Last blog I shared with you how I will not be taking over your job. My job truly is to enhance what you do, not take it over. Another myth hanging out there about site selection services is that it will cost more in the long run. Actually, it will cost less.
Yes, we are commissioned through the hotels and in this current market, hotels are charging higher room rates which does result in more commission. I would never suggest that a meeting planner spend more money on their hotel rooms than need be (in fact, I typically negotiate a lower room rate) because I would not be able to sleep at night (and I treasure a good night’s sleep!).
The more I understand and learn about a client, the more effective I become at finding the perfect space for their meetings and the better I’m able to negotiate rates AND concessions on their behalf. The better value I bring to the table, the more meeting planners wish to work with me. And I’ve been successful at site selection for more years than I wish to reveal at this time 😉
Speaking of more, let’s talk volume. The company I am so proud to be a part of is HelmsBriscoe and we are responsible for purchasing more hotel room nights than any other organization in the world. As a result, we have amazing purchasing power and can pass that power onto our clients. Last year, we brought the hotel industry $1.4 BILLION in rooms revenue (yes, that’s with a “B”).
As well, our hotel partners love us. They love the consistency of our RFPs, they know that we are there to create a win (you) win (them) win (me) situation and this has resulted in a lot of happy, trust-you-can-count-on over the years.
Finally, I am passionate about what I do. I am a huge fan of meeting planners and always wish for them to receive the recognition and shiny moments they so deserve!
