HOTELS magazine features the first of a series of research reports from performance solutions provider UniFocus aimed at helping hoteliers understand which features and services at their properties impact a meeting planner’s selection process, three opportunities emerged.
The findings are based on a fourth-quarter 2012 survey that included over 10,000 responses collected from over 400 global hotels across in the luxury, upscale and independent niches. Delving deeper, ranking results are provided on these key drivers relative to the meeting and events industry segment attendees of corporate, association and SMERF meetings.
The overall picture and top three key opportunities across collective meetings and events market segments for venue providers to focus on while preparing strategies for 2013 meetings include:
- Emphasis on the quality of food and beverage provided at meetings
- Focus on the need for knowledgeable and helpful staff during the event
- Enhanced focus on audio-visual value offered for the price paid
A quantitative performance analysis derived utilizing an algorithm developed by Dr. Dan Mount at Penn State's School of Hospitality Management was designed specifically for the meetings and event industry to identify key opportunities within meetings/events management. "This is a methodology designed to combine actual performance on an attribute, with the importance of that attribute to overall satisfaction levels,” Mount said.
The benefit to utilizing this form of methodology is that the key opportunities identified are items that are both recognized as important to meeting planners in context of how well venues are performing and delivering services related to these attributes.
The identification of critical issues that directly impact meeting planner satisfaction relative to market segments reveal opportunities to drive profit by simple tailoring of organizational strategies to reach individual market segment needs.
View the original article on HOTELS Magazine
