Below is a list of possible stakeholders to include when initiating a strategic meetings management program. A proactive approach of involving them during the initial stages may reduce a reactive negative response as the program gets underway.
Some organizations create a “Meetings Council” whereby some stakeholders meet monthly or quarterly to obtain information to distribute to their colleagues and provide feedback to the strategic meetings management owner(s).
Note that some organizations may have multiple business units with duplicative roles, e.g. an organization may have a Chief Financial Officer for each business unit. Include as many of the key decision makers as necessary to ensure buy-in and support. In some organizations, it may not be necessary to reach the senior “C-level” leaders but rather a VP, director or senior manager with decision-making abilities.
Place yourself in “their shoes” and seek to understand their perspective …
Stakeholder Management |
|
Stakeholder Role |
Their perspective |
Chief Executive Officer |
By understanding how the new initiative can benefit our clients and our shareholders, I can provide the governance model and support needed to move it forward. |
Chief Financial Officer or Finance |
By understanding the comprehensive costs of meetings/events, the resources, the processes and the technology, I can help the other leaders and the CEO control costs, maintain financial controls and mitigate risks. |
Chief Operating Officer, Operations, Shared Services |
By understanding the core processes and how they integrate within the various teams (travel, procurement, security, etc.), I can help streamline processes for maximum efficiency, shift resources to improve those processes that drive greater value and develop (or provide guidance on) standard operating procedures. |
Chief Technology Officer or Information Technology |
By understanding how the processes are enabled by technology, I can help by providing the resources and support necessary to assist with selection, implementation and support of the right technology. |
Chief Human Resources Officer or Human Resources |
By understanding the resource requirements to support the initiative, I can help by providing guidance on best practices on resource models, organizational design, searching and selecting the right resources. |
Chief Marketing Officer or Marketing |
By understanding the business purpose of the initiative, I can help by offering the marketing perspective, recommending ways to incorporate the flexibility that we need while still maintaining the controls necessary, and providing feedback as the “voice of the customer.” |
Chief Procurement Officer or Procurement |
By understanding the business purpose, costs, controls and supplier needs, I can help by providing procurement and supplier relationship management expertise to identify, select and maintain suppliers. |
Meeting Requestors/Sponsors |
By understanding the business purpose and how it affects my business, team, meetings, relationships, planning staff, processes, and budget, I can help by providing input and feedback as the “voice of the customer.” |
Meeting Leader(s) |
By understanding the organization’s priorities, vision and mission, and with leaders’ help and support, I can design a comprehensive strategic meetings management program that supports the value proposition. |
Meeting Sourcers, Planners (professional and ad-hoc) |
By understanding the business purpose and how it affects my job, I can help by providing the information about the current process, my customers’ requirements, best practices and support to move forward. |
Travel |
By understanding the business purpose and travel requirements, I can help by providing the current transient and group travel processes, best practices in travel and support to move forward. |
Legal |
By understanding the business purpose, legal and contract requirements, I can help by providing guidance on legal language for contracts (or this activity may be through Procurement) and offering guidance on those staff members who are allowed to sign contracts on behalf of the organization. |
Risk Management and/or Compliance |
By understanding the business purpose and risk exposure, I can help by providing guidance on risk mitigation, compliance and reporting requirements. |
Security |
By understanding the business purpose, security risks and crisis management needs, I can help by providing guidance on developing standard operating procedures for mitigating security concerns and crisis management plans. |
Real Estate |
By understanding the business purpose and the applicability of using internal meeting space, I can help by offering meeting space inside the organization when necessary and integrate meeting requests with the conference room request system as applicable. |
Training and Development |
By understanding the business purpose of the initiative, I can help by offering the training and development perspective, recommending ways to incorporate the flexibility that we need while still maintaining the controls necessary, and providing feedback as the “voice of the customer.” |
Meeting Attendees |
By understanding the business purpose and that my perspective is that of the “end user” of the services, I can help by providing feedback as the “voice of the customer.” |
Suppliers |
By understanding the direction of the initiative, I can help by providing information about the current process, the requests that I receive best practices from other organizations and industries, and support to move forward. |
Create a list of questions for each of your stakeholder groups to gain their input as you develop your strategic meetings management program. Begin with these questions (in no particular order) and continue to develop your own.
Business Leaders
- What are the organization’s overall goals and strategies and how can Meetings and Events align with those goals?
- Do you see it changing over the next three years? Why?
- Where does accountability lie with regards to managing to these goals?
- How much autonomy should the local decision makers have?
- There are many ways to reduce costs: Can you give me your thoughts on the organization’s appetite for implementing these methods? (provide examples)
- What would you like to see us achieve in support of the organization’s goals?
- What are your expectations of someone planning a meeting on behalf of the organization?
- From your personal experience or what you have heard from others what are the pain points with the current meetings environment (people, process, technology)?
- What is your view of meetings that have not gone through the formal meetings approval process?
- Is there a methodology that your organization uses to determine the return from the dollars spent on a meeting?
- What are you not receiving that you need to support your strategy?
- What value added services can be provided?
- What type of reports can we provide that would help you manage your business?
- We know that any cancellation or attrition credits need to be used so that the organization does not leave money on the table. Is there a willingness from Leadership to put in a tighter process in place and share the credits across the organization?
- Using our Preferred Suppliers saves money and reduces risk; how can we improve the current utilization in your organization from your perspective?
Meeting Sponsors/Meeting Planners/Ad-hoc Planners
- How often do you sponsor (or plan) meetings and events?
- How many meetings are you responsible for in a typical year that are held off-site?
- What % of your meetings are recurring?
- Of the following, what type of meetings and events are you involved in? (Breakfast, lunch or dinner gatherings; client/sales meetings or events; incentive meetings or events; marketing meetings or events; sponsorship activities; recruiting meetings or events; special events/team outings; general business meetings; project team meetings/events; training meetings; conferences or congresses; virtual meetings onsite or offsite that includes 50 or more attendees and are not self service)
- What percentage of the time of your position do you plan meetings or events?
- Are you aware of the benefits of utilizing the meetings team?
- Do you use group travel or the preferred travel management company?
- What is the budgeting and approval process that you follow?
- Are you aware of the organization’s usable attrition/cancellation credits at facilities?
- How is the location and timing of the meeting determined?
- What costs do you consider in making your decision?
- What is your process for negotiating and contracting?
- How do you pay for your meetings?
- What criteria do you use to measure the success of your meeting?
- What are your specific needs/requirements when engaging a meeting planner?
- What must exist in the process to deem it successful?
- What additional value added services can be provided?
- From your personal experience or what you have heard from others, what are the pain points with the current process?
- What would be on your wish list if you could map out the ideal process? Please identify which you consider to be most important.
Service Providers
- What services do you currently provide for meetings and events?
- What component(s) of your services do we need to consider in the future meetings and events planning process?
- What contributes to the level of service that is provided to us? And what should we consider as we improve our meeting and event planning process?
If you have any questions or need assistance with anything mentioned above, please contact me.
Thank you for visiting the T&E Plus Blog on expense management, travel management, business meetings, events, incentives, strategic meetings management, entertainment, virtual meetings, tickets, hotels, airlines, ground transportation, T&E policy, plus more...
Debi Scholar, GLP, CMM, CMP, CTE, CTT, Six Sigma Green Belt
- Meetings Management Mover and Shaker as selected by Corporate and Incentive Travel Magazine (2010)
- Top 20 Changemaker who influenced the meetings management industry by Corporate Meetings and Incentives (2008)
- Best Meeting Practitioner as selected by Business Travel News (2007)
- http://www.meetings-conventions.com/article_ektid38202.aspx
The Scholar Consulting Group LLC
[email protected]
908-304-4954
Benchmark your Strategic Meetings Management Program: http://www.smmbenchmark.com
Debi has the following designations:
- Wharton Aresty Executive Education/National Business Travel Association (NBTA) Global Leadership Professional (GLP)
- Meeting Professionals International Certificate in Meetings Management (CMM)
- Convention Industry Council Certified Meeting Professional (CMP)
- NBTA Corporate Travel Expert (CTE)
- Six Sigma Green Belt
- Chauncey Certified Technical Trainer (CTT)
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