is like in that destination as compared to what you may be used to, how your organization’s insurance may be affected by any medical situation, tips for attendees on how to insure themselves when traveling abroad, etc.
Q: Can you discuss how to market the conference/event you are planning in international countries?
A: Just as with any program, you need to design the marketing plan based on the target audience you are trying to reach. An international medical association doing their global conference in the U.S. is going to market differently than if they are going to do a regional meeting in Southeast Asia. The material needs to be tailored either to a specific audience segment or be generalized enough that you do not cross into cultural boundaries that may negatively impact your attendance. My suggestion is if it’s a global program and you do not have an in house team with the international experience that you partner with an agency that has international marketing expertise or even look to work with local agencies in the specific countries or regions that you are trying to target the majority of your audience. You cannot rely on remedial language skills or even online translators to do the job of translating your content. It’s important to understand that languages themselves have dialects that vary from one country to the next, so it’s important to work with people that are experts in translation and/or marketing in that language.
Q: Do you recommend adding information regarding who needs a visa on your event website, or instead refer them to a website where they can find out for themselves?
A: The more information you can provide to your attendees in order to ease their planning for attending your program the better. It’s generally available information that should be provided by the country in which you are holding your program. Running a simple web search under “Who needs a visa to enter ____” should yield some good results. If you are unable to find the information online, my recommendation is to reach out to the local embassy or consulate in your country for support, or even your own embassy in the country abroad. Also, through my own experience, travel agents have access to a system that provides the updated visa requirements based on a traveler’s country of origin, connection point and country of residency, but this would require working with an agency that is willing to do this research.
Q: I have a group going to Nantes, France. All independent hotels are being contacted. The familiarity with RFPs and eRFP systems doesn't seem too common to these sites. I see communicating being a challenge.
A: The technological standards of doing business that we may experience here in the U.S. is going to differ around the world, no matter the country. It may be that in larger cities such as Paris there may be more familiarity in working with these types of systems because of the popularity of the destination for large groups and large housing blocks. But remember, a lot of these systems that U.S. planners are used to working with were developed by U.S. companies considering U.S. standards. I once had a company ask me about launching within the Latin American region, to which I responded that at the time I honestly did not see it as being a successful option. Sure it may work in some of the larger cities, but don’t expect your standards of 24-hour turnaround to be met without a lot of pushing and training. The business mentality there is not focused as much on technology as they do rely on that personal relationship development. If you feel that communication is going to be a challenge, my recommendation is to try and (1) find a local partner agency that you can trust to negotiate for you or (2) see if those hotels are part of any international affiliate program, such as a Leading Hotels, Relaix & Chateau or Preferred Hotels, and request their assistance. If they are truly independent, then this is where you really get a chance to experience cross-cultural business!
Q: I know what it means to "buy forward" with currency, but have never done it before. Can you briefly describe the "how" of buying forward on currency.... local bank account, etc.
A: For those unaware of the practice, currency forwarding is a practice in which you hedge the currency exchange rate in the future by locking in a rate now. It’s something you would have to work with a major bank to handle but what it does in essence is help you to control your budget from your currency’s standpoint. The upside to this is locking in your rate and stabilizing your budget and also protecting you from currency depreciation. On the flip side, if a currency appreciates, you will not benefit from that gain.
Q: There are a lot of opinions on insurance for attendees, from your employees to their plus-one's... can you give your opinion on insuring travelers.
A: I am happy to give my opinion on this, and remember, it’s just that. Insuring individual travelers can seem like a good idea, but at the end of the day it’s (1.) an added expense, (2.) something that will require a lot of your time and energy to be on top of, and (3.) depending on the insurance itself could require you to get each of the attendees to divulge personal information they may not be willing to provide to you. If your company wants to protect individual attendees that may go beyond the scope of your own insurance, my recommendation would be to offer the option the same as any travel agent would and provide links or options for them to secure their own insurance. Depending on your budget or organization you may even be willing to reimburse for the expense of the added insurance… but just like anything risk related, particularly when it comes to insurance, you may want to consult an attorney to determine your liability for offering such alternatives.
Q: I usually get less than 6 months to plan any meeting, domestic or international. Is there any tips you can relay that would assist a planner that gets very little advance notice for corporate events?
A: I’m used to working with very short lead times because of the nature of the work of my clients or the region they work in. This is where having those established relationships with your vendors comes in handy. You need to be able to reach out to vendors that you trust in the location you will be working in, or find trustworthy vendors based on your relationship with other planners that have experience working in those destinations. You also need to prepare your client or the key stakeholders that due to the short timeframe you are going to have to require a lot more attention and faster response times to decisions because they will affect the overall outcome of the event and will also affect the budget. Generally, the shorter the timeframe you have to work, the smaller your negotiating advantage becomes. You are pressed for time so your options may be limited. You still need to have the important meetings of defining the goals/objectives of the program, determining what are necessities and what are wants, and developing the program from there.
Q: In Colombia, what are the cities that you see up and coming for meetings?
A: Colombia has had some amazing growth in the past few years, particularly after the very tough stance the previous presidency took on militias, drug cartels and overall crime. Cartagena is one of my favorite cities as it’s very tourist friendly and is seeing wonderful growth, but still has the amazing charm of the old walled city. Bogota is a bustling metropolitan city that has seen a major influx of high-end hotels, both major chains (JW Marriott) and smaller boutiques. The city is in constant growth with great options for business and dining as well as historical sites. Medellin is another city that made a major turnaround, having been named one of the most dangerous cities in the Americas just 10 years ago, it’s not considered one of the safest, but it’s a very cosmopolitan city that is also seeing constant growth but has a very rich cultural side.
Q: VAT can really increase expense for meetings abroad. Some countries (like Mexico) will work with you so that attendees and the meeting can get refunds. Can you speak to VAT within the EU?
A: This is one of the key differences between working within Europe and Latin America (in some countries). Mexico, Colombia, Uruguay and Chile each have their own regulations that will exempt certain taxes (known as IVA – Impuesto al Valor Agregado) for foreigners or groups, whereas when it comes to European Value Added Tax (VAT) you will need to work with a VAT reclamation company to work on reclaiming the VAT you had to pay out. There are multiple companies out there that offer the service of helping organizations retrieve the VAT expense because there are a lot of rules and regulations that need to be understood that vary by country. My recommendation would be to contact one of these companies to provide you guidance specific to the country in which you are going to be doing your event.
Q: What are the best resources to find out how to ship supplies to other countries?
A: By working with your local supplier to see who they recommend. You cannot expect that if you send something via FedEx or UPS, it’s going to arrive as it would any other package. The customs process varies from country to country and to be quite honest, it’s not always as black and white as one would hope. This is where working with a local supplier (DMC or PCO) that has extensive experience in working with customs brokers in-country will come in handy. They will understand the requirements of shipping items to their country and know how to best expedite shipments to ensure that they arrive on time. Additionally, if you are working on a program with a company that does some form of distribution or has a distribution network, you may want to talk to your client about the options of included shipment of necessary equipment through their channels, and if it is possible.
Q: What is the best way to deal with a language barrier if you do not speak the native language?
A: The easiest way is to find a trusted intermediary… someone who you can work with that speaks both languages that will assist you with anything you need in-country. We all want to do things our own way on our own terms, but many times we need to give in and bring someone on that will help to facilitate the discussions. I once had a colleague who relied on Google Translate for his e-mails, and to be honest he had some people fooled about his ability to speak certain languages, but it’s not recommended for anything formal like contracts or other types of specific documents… plus you won’t always have Google Translate talking for you when you meet face to face. In bringing someone in, it’s also not just about speaking the language but knowing HOW to speak to the other person in a way that will convey the message you are trying to get across in a professional and culturally sensitive method.
Q: What is the best way to handle the very relaxed response time to on-site requests in Latin America?
A: Be on top of them. If you do not get the response you are looking for right away, request again and again until you do. This goes back to understanding how different cultures work, and while you may not get the response you want in the timeframe you want it, there is a good chance that you will get what you ask for in the end. It’s important to try and find that balance between getting what you want and when you want it. It does get quite nerve wracking when you are expecting something right away and it’s not meeting your expectations. You need to be clear about your expectations, particularly when you are on-site. When working in a hotel, the pre-con is of utmost importance and if you are working with a reputable hotel they will clearly understand your needs as they for the most part should have the experience in working with international groups. Same goes for any other service providers… being clear on your expectations from the get-go will set the tone. If you are not getting the response you want in the timeframe you want it, then you have to remind them of your expectations and if need be work your way up the chain of command.
