Last minute planning is always a no-no, but sometimes it is unavoidable. Unfortunately, some bosses drop last minute meetings on their meeting planners and expect everything to be ready. Here are four tips to planning a last minute meeting without it turning into a debacle:
• Anticipate – Record the times and locations of every meeting as well as other related data. If it looks like the powers that be seem to like Friday afternoon meetings with deli snacks, then you should know what is coming without being told. To this end, keep all relevant supplies and coupons stocked, and favorite restaurants that deliver on speed-dial. • Take imitative – You do not necessarily have to wait to be told about meetings in every case. It is usually acceptable to ask about meetings unless you have been expressly directed not to do so. • Check schedules – Are the powers that be showing open schedules are the same time? If so, this might be a clue that a not-so-surprise-to-them meeting is getting set to be dumped into your lap at the last second. Now you have some warning! • Have a to-go kit ready – Do meetings require certain tools or props? If so, keep all these props in a suitable to-go bag and have it ready 24/7. This will give you more time to get everyone into the meeting room and you will spend less time getting yourself prepared.
Because cruises exude luxury, many businesses mistakenly believe that incentive cruises are beyond their budgets. Many may not even consider a cruise event or ship charter as a business incentive due to the “cost” of the cruise. However, incentive cruises are really no different than other forms of business incentives. For example, the cost to secure accommodations for a group at a hotel can range significantly. Some hotels and resorts are much more expensive than others. This same concept applies to cruise events. When businesses opt for meetings at sea, the business can find a price point that will be right for them.
The type of cruise a businesses chooses should be based on the needs of the company as well as the participants. Businesses rewarding a few employees with a business incentive such as a ship charter may desire a more luxurious cruise, while businesses treated hundreds of employees to a cruise event may opt for a more basic cruise package. Not only can a cruise easily fit in the budget of almost any business, but an incentive cruise can be very motivating for employees. Even when businesses have a price point to meet, they should still consider an incentive cruise as a viable option.
When group cruise planning, a bigger cruise ship is not always better. While larger ships can be extremely advantageous, for some groups a more intimate setting on a smaller charter ship is preferable. Even though some charter ships may be smaller, these ships still feel spacious and very accommodating. By choosing a smaller ship for an incentive cruise, businesses can create a more personalized experience for cruise event participants. Smaller charter ships still offer amenities such as sizable conference rooms, fitness facilities, lounges, panoramic ocean views, and spas. By choosing a smaller ship for an incentive cruise, participants will not miss a thing.
One of the most significant advantages of smaller charter ships is their ability to dock in destinations that are not oft-visited. In many cases, these ships can dock in exotic destinations not available to larger cruise ships. Cruise event participants may be greatly motivated by corporate travel that is out of the ordinary. Visiting exotic destinations on a ship charter that feels intimate but roomy will likely be high on the list of participants' preferences. While this type of cruise may seem like it would be more expensive than a larger cruise ship or land venue, businesses may be surprised at their affordability.
When companies or organizations want to increase sales, production, or services, a common method of motivation is to give the players gifts that encourage them to have a positive attitude towards the hosting business. With today's economy putting a crunch onto all types of promotional gifts, some smart companies are beginning to mix business meetings with unexpected pleasures for their deserving employees or clients.
The vacation trip industry has been hit hard by the spider-web of recent economical woes. At all levels, lodgings and vacation oriented transportation options are discounted to encourage participation. For company representatives that are searching for ways to spice up their next business meeting or conference plans now is the time to explore the possibilities of hosting the next meeting rendezvous at a traditional vacation destination.
Cruise ships and large vacation home rentals are both fun money saving options over traditional business meeting plans. When a group of people can be housed in the same location with room to work, there is no reason not to explore the options of placing your team into a working vacation situation while they are on the road to take advantage of the greatly reduced vacation plan savings that are being off
The benefits of a cruise meeting includes free food, large comfortable conference rooms, after-hours entertainment, and plenty of activities to keep the attendee's family members busy, too. Another huge benefit of an incentive cruise is the cost savings. Since a cruise is all inclusive, you may save as much as 40 percent over the cost of a land based venue. In addition, the ROI of a cruise event over other types of incentive trips is typically among the highest. So sourcing an incentive cruise makes good business sense.
This year is a very good time to look into holding your next important business meeting at a desirable vacation spot getaway location or on a cruise ship.
An all inclusive cruise event can save you up to 40% compared to land based venues since so much is included. Meals, meeting rooms, A/V, coffee breaks, activities, entertainment and even room service are part of the all-inclusive cruise fare.
It is no surprise that employees are motivated to work harder, increase sales and productivity, and improve their performance when they know that their efforts will be rewarded. Everyone likes to feel appreciated and to know that their hard work does not go unnoticed, which is why it is so important for all companies to implement some type of employee appreciation or incentive program. Some companies offer merit raises, performance-based bonuses or branded merchandise as prizes, while others choose gift cards or cash awards. While each of these options has its own particular appeal, incentive travel truly is the best, most effective choice that is often much more appealing to employees.
Here are five reasons your company should choose incentive travel to motivate your employees: 1. Incentive travel – whether it is a two-week European adventure or a weekend trip to a nearby ski resort – is far more memorable than other incentive options and will have a longer lasting positive effect. 2. Cash and gift cards are nice, but incentive travel provides your employees with the opportunity to actually have new experiences and enrich their lives. 3. Depending on your industry and pay scale, the incentive travel you offer might actually be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for your employees. 4. Incentive travel, such as incentive cruises, is generally perceived to have a much higher value than the actual cost to your company. 5. Offering incentive travel is much more personal than handing out gift cards or branded merchandise and is a more meaningful expression of your appreciation.
If it was not for the hard work and dedication of its employees, no company would grow to its full potential and meet sales and customer satisfaction goals established each year. Hardworking employees that ensure the store is open on time each day, your clients are treated in a professional manner, sales goals are met and exceeded, or that new accounts are acquired regularly need to know that they are appreciated and deserve to be rewarded for their commitment to your company’s success. While not every company can afford to give out regular raises or huge bonuses, businesses with even a very small budget can afford to provide their employees with a memorable, appealing employee recognition cruise.
Employee recognition incentive cruises do not have to be two-week excursions that journey to the Caribbean or the Greek Isles, although these are certainly options that your employees will never forget. There are many options for mini cruises that are as short as one night, or can be two to four days in length and are quite affordable. For example, Southern California companies can opt for short cruises that travel up the coast or to Mexico, Pacific Northwest companies can opt for cruises to Canada and companies located in the South can reward their employees with a weekend Bahamas cruise.
Explore your employee recognition cruise options by comparing ships and prices at Seasite.com, the only group cruise planning resource online.
Whether your corporate event lasts for two days or two weeks, there are bound to be certain points where participants begin to get edgy, stress begins to take its toll, or energy and attention begin to wane. Even in the most interesting meetings this can happen, which can lead to lower productivity and decreased satisfaction among attendees. This is why savvy corporate meeting and event planners have begun to include spa treatments in their event schedules. These luxury extras are an excellent addition to meetings and a great way to perk up attendees, relieve stress and prepare them for a few more hours at the table.
This growing trend is particularly popular at resort hotels that house spas on the premises, which also makes the inclusion of spa treatments much easier to organize. When the equipment and staff necessary to conduct spa treatments is already in place, only minimal planning is required to provide this added luxury to your event. Popular options for spa treatments during meeting breaks include chair massages, foot massages, head massages and mini, instructor-led yoga sessions and stretching breaks.
If your venue does not have an in-house spa, you can still incorporate spa treatments into your event with ease by finding a local, mobile team of spa service providers or contracting with a local spa that can send over staff and equipment.
Cruises have always had an air of luxury of extravagance, dating back to when the first cruise lines began to offer elegant vacation options, rather than simply providing seafaring voyages for transportation purposes. While most people still consider a cruise a luxury experience, present day cruises are actually quite cost-effective and convenient for incentive travel packages, meetings at sea, conferences and trade shows, and other corporate events.
Aside from the cost savings and easy of planning that cruises provide, here are ten additional advantages of choosing a cruise for your next event or travel award:
1. Cruises offer personalized, attentive service, which enhances participants’ experience. 2. Cruises offer inclusive packages that assist planners in sticking to the defined travel budget. 3. Cruises provide a fulfilling, exciting travel experience for employees at a variety of income levels. 4. This exciting travel option is highly motivating for staff and encourages increased performance. 5. The self-contained environment makes event planning easy and convenient. 6. Planners can offer their participants multiple destinations with no additional effort. 7. Sharing an exciting travel experience is ideal for teambuilding. 8. Cruises offer all of the luxuries of resort hotels with the added value of foreign destinations. 9. Entertainment options abound, providing participants with plenty of activity options that the planner does not have to organize. 10. A contained environment ensures that more attendees will show up to onboard meetings and events.
Incentive travel planners are well aware of the many reasons they must keep a watchful eye on the costs associated with incentive travel programs. The company paying the travel expenses will naturally require a detailed list of expenditures and will have a budget that you must stay within, as well as greatly appreciating your efforts put towards saving money without losing quality. However, with all of this emphasis placed on how much incentive travel packages will cost the company, it can be easy to overlook the expenses that the participants will incur.
In some cases, this may be an insignificant detail that does not affect the participants’ ability to enjoy their travel award to the fullest, but for some incentive travel winners, the costs involved may prohibit them from taking full advantage of this opportunity – or from participating at all. It is one thing to arrange a luxury vacation for well-compensated executives who can afford to indulge in room service for every meal at high-end resorts, but it is quite another to arrange a satisfying travel package for hardworking salespeople or staff members who may not have high salaries.
Incentive travel planners should keep this in mind when selecting destinations and would do well to do a bit of basic research on area prices to ensure that affordable meals and entertainment options are available.
As an incentive travel planner, you are likely always looking for ways to augment your incentive travel programs and add meaningful extras that will enhance the traveler’s experience. From entry-level travel gifts to luxury luggage sets, there are many options from which to choose when selecting merchandise to include in your incentive travel package.
Luggage is an obvious choice and can range from a simple carry-on to an entire set, but there are also many other fun gift options that your travelers are sure to enjoy. Quality digital cameras, particularly those by big name brands, are another popular choice that travelers are sure to appreciate, as is sporting equipment that is appropriate for the destination or iPods, headphones and other gift items for making their flight more enjoyable.
If you are planning incentive travel on a budget, you can also opt for more affordable options, including:
• Discount cards for area attractions and transportation • Tickets to local attractions or entertainment venues • Organic, high-quality personal care and toiletry kits • Messenger or laptop bags • Travel wallets • Luggage tags • Travel pillow, eye mask and blanket sets • Executive travel stationary sets • Travel alarm clocks • Travel jewelry or tie cases • Travel shoe shine kits
Also, to make these gifts even more meaningful, keep in mind that each of these items can be imprinted with your company logo.
